Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-04-06
MARK TwAIN's DEBUT.
How the Famous Fun.Maksr Became
"A Literary Person" '' '" W

"a Literary Person" '.'' 100 No
Mark Twain's first appearance I'm an
Eastern magazine was made over the
name OF Mark SwqIn."a How Il cana
ABOUT he explained In the Century
IN those days I had already pub.
lished one little thing 1.-THE jumping
Frog2) imam Eastern paper, but i AID
not consider that that counted. In
my views, a. person who published
Things In mere newspaper could not
properly claim recognition as q liter.
airy person = he muat rise away above
thati he muat appear In q magazine.
re would then be q literary person;
also, he would be famous-right away.
These two ambitions were strong 10.
on me- This was In 1866 prepared
my contribution and then looked
around fQf the best magazine TO 20 10
glory ~, ] selected the moae import.
ant one In New York, The cuutrss..-.
ton was accepted. fsigiied II Mark
twain for that name had some cur.
rency ON the Pacific coaat, and 1t waa
my idea to spread 1t all over the world
J now AT TINS one iump. The article
appeared In the Decel.Aar numbar.
and | sat up month waitins sor the
contaln the years list OF contributors,
my name would be In II and | would
be famous and could give the banquet
| was meditating. psr. 1p.nu.uI ..a
did not give the banquet. | had
not written the Mark Twain" distinct
W: II was fresh name to the eastern
printers. and they put It Mike Swain"
or "MacSwain," | do not remember
which. At any rate. | was not ceie
brated, and did not give the banquet.
l was literary person, but that was
alba buried one. buried alive.
eco My. article was about the burning Of
the clipper-ship Hornet on the line.
May 3, 1865. There were thirty.ons
mon on board at the time, and | was
In Honolulu when the fifteen lean and
ghoatly survivors arrived there after
voyage Of forty three days In an
open boat. through the blazing tropics.
on ten days rations Of food. A very
remarkable trip: but It was conducted
by u captain who was a remarkable
man. otherwise there would have been
no survivors. He was New England.
or of the best sea. going stock of the
old capable times Captain Josiah
Mitchell. I a..a.4I .l. .,.ts.,..
was In the island to write letters
for the weekly edition OF the Sacra,
mento Union. a rich and influential
daily Journal which hadn't any use for
them, but could afford to spend twenty
dollars q week for nothing The pro
prletora were lovable and well.beloved
mon; long ago dead. no doubt but In
me there IL one person who still holds
them In grateful remembrance; Tor
| dearly wanted to see the Islands, and
they listened TO me and gave me the
opportunity when there was but slen.
der y likelihood that II would profit
them In any way.
had been In the Islands several
months when the survivors arrived. I
was 1Ald up In my room at the time
anu unable TO walk. Here was Q great
occasion to serve my Journal, and |
not able to take advantage OF IT,
Netessarily I was In deep trouble. But
by good luck HTS Exceileney, Anson
BuFlinKame. was there ut tho time, On
HIS way 10 take up hia post In China
where he did such good work for the
United States. He came and put me
on h stretcher and had me carried 20
the hospital where the, shipwrecked
men were, and J. meyer, needed to ask
q, question, lie attended to all that
himself, and | had nothing to do but
make tfs notes II was like him IN
take that trouble lie was a great
man and a great American. and It was
In his fine nature to come down from
his high office and do a friendly turn
whenever he could