Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-03-10
STARTING A PAPER.
A STORY OF TWO HUMoRISTs.
THE ADVENTURE or MARK TWAIN AND
DAN. DE QUILLD IN NEVADA A
SCORE OF TEARS AGO.

y eNphh VI -nho ANOs
, [FrOm the oarsdh (Nev,) Appeal.
) 1t was nearly twenty years ago whel
J Dan De Quille and Mark Twain at
tempted to start a paper in Mondocint
county. They took the type ant
material of their recently deiunct estab
} lishment in San Francisco, and loading
the stuff on a big wagon, struck oui
into the country TO retrieve their for
tune. They packed their type just al
ii stood in the forms, tied up the
articles with stout cords by process:
well known TO printers, and, packing
them closely in boxes, vowed to estab
lish o newspaper somewhere which
politics and history Of the Pacific
Coast. Had not an unfortunate circum.
stance taken place, it is evident that
the newspaper which they contem.
plated founding would have been alive
to-day. Their journey over the noun
tains was utterly uneventful until they
reached Simpsons Station, spot well
known to old travellers on that route.
Here they met party Of emigrants
making for Lower California, and the
latter had with them small mountain
howitzer which they had brought with
them across the plains.
Twain took a great fancy to this
gun, and offered fifty dollars for it,with
two kegs Of powder, The emigrants
were glad enough to part with it, as
they concluded the time for its use had
passed. Dan thought the purchase OF
the artillery and military supplies was
q reckless piece of extravaganza, and
said as much, but Mark replied
"When we start our paper we must
fire a salute. A newspaper office with
artillery has big bulge on the bust.
ness. No well-regulate1 office in Cal
ifornia should be without e howitzer.
If man comes in for a retraction, we
can blow him into the next county.
The hOwitzer goes"
Thissilenced argument, and the next
day the two journalists took the road
with their printing outfit and artillery.
The next night they camped in q
mountain ravine, fifteen miles from
Simpsons, and, after building the usual
camp fire, fell asleep About eleven
o'clock the horses wakened them by
prancing about, and the two journalists
were led to the conclusion that party
of Indians was making arrangements
for a night attack. In the clear moon
light human forms could be distin.
guished about half a mile away, at the
foot Of the ravine. The idea OF encoun-
tering Indians had never entered the
heads Of the two fortune.seekers, and
they had no arms. Suddenly Twain
frightened up, remarking
"The howitzerY"
"We've got nothing but powder"
said Dan
"Well, powder'll scare EN- and
well load her up"
The piece was Immediately loaded
with good big charge, and tho two
men felt quite certain that the Indians,
hearing the roar of the gun, would
beat an unconditional retreat The
piece was hardly loaded and placed in
position when about forty redskins
came charging up the ravine.
Twain seized brand from the camp
fire and was about to lay it on the
touch-hole, when Dan yelled "Hold
on !" as he rammed something into
the mouth of the piece and remarked :;
"Turn'er loose"
Tho roar of the howitzer echoed
through the lonely forest, and the saw.
ages, with frantic cries of pain, reelod
down the ravine in wild confusion.
"What in HI did you put in p
asked Mark.
"a column OF solid nonpareil and q
couple OF sticks Of your spring poetry
"The poetry did the business, Dan.
Get one of your geological articles
ready for the next charge, and ] guess
ltll let the red devils out for the pres.
ent campaign. .........
The savages again advanced. Mark
attended to the powder and Dan as
sorted the shot, so TO speak.
"Jeems Pipes song, my Mountain
Home.'"
"An acrostic by John B. Ridge, in
long primern
dit'll paralyze 'emn
aFrank Pixlevon the Constitution
half n column of Ieaded brcviern
All II bita EN- the dav ia won
nYour leader on law and Order -
aSayo il az last resort" - "a
Dan pulled the type out Of the boxes
and stuffed column after column in the
howitzer's month as the savagcs came
charging on. Another round from the
gun and the redskins rolled over each
other like boulders swept away by a
mountain cloud.burst Mark, in an
ecstacy of delight. pulled an American
flag out of his effects, nailed it to the
taii.board of the wagon, and was about
to make speech, when the dusky
figures of the foes were once more seen
moving to the attack.
The piece was again loaded, and this
time with double CHARGE Marks
leader ON HLaw and Order !" the puff
of an auction house by Fred. McCrel.
lisb, "and a sickener.n Dan said Frank
Cross verses on "Rebel Yell !" an
agricultural article by Sam. Sebaugh,
showing the chemical properties OF
corn juice as an educational lever a