The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-02-26
MARK TWAIN'S MARRIAGE.
IChicago SUM-

The San Francisco Call recently published an
article on Mark Twain's marriage, which, Ike
every other published on the same subject dur |
ing the past few years, is about equally made
up of fact and fiction, and what is funnier still
gentleman who was one of the "lnnocents''
immortalized in the famous trip of the "Quak-
er City," and now a resident of St. Paul, while
properly correcting some of the ludicrous blum
ders in the article referred to in letter to the
st. Paul GLOBE makes one of the gravest errors
possible in asserting that the late Mr.. Jarvis
Langdon, of Elmira, N. Y, Mark Twain's faith
er-in-law, had no daughter of his own, but only
an adopted daughter, and that it was she whom
Mark welded. AS the writer lived several
years in Elmira and was on the most intimate
terms with Mr.. Langdon and his estimable
family, he deems it proper to inform the limo
cent? and misguided world that Mr.. Langdon
had two children by his sanity wife, boy and
girl, and an adopted daughter whom they took
to their home, which was a perfect earthly
paradise, when she was a little waif, and raised
her to an exalted station in society, Of which
she became one Of the brightest and most re-
spected ornaments.
Charley, the son, as truly stated, was one of
the Innocents on the Quaker city, but his step
sister was married good while previous to
his going abroad, to his fathers business man
ager, and when Charley returned his sister
who was an almost helpless cripple from in
IanCy-Decame SO interested on nearing Oh
Mark Twain's excentricities, requested her
brother to invite Mark to pay the family a
visit, and she soon had her wishes gratifed.
| And if it be true, as has been stated, that he
fell in love with her on first sight, it may be
| said with equal truth that she fell in love with
him before she ever saw him.. Mr.. Langdon
was imbued with remarkably generous i'm
pulses, in short, he was about as near human
| perfection as humanity can ever hope to attain
to, while his DEVOTED wife was a perfect type
of wifely, motherly sweetness. Possessing a
fine business tact, he had-despite reverses-
amassed large fortune, although Mark would
surely have married his sweet-tempered, angel
ic-faced darling, had sho had nothing but her
loving heart and kindly hand to give him, as
his harm, sympethic feelings were doubtless
intensified by her sad physical affection. Thei1
wedding was of very queit and unostentatious
character, and Mark being then connected
!, with the Buffalo Zap, ess, departed with hit
! young and happy bride for that city the same
| evening, amid aigeneral shower of good wishes
and every form of friendly sentiment ane
feeling. A very pleasant surprise awaited tn
, happy pair on arriving at their destination
, as on alighting from the car they found car
Rage in waiting for them, in which they wer
quickly driven to magnificent, brightly il
r Illuminated mansion, on ascending the step
were confronted by a gentleman who hande
: them title deed for the same. The rich fur
nishings Of the house were quite in keepln
6 with it's handsome exterior, and the substantia
! marriage gift cost 49, 900. Their marriage oc
! ! CURED near the close of 1869.
! Our memory takes melancholy pleasure il
going back to the lovely summer evenings 1S7
: when Mr.. Langdon was dying of cruel an
:, unrelenting disease which both puzzled an
y defed the best medical skill, and which We
= never understood until it had done its flu
- work. In anticipation of spending the ever
- :, ing Of his days in close communion with natu1
~ ~ in its happiest moods, he had tasty summ'
-, 10 residence erected at lofty altitude on Ea
le Hill, near the residence of the Rev. Thos.
- Beecher, of whom he was great admirer, an
~ of whose church he was tho most genero'
20 supporter, and which commanded love
~ panoramic view of fair Elmira, and the rio
- beautiful, charming Chemung valley and i
4 i clear winding river, and it would be hard fir
-, a loveler spot than the site he selected els
~ where in the great land he loved so we'll.
"' this time the writer was employed in layil
out the grounds in perfect harmony with the
owner excellant tastes; and as he always lik
lie to hear of the progress being made in his ia
,r. orite work, it was his (the writer's) custom
-, the close of the to repair to his peaceful abo
~ oud give him the much-desired informatic
Il It evidently did not occur to him until near
end that he was dying, as he often spoke