Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1900-01-25
MARK TWAiN'S DEBUT.
How the Famous Fun-Maker Became
"A Literary Person."

"A Literary PERSON..
Mark Twain's first appearance in an
Eastern magazine was made over the
name of Mark Swain" How 1t came
about he explained in the Century
Magazine:
In those days | had already pub.
lished one little thing ("The Jumping
Frog') in an Eastern paper, but | did
not consider that that counted. In
my views, a person who published
things in a mere newspaper could not
properly claim recognition as liter
airy person; he must rise away above
that; he must appear In magazine.
He would then be a literary person;
also, he would be famous-right away.
These two ambitions were strong up
on me- This was in 1856. l prepared
my contribution, and then looked
around for the best magazine to go to
glory in. | selected the most import
ant one In New York. The contrtbu-
ton was accepted. | signed 1t Mark
Twain" for that name had some cur
renCy on the Pacific coast and 1t was
my idea to spread 1t all over the world
now, at this one jump. The article
appeared in the December number,
and | sat up a month waiting for the
January number; for that one would
contain the years list OF contributors,
my name would be in it and | would
be famous and could give the banquet
! was meditating.
| did not give the banquet. | had
not written the Mark Twain" distinct
ly it was fresh name to the eastern
printers, and they put it Mike Swain
or "MacSwain," | do not remember
which. AT any rate, | was not cele-
brated, and did not give the banquet.
was literary person, but that was
ala buried one; buried alive.
My article was about the burning OF
the clipper-ship Hornet on the line,
May 3, 1866. There were thirty-one
men on board at the time, and | was
In Honolulu when the fifteen lean and
ghostly survivors arrived there after
a voyage of forty-three days In an
open boat through the blazing tropics,
on ten days rations Of food A very
remarkable trip; but 1t was conducted
by il captain who was q remarkable
man, otherwise there would have been
no survivors, He was New England
er of the best sea-going stock of the
old capable times-Captain Josiah
Mitchell
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 a week for nothing. The pro-
prietors were lovable and wellbeloved
men; long ago dead, no doubt, but In
me there Is one person who still holds
them in grateful remembrance; for
dearly wanted to see the islands, and
they listened to me and gave me the
opportunity when there was but slen-
der likelihood that 1t would profit
them in any way.
had been In the islands several
months when the survivors arrived.
was laid up in my room at the time
and unable to walk. Here was great
occasion to serve my journal, and l
not able to take advantage OF 1t.
Necessarily was in deep trouble. But
by good luck his Exoellency, Arson
Burllngame, was there at the time, on
his way to take up his post IN China,
where he did such good work for the
United States. He came and put me
on a stretcher and had me carried to
the hospital where the shipwrecked
men were, and | never needed to ask
question He attended to all that
himself, and | had nothing to do but
make the notes. 1t was like him to
take that trouble. He was great
man and a great American. and 1t was
in his hne nature to come down from
his high office and do friendly turn
whenever he could.