The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-12
MARK TWAIN THEIR GUEST.
TIE GREAT uUMoRIsT ENTERTAINED
At THE LoTos CUE.

Own In the battle of witty Speeches.
Mark Twain was tho guest OF honor Mt last
nights dinner ut tho Lotos Club. only once
during the evening was no referred to 10y his
real name MIR. Clemens sat at a scmiclrcuar
table placed between the two large rooms on
tho main floor. which were used for the dinner,
and had for fellow diners W. d. llowells.
Charles Dudley Warner Richard Watson
Glider. John Hay, Gen. Horace Porter, Charles
A. Dana. Andrew Carnegie, Edmund Clarence
Stedman. John Brisbn Walker. Seth Low. anu
81. Clair McKelway. There were many other
well known men in tho two rooms
Besides being II dinner TO Mark Twain. it
was also the first club dinner in the new
house. The rooms had been frcshened with
plants and flowers and were brilliant with
shaded electric lights. The guests snt down
ut an early hour. but it was 8 o'clock
before the speechmaking began. For more
than an hour before that time pro-
cession of club members and guests had
been obtaining the autograph OF Mr.. Clemens.
He was SO besieGcd that he barely had time TO
pay attention 10 the champagne whicht the wait
or specially devoted to his table. carried around
in maGnums. AT the right Of Mr.. Clemens sat
Mr.. Dana, aud opposite him sat Mr.. llowolls.
In some respects tho slcechmaking re-
sem blcd IA court trial. There were differences.
however. j no JuHEp. LOT lHsthute' MAUI mas
charge ut tho opening. Mr.. Clemens having
opened for tho defendanttha is, for himself
received tho privilege OF listening to tho
counsel for the prosecution. after which he
was permitted TO sum up without having any
further remarks from the opposition.
In making his charge President frank Il.
Lawrence said:
GENTLEMEN OF THE LoTos CLun: Tonight
the old faces appear amid new surroundings.
The place where last we met about tho table
has vanished. and tonight %e have our first
1T is peculiarly tittinE that tho board should
now be spread in honor of one who has been
member Of the club for iull u score ct years.
and it Is happy augury for the future that
our fellow member whom wo assemble to
greet shoud be the bs9rer ", OF most d,st IN
lotos Club is ever at its best when paying
homage to genius IN literature or in art
the name OF Mark Twain! L ries OF MOI No
knew him Ions years ago. before he came out
ducnce. with no reverence Tor anything, AMI
went abroad 10 educate tho untutored l.uro-
penn in the subtletios Of the American Joke.
The world has looked on amd aipauded
while he has broken many images. lie has
led us in imagination all over the lohe. with
him AS our guide We have traverscd alike the
Mississippi and tho Sea Of GalI!ce. At his
bidding we have laughed at a thousand alb
nies are actually dead. lie has held Us spell
DOunu upon the llH!n AT mo IbpJ OIL llle sltaC
Sphinx. and we have, loined him in weepin-:
sitter tears at the tomb of Adam. ,-
Tonight we greet him n the flesh, what
hame is there In literature that can he likencd
to his Perhaps some OF the distinguished
gentlemen acout this table can tell us; but |
know of none. Himself his only parallel. it
~. He Il, is all our own ripe and Perfect prod.
could he have been born il he had tried. x |
voice. Except Ireland. hy no previous neo
s9sa he n hnyC nj GGn % G he is We
hours oil laughter. and for many moments Of |
more serious thought, As he goes forward in |
the creator. and in which he is without,a rival. |
we shall give him our APPLAUSE. and we to-
night pledge him our kindest wishes for pros |
perity. happiness. and success"
The applause which greeted Mr.. Clemens |
ter, Every lace that was turned toward him
and there We're no others-was wreathcd in !
smiles. Like he audience when tho popul ar /
and time-tried comedian comes upon the |
sstage tho diners eXpected 70 be amuse!.
Mr. Clemens got up and spoke in
familiar to al who know him.. lie said SO
many funny things that probably no one who
heard him will remember more than half OF
shouts OF laughter that had followed ntecrd-
hi ones ,,ch h is Si what IHE sun reporter was
MI. PRESIDENT. GENILEMEN. AND FELLOW
MEMBERS OF THE i.oros Gun: / have seldom
licitously pnrased or 50 well deserved ! re-
turn than Ks Tor them from u full heart and am
dsionce: While / am charged with having
no reverence Tor anythlEE wish to say that
! have reverence tLeIF' or the map who can
reverence and II sincere ono for u CLUB that
can do such Justice to me, To be the chief guest
Of such aclub is something to he cnved. and
II L read your countenances rightly / mn
enyied., am gla4, TO see tins club in such
ego when 1t was housed In n static.
a., Now. when was studying fer tho ministry
int
mentioned in history that other prOdica son
who came back from his travels was invited to
there. his brethren, David and Goliath. ani-er.
and II ne had hnn as much exIctirnced rs
oiher people got through talking. lie got up
and testilied TO all ms tai!iugs. Now If lie had
living until the others had spoken lie
as S lie d. ID. and S Ff@in H ,"at 'vi w "%fiii
think Id letter wait until the others hani in
their testimony: tncn. II it Is necessary Tor ne
to make an eypian"uon. will get up and OK
plain. and il cannot do that N deny it hap
pened. Don I yOu see. Rs 1t stands | hayo 10
text but myself and then don't ieci very well.
You see. I've been training with the Demo.
cratic rarty and 9t. The events OF last urs-
pal health. | think n !ttlo rest Will do m.
good. At present AN mn Of symptoms.
before. 1t reminds mo Of one Of thus"
young ladies with an extra dose o; oyersoul
]
mound. Whcn ira slHte that. peThals yOI /
will have an idea Of my Io"llng,. feel that hight
here in that pup il concentrated the Demo-
ratio party, and here putting his hand on Mr..
Dana's shoulder Is an excel ireud of mine
hat feels The same way. Now, with your per-
mission. ! would rather wait until the rest get
through. and then, II any charges need rect-
ication. hope you Will allow me to get w
md explain"
From this time on Mr.. Clemens was tho OBJ
ect OF attack Strangely enough. although
many points in his career ana works were
AIKEN advantage OF by one or another of tho
speakers. not even his ncNt-dOOr nclEhhOr.
Mr.. Warner. referred to the tact that at tins
inc ol year the boys Of Hartford arc packing
'hestnuts ON the ground surrounding HIS
louse AS they have been every fall since no
,ettled IN that city. Mr.. Lawrence allowed
lr. Warner to make the ilrst rcply to what no
described rs Mr., Glemens's logical and con-
ecutiye address"
MIR. Warner said that he felt he was called
lpon to explain the ineXpl!caUle.
can only say he aided, that there is n
of opinion about Mr. Twain. great
many people think that he ia the greatest man
Il tho universe. Others know that he is from
lissouri. Now, ! am liEo that distinguished
lergymgn who took the position that while
ONE say there Is no God. and some say there
u God no decided o take the middle course
li,.