The Worthington advance., 1899-12-29
MARK TwAlH,s RABBIT.
4 Joke which the Great American
Hunorist Was Never Able
to Appreciate.

to Appreciate.
In vicinities which have become dis
tinguished by the permanent or trans
lent residence of some illustrious per-
son there are almost invariably re-
markably large number of men who
profess to have been on very intimate
terms with their more fortunate COM
rade, at least during the earlier portion
of his life and before he attained to a
station of eminence and renown. These
venerable aged citizens narrate, with
much pleasure and self-satisfaction,
many anecdotes, humorous and other
wise, which they declare occurred while
they were boys together with the man
who has since stepped out of the limited
circle of acquaintance with which he
was formerly environed into the adj
miring gaze of all the world.
These remarks may with great force
and propriety, be applied to the early
career of Mark Twain. After he had
removed with the rest Of the family
from the small village of Florida, Mo.
where he was born-to the city of
Hannibal, in the same state, he was of
that age when all the lively elements
in young mans nature is most strong
ly illustrated in his actions It is said
that young Clemens derived much
pleasure in hunting and fishing. Moth
ing afforded him such satisfaction and
relaxation from the tolls of life AZ to
spend short periods in the woods in the
company of several jovial companions
and with number Of trained dogs. It
was while he was thus enjoying himself
that the following incident transpired,
and the truthfulness of the story is
vouched for by men who are known to
have been on close terms of friendship
with the celebrated humorist:
Marks success at hunting had been
extremely bad on the day in question.
Not rabbit or squirrel had he seen.
His game pouch was empty. His mel
ancholy feelings were weighed down
the more from the fact that every other
person in the company had met with
tolerably good luck, and had shot sew
eral of the small animals which had
been so anxiously looked for. As even
ing came on the men prepared to leave
for home. And, seated in the wagon in
the midst of those whose spirits had
been much enlivened because of their
fortunate days hunting, Mark Twain
was conspicuous for the disconsolate
and downcast look which overspread
his face.
AS the wagon was drawn fast over the
frozen and snow-covered ground, one
OF the men suddenly called out to the
driver to stop the horses. The team
came to standstill, and pointing off
to the right of the road a short dis
tance, he drew the attention of the
company to small bush.
"Do you see that rabbit in the midst
OF the 1imbs?'' he cried. HE is sitting
and looking intently at us now. Let
me have gun, somebody, and I'll soon
finish him.
Here he was interrupted by Mark
Twain: 'No, let me shoot him" he said.
have not had single shot to-day"
The men consented without a word
OF objection. But although the young
sportsman took long and steady aim
before he pulled the trigger, the rabbit
did not move. "Queer," he said as he
again placed the gun to his shoulder
and made ready to try the other bar
rel. This shot, however. had no more
effect than the former. The young
man began to be laughed at for the in
accuracy of his aim, and as the animal
was but short distance awav, the
taunts stung him to the quick. Again
he shot, but with no result. And. ex-
asPerated at his failure, Mark jumped
from the wagon and ran toward the
bush. At every step he expected to see
the rabbit spring from his resting place
and scamper away, and he held his
gun in constant readiness to bring
him to the ground at his first move. In
this respect, too, he was deceived. For.
although he had now come close up to
the shrubbery, the animal did not move.
Samuel Clemens was in quandary.
With a vicious kick, he sent the rabbit
spinning over the ground. 1t still re-
tanned its former posture, however, and
did not stir. The disappointed hunts
man went and picked the animal up
and examined it. The discovery which
he then made solved the mystery.
The rabbit was frozen as hard as a
rock!
By this time Marks companions were
in an uproarious laughter. And when
he returned to the wagon it soon de-
veloped that one of the men had placed
the animal in the bush some time nre.
viously, and they had arranged among
themselves that Mark Twain should he
the one to shoot at it.
Clemens is said to have uttered not a
word during the entire trip back home.
Alfred Fisher, in St. Louis Globe
Democrat.
Endurance Of the Moose.
While the peculiar pacing gait of
moose will not carry him over the
ground as rapidly as the deer or carl
bou, his endurance far surpasses that