The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-07-31
Mark Twain's House and Work Room.

MARK TWAIN is resident of Hartford,
Conn, where he owns q pretty house
which a writer in the Boston Herald
thus describes: Ample grounds surround
the large two-story brick house with
many sharp gables and irregular projec-
tions, most artistic architectural COM
position. The brick is of brownish
hue, varied with figures and bands of
light red and black. Broad verandas
flank two sides, widening out into
large outdoor hall, it might be called,
near the conservatory. This airy hall is
naturally favorite resort for the family
in the warm weather. Many of the
rooms in the upper stories have delight
fully cosey balconies opening out of
them. The grounds are finely shaded
with trees which, in places, thicken to a
forest-like density; and great beeches
and naples cluster around and overtop
the house, giving the large windows
grateful screens of cool greenery. The
interior is arranged on generous scale.
Opposite the entrance to the large hall,
with its handsome staircase and pam
eled ceiling, is the library, beau
tiful, friendly-looking room. Book
shelves cover the lower half of the wall
space. Over the large fireplace, which
is set in stately chimney piece Of richly
carved wood, is brass plate with the
inscription in old-English text ''The
ornament of house is the friends who
frequent it." Opposite the fireplace is
the deep recess of bay window, with
easement through which one may step
down into the lawn. Among the pict-
uresson the walls is Frank d. Millet's
excellent portrait of Mr.. Clemens, paint
ed about four years ago. One end of
the library opens into the large and
beautiful conservatory, and beyond this
is the veranda.
Mr.. Clemens does not use his library
for his study; this is in the billiard room
in the third story, where the quietest
kind of quiet surrounds him. 1t is a
long room, with sloping sides formed
by the roof. 1t is light and airy, and
has three balconies adjacent large
ones on either side and a small one at
the end. One may step out into these
through the regular doors, and is not
obliged to stoop and creep through
cramped window openings, humping
the head against the sliding sashes,
which nearly destroy all utility in so
many balconies, making them mere Or
namental shams. Here in this room Mr..
Clemens sits writing at a plain table,
with the books he may wish to use for
reference lying scattered about him. He
makes it an invariable rule to do a GER
tain amount of literary work every day,
and his working hours are made contin-
uous by his not taking any midday meal
at all. He is merciless towards his own
productions, and often destroys whole
days labor as soon as it is written. He
finds the final result more satisfactory
by taking this course and beginning
again than by trying to remodel what
he considers faulty manuscript. In
this way he often does a certain piece
of work over and over again, and at
other times the first draft is sufficient
and requires no revision. But, though an
entire days work may come to nought,
he does not regard the time as wasted,
but deems the practice essential to dis
cipline. He has destroyed hundreds of
pages of manuscript in this way. He
has published scarcely volume out of
which at least two hundred manuscript
pages have not been culled and COM
mitted to the waste-basket. From one
volume he weeded out five hundred
pages. He is an industrious worker,
and during his recent European soiourn
he kept up his literary labors persist
emily. .z