The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-05
MARK rWAlN IN A RACE.
nae stefim or an ApriI-Fool Joke-Brried
un&sr nm Avalanche Of Letters Begging
far Bis AUTOGRAPH.


fsr Bis AUTOGRAPH.
Hartford tConn.) telegram says: Mark
Twain, OF this city, has been made the
victim OF a practical joke, and Is fairly
,sxaxy. Tuesday morning lApril-FoolS
anyA be was surprised TO receive bundle
sf over one hundred letters by mail. and
later on that day received three hundred
moro, and up 10 last night had over
bukhei Of them scattered on a bill
hard-tablc at his home. Every letter
aexcd the humorist for his autograph:
R seems that the Joke ORIGINATED
In the brain OF George w. Cable, the
sove5ist. Knowing that the particular aD-
kerrence OF Mr.. Clemens was the auto
gyaph-collecter, and that OF all things de-
testabie In this world the great humoiist
most detested being pcstered for his sigma
tnre, Mr.. Cable conceived the idea OF
simultaneous attack on Mark, and sent to
$50 OF the Hartford joker's friends circu-
hr requesting each OF them to forward to
Che eminent wit on the 31st OF March the
most suppllcatory request for his auto
graph they could concoct.
ALI, HUNGRY FOR Marks AUTOGRAPH.
In addition 10 the communications Of T.
r. Aldrcb and III. T.. Bunner letters OF a
similar sort were forwarded by Richard
w. Glider, OF the Century, George Cary
Rcgieston, Lawrence Hutton, Julian Haw-
fhorne, Robert NJ. johnson, James X. Os-
rood. M. w. Drake, and scores OF other
wcil-known men OF letters.
To say thai Twain was wild Is putting 1t
mildly. The story was too good TO be
kept, however, and to-day it was on the
lips Of every one. Some even went so far
zs 90 positively affirm that Mr.. Clemens
had actually challenged Mr.. Cable to a
duel, and also several Of the others; but
such is not fact. The victim has taken q
more cold-5looded view Of the matter. and
now proposes TO have number oil the let
ters published, hoping thereby to brlug
Yidicuie on the heads OF the iokers.
SOME SPECIMEN LETTERS.
The following are few OF specimens re-
eeiyed: John Hay writes from Cleveland.
He wants Mark Twain to take leisure
hour or two, and copy for him q few hun
,saeed lines OF "Young's Night Thoughts {"
and an equal amount from Pollock'S
~Course OF Time" Clara Louise Kellogg
sends a dainty note from the Clarendon
Hotel, New York, asking for an auto
graph, and Clara's mother writes that
she is really suffering for one. Henry
Irving sends a typical letter from the
Brevoort House, saying: "The possession
OF an autograph OF my dear Mark Twain
lis n matter OF life and death with me-"
while Ellen Terry's application is brief
md to the point. She asks: "Will you
write your name for me?" Napoleon Sa-
Youy writes over The dash OF the pen that
X X he calls his trademark. ModjeSka
dropped into Renaissance, and her ultra
fashionable sheet OF paper is covered with
daring strides of the pen. She begins her
application OF her letter, which is in Polish,
and is believed to be her address, for il
starts of with the woads, "Wielmorina
Helena ChlapOwske Br. Modrejewska."
She sigas herself, "Your great admirer."
sTEDMAN's MODEST REQUEST.
Edmund Clarence Stedman's letter ls q
good burlesque OF the average school girl
who fills in her spare time in writing to
noted people for their autographs. Many
of the words are underscored, and sugars
Mr.. Clemens with such sentences as 'My
favorite American author" and "YOur
wellknown Kindness" Mr.. Stedman not
only solicits both kinds of Mr.. Clemens's
signature, but wants a sentiment in his
l. andwriting or few pages from " Rough
IA Az, nc iiu'C ADIOuu, OF - Tue
.nrA cents and the Pauper."
III. g. Bunner, OF Puck. wants an auto
his two-weeks-old granddaughter, !
ldding: "The little innocent abroad in |
his strange world OF ours will value your
yift when she Is old enough to appreciate |
n" Joe Howard, Jr., recalls meeting Mr.. |
Clemens twenty-fouT years ago. In front
u the New xorf. City Hall. and then makes
M vppeal for the autograph. Thomas
~. Knox's request comes from the LotOs
Club. He has royal commission from
the King OF Sum for autographs
for the kings two hundred and fifty
eight children. Colonel Knox suggests
that the order had better be filled for three
rs the Kings family is Increas-
Ing. Stephen Fiske wants q Mark Twain
autograph for friend who is going abroad
Who wishes to take 1t along rs q mascot,
and Mrs. Fiske modestly spells the name
q Clements" and sohcits one hundred and
sixty autographs for church-fair booth.
Lawrence Hatton wants to complete his
collection OF MSS. by adding the original
Of Dir. Clemens's latest and most charming
works, Jean. As Jean is the oungest child
In the Twain household she will probably
not be forwarded.
BEECHER's GILT-EDGED REQUEST.
Henry Ward Beecher starts his missive
by mentioning that he Is very curmud-
geon about answering autograph letters.
Hr. Beecher sends guilt-edged card with
. formal demand for an autograph. Joseph
Hafton's scrawl is deciphered TO mean re-
quest for another autograph, one to carry
about with him. &. G.. Buel, OF the Centst-
~ MGqdzine, wants humorous article for
publication with Mr.. Clemens's signature
x&tached to eyey paragraph, so that
the copy" could de sold to ad-
vantage, while II. w. johnson. OF
the Century, applies by postal card as
follows: Gould you let me have an auto
graph for q lame boy whose mother has in
tezested him in things spiritual by encour-
aging him to make an autograph collection
20 he rafiled for ut fair, the proceeds TO go
20 the Society for the Suppression OF the
Toy Pistol!" NJ. S. Beach, writing from
Brooklyn, alludes to the prominence Dir.
Clemens has acquired through his relations
with Captain Duncan. DIR. j. s. Billings,
Il Washington, wants photograph anthem
ficated by Twaln's signature. Brander
Matthew'S, of New York. would consider a
Mark Twain autograph priceless boom.
ACCUSED or WAITING "GaDRIEL CONRoY."
r. u. Aldrich wants the autograph be-
cause II would be that Of the man who
wrote "Gabriel Conroy," and falls into
hne for q signature. Mrs. Aldrich iorgets
herself and sends stamp. tits revenue
stamp. however. Colonel George L. War
ing keeps M with the procession by having
his request properly filed. The city editor
ar the Commercial Advertiser telegraphs
for Twain autograph for the fifth edi.
fion of that journal, and Henry Peters. |
al New York. wires Mr.. Clemens for two
carloads OF his heaviest waterproof au-
togfaphs. Bloodgood ii. Gutter. the Long
Asiand farmer poet, makes his request in
very poor rhyme. and Henry T. Gillig OF