The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-03-08
How Mark Twain Won His wiz.
San Francisco Call.

San Francisco Call,
The turniDg-point in Mr.. Clemar.
life was made in 1868, when he went l.
the Holy Land with the excursion;s..
ON the steamer Quaker City. He baa
been in New York but short time act.
ing as correspondent for the Alta wbsr
the opportunity occurred to make tb;s
trip, which proved eventually to DE tbe
most fortunate one for our Bohemian
The preprietors had been paying 81
much per letter, in which Mr.. Clemens
served up New York in serio-comie
way, when they were astonished to M
ceive an urgent request to advance 81 ,2W
to enable him to go abroad with thu
/" Innocents the confederation for thin
to be correspondence from points of inter.
est visited. He wrote five or six Letters
during the same voyage. After little
hesitation, natural, under such circum.
stances, Mr.. Clemens request was
granted, and he Joined the excursienigts.
To the moral and religious people who
made up the party, his presence was un-
desirable, for he still carried his mining
manners with him, and spoke the Washoe
vernacular. 1t happened among the
passengers there was an old gentleman
from Elmira, N. Y, named Langdon,
who was accompanied by his son, a mere
boy, and daughter. This boy conceived
q sort of friendship for Mr.. Clemens, and
associated with him almost constantly.
He introduced his friend to his sister,
Miss Olivia L. Langdon. and we may
add, to his fate. The old gentleman
fought rather shy of the Washoe Bohss
mian's society, but the yonngslady looked
on him kindly, and the light OF her eyes
purified his life. 1t was case of love at
first sight as far as Mr.. Clemens was CON.
cerned, and the influence of the feeling
was most beneficial He began to live
Clearly in a moral sense, abandoned cards
and gambling and drink, and gave up
scofing at the religious opinions OF his
fellow. passengers. He wanted to find
grace with the lady of his love and her
father. Before the voyage was over he
asked Mr.. Langdon for Olivia, and the
refusal he received chilled but did not
dishearten him. he simply told the
somewhat indignant parent that he could
wait, but he was determined to marry
his daughter. 1t was saidsoi John Fos-
ter, the English writer, and at one time
editor of the London Examiner, that his
love letters were the most remarkable
ever penned, because they were written
at the instigation of young lady whom
he wished to make his vile, but who,
knowing his habitnal Incidence, and at
the same time his CREST talent, refused
to listen to his addresses till he had dis
tinguished himself. He did so, and won
q bride that was proud of him. ME.
Clemens case is hardly parallel to this,
but is similar in some respects. We
think his Innocents Abroad" was q
labor OF love in degree. 1t made him
famous as humorous writer, and while
all the world was talking about him and
his book he came to Emira, accompan-
led by an editorial friend from CleveA
land, and again renewed his suit far
Mise Langdon's hand. This time the old
man listened with more complacency.
The yound lady's brother pleaded Tor
Clemens, aud his Cleveland friend, who
knew Mr.. Langdon well, also advocated
his claims. But more powerful Pleaders
than all of these was the young lady's
heart, and for her father, the evidences
of capacity Mr.. Clemens had given, and
also of reformation of lite. A family
meeting was held, and into It's charmed
circle the expectant bridegroom gladly
atApped.