River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-02-27
MARK TWAIN'S MARRIAGE.
Chicago Sun.

tCnlcaSO gun,
The San Francisco Gail recently published an
article on Mark Twain marriage, which, like
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 of the "Innocents"
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
erin 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 the most intimate
terms with Mr.. Langdon and his estimable
family, he deems it proper to inform the limo
cent and misguided world that MIR. Langdon
had two children by his sanity wife, a boy and
girl and an adopted daughter whom they took
to their home, which a perfect earthly
paradise when she was little waif, and raised
her to an exalted station in society, of which
she became one of the brightest and most re-
speoted 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
ancy-became so interested on hearing of
Mark Twains excentrcities, requested her
brother to invite Mark to pay. the family a
visit and she soon had her wishes gratlhed.
And if it be true, as has been stated, that he
fell in love with her on first sight, 1t 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 inn
pulses, in short, he was about as near human
perfection as Humanity ever hope to attain
to, while his DEVOTED wife was a perfect type
of wifely motheriy sweetness. Possessing a
fine business tact, he had--despite reverses-
amassed large fortune, although Mark would
surely have married his sweet-tempered, angel
c-faced darling, had she 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. Their
wedding was of very queit and unostentatlous
character, and Mark being then connected
with the Buffalo E1D1eSS, departed with his
young and happy bride for that city the same
evening, amid asgeneral shower of good wishes,
and every form of friendly sentiment and
feeling very pleasant surprise awaited the
happy pair on arriving at their destination,
as on alighting from the car they found car
rage in waiting for them, in which they were
quickly driven to a magnificent, brightly IL
Illuminated mansion, on ascending the steps
were confronted by gentleman who handed
them a title deed for the same. The rich fur
nishings of the house were quite in keeping
marriage gift cost 10000. Their marriage oc-
CURED near the close of 1869.
Our memory takes melancholy pleasure IN
going back to the lovely summer evenings 1870
when Dir. Langdon dying of a cruel and
unreIenting disease which both puzzled and
defied the best medical skill, and which vas
never understood until it had done its full
work. In anticipation of spending the even
ing of his DAYS in close communion with nature
in its happiest moods, he had tasty summer
residence erected at a lofty altitude on East
Hill near the residence of the Rev. Thos. X.
Reecher, of whom he was great admIrer, and
of whose church he was the most generous
supporter and which commanded a lovely
paInoram c view of fair Elmira, and the rich,
beautifu', charming Chemung valley and its
clear winding river, an / it wouid be hard ind
a lovelier spot than the site he selected else
where in the great land he loved so well. At
this time the writer employed In laying
out the grounds in perfec+ harmony with their
owner excellant tastes; and as he always liked
TO hear of the progress being made IN his fay-
orite work. it was his the writer's) custom at
the close of tt to repair to his peaceful abode
end give him the mueh-desired information.
1t evidently did not occur to him until near his
end that he was dying, as he often spoke Of
his prospective happiness at has mountain re-
treat and seeming not to think that be would
soon experience perfect happiness at a far
Ioftier altitude in his blessed eternal home.
His devoted wife lowered around him like a
ministering angel, and lest he would exhaust
himself With talking would kindly and gently
tell us to depart. His sufferings increased
from day 10 day, and it was soon apparent to
him that death--for which he was always
ready-was near and on a lovely day in Aug-
ust his spirit passed away, he having met
death with the faith and hope of a Christian,
and the courage of a true American.