The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-15
MARK TWAIN'S LIFE.
Queer Ups and Downs of Americas Famous
HumOriSt.

humorist's experiences was presented
TO the world in q book, which created a
/ great sensation. which most people con-
, slider the funniest. brightest and best
/ he has ever written, which brought its
author a snug fortune. and which sells
/ we'll and is eagerly sought in the IL
braries TODAY. Where is the man,
woman or child of reading age who has
not laughed until his or her sides
aohed over "Innocents Abroad
book which. besides being a mine of
humor. is one of the best old world
guide books ever written.
From the day the first edition of this
book reached the public until a short
while ago. Mark Twain rode on the
crest Of a tidal wave of prosperity. As
editor and publisher he made money,
and added largely to his fortune when
once again he had broken away from
the editors desk and followed his own
intellectual caprices- His "Gilded Age, -
was a money maker. as ''Roughing It.
has been; so were Tom Sawyer" "A
Tramp Abroad" The Prince and the
Pauper." Life on the Mississippi" and
the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Ill luck did not overtake this indomi-
table worker and prolific writer until
some years after he became a publisher
in the firm of Charles L. Webster & Co.,
of New York City. On the death of Mr.
trolling member of the firm and con-
tinued the general publishing business.
Had he not become too ambitious and
branched out into some other COM
mercial dealings. one of which was the
handling of a new typewriter. the sue
cess which had been achieved down to
that time might have been continued.
These outside ventures brought trouble
and made an assignment necessary.
leaving Mark Twain as poor as he was
when he began work on the Virginia
City Enterprise, 30 years or so ago.
1t is said that he became personally
responsible for over 5000, 900 of the con-
Germs debts. To earn the money with
which to pay this liability was the OBJ
ject of the extensive lecturing tour
abroad.
Columns and pages might be written
descriptive of Mark Twain's life. but
he has told the story of it in his in
imitable books and sketches as no
other can tell 1t.
AS a writer he has never been a great
exaggerator of character. only of cir
cumstance. Even his most extraordin-
airy descriptions have smacked OF real
ity, and this, coupled with his droll hui
NOR. has ever been one of his peculiar
charms.
Those who know him well viii tell
you that at times he can be very Sc
rious, but after such a spell he is GER
tain to surprise and startle you by
suddenly confronting you with some
grotesque and irresistible master
stroke.
William D. Howells, in writing of
Mark Twain some years ago, declared
that his humor would live forever, be
cause of its artistic qualities" That
was well put for Mark Twain is an ar
fist of far more than ordinary power
as well as a maker of fun Artemus
Ward was a very funny man and so
was Josh Billings. Yet little that the
former wrote is remembered now. and
nothing that came from the pen of the
latter. AS Mr. Howells truthfully
wrote, Mark Twain pOrtrays and in
terprets real types. not only with ex-
quisite appreciation and sympathy,
but with a force and truth of drawing
that makes them permanent New
York Herald.