The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-07-20
EuN AMONG AUTHORS.


Mark Twain's Friends Asked Tor His Auto.
graphs In Wholesale Lots.
A number of Mark Twain's friends who
had been victimized at various times re-
solved to give him an unhappy quarter
hour one April FOOLS day. George w.
Gable, knowing Mark had a special horror
of the chronic autograph collector, ar
ranged with couple of hundred well
known people to come down on him 81
multaneously for a specimen of his hand
writing Some of the demands were very
funny. Edmund Clarence Stedman 8 let
ter was a good burlesque Of the average
schoolgirls. Many of the words were un.
derscored, and Mr.. Clements was tickled
with such phrases as my favorite Amer
lean author 70 your well known kind
ness" etc. Mr.. Stedman not only solicit
ed different kinds of signatures, but want
ed a sentiment in Marks handwriting or
few pages from Roughing 1t, The
Prince Abroad" or The Innocents and
the Pauper" " John Hay wrote from Cleve-
land, asking Mark to take a leisure hour
or two and copy for him few hundred
lines of "Young's Night Thoughts and
an equal amount from Pollock's Course
of Time" Thomas w. Knox's request
came from the Lotus club He had royal
commission from the king of Siam he
said, for autographs for the kings 25s
children, but begged to suggest that the
order be filed for 800, as the king fam
lily was increasing stephen Fiske wanted
Mark Twain autograph for friend who
was going abroad and wished to take 1t
along as a mascot, and Mrs Fiske modest
ly spelled the name Clements" and solic
tied l60 autographs for church fair
booth
H. c. Bunner of Trck wanted an auto
graph for his 2weel; -eid granddaughter
adding "The little kan cent abroad in
this strange world Of cds. will value your
gift when she is old enough to appreciate
it," Joe Howard, Jr., recalled meeting
Mr. Clemens "a years before in front Of
the New York city hall and appealed for
an autograph ON that ground. G. c. Buel
of The Century wanted humorous article
for publication with Mr.. Clemens sigma
ture attached to every paragraph so that
the "c9Hv" C0u'd be- cold TO advcntaga.
| While LUlg-, wood johnson lppLcd
| by postal card as fllows: Gould you let
me nave aA aL,- rapA Tor luAle boy
whose mother has interested him in things
! spiritua! oy coulag.ng l.n 10 make ~
autograpl collecti Il tl be raa,cd for at a
letlIi LllN l'ipNN -L- 80 ~ " l44p ooSlSbg 4 VI
J the Suppression O., Toy Pistols"
Mark gave his prosecutors something L
a fright in return He published an inter
view in which ne stated that he intended
TO make up pamphlet of their letters,
with various humorous and satirioal ammo
| tations Of his own, have 10 illustrated and
[ issue it in suitable form for sale at the
newsstands and on the railroad trains.
The profits, he declared he should pocket
entirely himself, and if ne found, when
the book was ready for the printer, that il
did not seem sensational enough to catch
the public fancy he would enlarge it by
the addition of lot of the private letters
he had received from time TO time from
these ladies and gentlemen, dressed VI
| with emendations from his own pen which
would make them more spicy He never
carried out his threat, however, Kate
| Field Washington.