Evening journal., 1900-02-01
MARX rwAIN,s Debut.
Ficw the Famca5 Fun.Maksr Rseams
"a Literary Person"

"A Literary Person"
Mark Ivain's first appearance in an
Eastern magazine was made over the
name of Mark Swain" How il came
about he explained il the Century
Magazine:
In those days l had already pub
lished one little thing ("The Jumping
Frog") in an Eastern paper, but did
not consider that that counted In
my views. person who published
things in mere newspaper could not
properly claim recognition as liter
airy person; he must rise away above
that; he must appear in a magazine.
lie would then be q literary person;
also, he would be famous-right away.
These two ambitions were strong up
on me. This was in 1866. / 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 contribu-
ton was accepted. l signed It Mark
Twain" for that name had some cur
rency on the Pacific coast. and It 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 month waiting for the
January number, for that one would
contain the years list Of contributors.
my name would be in it and l would
be famous and could give the banquet
was fneditating.
| did not give the banquet. / had
not written the Mark Twain" distinct
ly; 1t 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.
l was a literary person, but that was
! ALA buried one; buried alive
My article was about the burning of
the cfippership Hornet on the line,
May g. 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
voyage OF forty-three days in an
open boat. through the blazing tropics
on ten days rations of food. A very
remarkable trip; but il was conducted
by u captain who was a 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, rich and influential
daily journal which hadn't any use for
them. but could AFFORD to spend twenty
dollars week for nothing. The pro
prletors We're lovable and well-beloyed
men; long ago dead. no doubt, but In
NE there Is one person who still holds
them In grateful remembrance; fol
dearly wanted to see the islands. and
they listened to me and gave me the
opportunity when there was but slen
der likelihood that il would profit
them ia 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
not able to take advantage OF 1t
Necessarily was in deep trouble. But
by good luck his Excellenoy. AnsoT
Burlingame, was there at the time, on
his way to take up his post in China
where he did such good work for ths
United States. He came and put me
on a stretcher and had me carried e
the hospital where the shipwreckeC
men were, and never needed to ash
question. He attended to all thai
himself and | had nothing TO do bu
make the notes. Il was like him e
take that trouble. He was grea
man and a great American, and 1t wal
in his fine nature to come down from
his high Office and do a friendly turn
whenever he could