Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-02-23
TWAIN ON WASH lNGTON

w AIN YIN WAO n ! MA wv.
Mr.. Clemens Makes Some Remarks to the
Citizens the Duties of the Dead and
on Lawyers and Tells of His Waterme on
Experiences.
FAIRHAVEN, Mass, Feb 23-The Fair
haven town lal was formally presented
to the town by Henry II. Rogers of the
Standard Oil company. 1t is a magnif-
cent structure, cost $500, 600 and is the Gull
mination Of many sumptuOuS gifts given
by Mr.. Rogers to the town of his birth.
The dedication exercises will last two days
and terminate with Il grand ball. Govern
or Greenhalge, Mayor Matthews of Bos-
ton, Mark Twain and others spoke.
Mr.. Clemens Mark Twan) said:
I'VE all rccagujz re he value of this build
ing as an exam pie and a suLgestion-a sug-
grSt ion to any who are moved by love for
their fellow men to make gifts to them If
hospitals or town halls or libraries; to build
these things while they are alive, not wait
till they are dead. If you do it while vnu
are alive, it is really done andswcll uune,
but if you wait till you are dead there is
but a barren result and IA divided profit
You get credit for the intention, and the
lawyers get the money. The stomachs of
the lawyers of this land are distended to
utter discomfort with the elecmOsynary
architecture that they have swallowed. In
all this world there is no Joy like to the
Joy lawyer feels when he good
hearted, inconsiderate person erecting a
free library, or a town hall, or Il hOspit"'
in his WILL He smiles the smile that O.
he knows how to smile and goes into tt
ing for the anaconda act.
LAWYERS.
"Perhaps no one has ever known de-,
man to try odo even the least little simpl.
thing without making hotch of it. The
truth is, a dead man ought to lie still and
keep quiet and try to behave. But you
can't teach him That. You can't teach him
any useful thing Everything about him
is perishable but one thing, and that is his
inability to accept the fact that circum-
stances over which he has no control have
limited his activities
And Nrst and last and all the time it is
impossible to make him understand that
there is nothing very large or fine or gen
erous in spending his own money on him
self and building hospitals with his chill
dren's cash. Why, some people do seem to
get duller and duler the deader they get.
Oh, well, perhaps it s no matter. 1t is the
way they are made Probably the mistake
was i'll making them at all. l mean, if it
was ii mistake, am no judge of that, but
| wouldn't leave it to them.
at was IA pleasant and patriotic thought
to dedicate this building and confirm this
grace to Fairhaven on the natal day Of
Washington-tieorge Washington, first of
Americans; George ashingtOn, the father
of his country; George Washington, the
father of those who cannot lie. The family
has dwindled IA good deal. But am left
nd NNhaD | Look hlrk he 81 a
of years. and call up the faces of the others,
and know that shall see them no more in
this life, and that | must remain now soil
tary and forlurnly conspicuous to the last,
the sole remnant of that old noble stock ,
it makes me feel sad and so lonesome!
His Debt to Washington.
"What | owe to Washington no words
of mine can tell. lie was my model from
my cradle up. All that | am, morally
speaking, | owe to his example. Even in
my tenderest youth his spirit was ever
near to guide and succor me- The first
time ever stole a watermelon in my life
l think it was the first time-it was the
thought of Washington that moved me TIC
make restitution, restored me to the path
of rectitude, made me morally whole
again
"Whe~ found out it was a green water
melon, WAS SOITS-lOU y, Out
deeply and honestly sorry. Then came the
thought of Washington and l said to my
self, What would Washington do?' That
is what l said to myself What would
! George Washington do if he had stolen a
watermelon-green one? He would make
| restitution-that is what he would do
"And that is what did. Irose up spirit
ualy refreshed and strong, and carried the
watermelon back to the farmers wagon,
and restored it to him, and said the merit
was not mine, but Washington's. And
! that inspirating something, that electric
thrill, that eXaltatiOn which rewards duty
done-a moral victory, moral heroism,
| added to ones stock of dear and precious
memories.
Il told the farmer he ought to be asham-
| ed of himself, going around working off
| green watermelons on people that had con-
| fidence in him, and made him give me a
| ripe one for it, And he was ashamed and
said he wouldn't ever do it again. So !
| forgave him, for when person has done
wrong and acknowledges it and is asham-
ed of it, that is enough for me. 1t was
| Washington that saved me that time. He
! has been my guardian angel ever since and
| has had an active career. | am glad and
| proud to have an opportunity at least to
| help celebrate his memory and do honor to
| his noble name.
Moral at the End.
''In the distribution of the privileges of
| this platform | was appointed to temper
| the glare of the gay and thoughtless ora
| tory of these others with the wholesome
| shadow of few words of sober advice, for
! there is a time for such things, and it is
| meet that we recognize this truth and rest
! our spirits with intervals of seriousness
! and solemnity. And SO my advice to you
yes, more my supplcation-is that you
live as Washington lived, live as l have
| lived, and build your gift halls and hos
| pitfalls while you still live and can build
| your heart as we'll rs your money into Your
| gift
| Disastrous Fire in Fort Wayne.
FORT WAYNE, Ind, Feb 23.-At $3.50
o'clock this morning fire broke out in the
big shoe establishment of Vandermark &
Brothers on Calhoun street and destroyed
the building and stock, causing loss of
500, 900. The flames spread to the ad-
joining hat factory of Meyers & Brother.
and then to Mergenthem's millinery and
notion store. This was saved from de-
struction by fire. but the stock was ruined
| by water. At 8 o'clock this morning the
| fire was still burning and threatened to
destroy the entire block bounded by Main,
! Columbia. Calhoun and Harrison streets.
The Clay streekschool house building, 10.
Gated in another part of the town. Is also
4 burning.