The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-04
MARK TWAIES SPEECH
At the English Authors Club in LON
don't Made the Britishers Laugh.
An Unconditional Pun Cheered.

AZ the English Authors Club in Lion-
DON'T Made the Britishers Laugh.
An International Pun cheered.
Mark Twain was the guest OF honor
at the Authors' Club in London a few
days since. and in reply to the toast to
him by Sir Walter Besant. Americas
greatest veteran humorist spoke as fol-
lows:
It does not embarrass me to hear my
books praised 50 much. 1t only pleases
and delights me daughter).
1 have not gone beyond the age when
embarrassment is impossible. but l
have reached the age where / know how
to conceal 1t. CCheers).
Il is such a satisfaction to me to hear
Sir Walter Besant, who Is much more
capable than I to Judge OF my work,
deliver a judgment which Is such q
contentment 70 my spirit CLaugh-
teri. -.
Wen, 1 have thought well Of the
books myself. but think more OF them
now. daughter and cneers).
It charms me also to hear Sir Spencer
Walpole deliver a similar Judgment, and
/ shall treasure his remarks also. 1
shall not discount these praises In any
possible way.
When 1 report them to my family
they shall lose nothing. Cloud laugh
teri. ~
There are, however, certain heredlties
which come down to US which our writ
lngs OF the present day may be traced.
/, for instance, read the Walpole letters
when / was boy. absorbed them,
gathered In their graces, wit and hui
NOR, and put them away to be used
by and by. One does that so uncon-
scIouSly with things one really likes.
I am reminded now OF what use those
letters have been to me.
They must not claim credit in Amer
lea for what was really written in an
other form so long ago. They must
only claim that only trimmed this,
that and the other and so changed their
appearance so as to make them seem
to be original. You can now see what
modesty / have In stock. But 1t has
taken long practice to get 1t there.
(Laughter).
But must not stand here talking. /
merely meant to get up and give my
thanks for the pleasant things that
preceding speakers have said OF me.
I wish also to extend my thanks to
the Authors Club for constituting me
a member, at reasonable price per
year, and for giving me the beneht OF
your legal adviser.
1 believe you keep a lawyer. have
always kept lawyer, too Qaughter),
though have never made anything out
OF him.
It Is service to an author to have
lnWyer. There Is something so disagree
able in having personal contact with
q publisher. cloud laughter)
So 1t is better to work through law
yer-apd lose your case. understand
that the publishers have been meeting
together also. I don't know what for.
but possibly they are devising new and
mysterious ways for remuneratlng au-
thors, ooh. OH" and laughter).
l only wish to thank you now for
electlng me a member of this club
believe have paid my dues-1nd for
things you have said OF me.
Last February, when Rudyard Kip
lin was III In America, the sympathy
which was poured out to him was
genuine and sincere (cheers) and be-
lieve that which cost Kipling so much
Will bring England and America closer
together. (Renewed Cheers).
/ have been proud and pleased to see
the growing affection and respect be-
tween the two countries. hope 1t
will continue to grow, and, please God.
II will continue to grow. (Cheers).
l trust we authors will leave posterity
II we have nothing else to leave, a
friendship between England and Amer
lea that will count for much. (Cheers).
will now confess that have been
engaged for the past eight days in COM
pIlIng u pun. (Cheers).
/ have brought 1t here to lay at your
feet. l do not ask your indulgence in
presenting 1t, but for your applause.
(Uproarious laughter).
Here 1t Is:
"slnce England and America have
been Joined together in Klpllng may
they not be severed in Twain" (Laugh-
ter and long cheers).