The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-17

hood playmate and fsvorite cousin Is ev-
idrneeS by the fact that regularly every
month she receives a substantial cheek
from him. at intervals a letter and occS-
sionally a new photograph, The checks
have been coming with Eionthiy rega-
isrity for many years. exceptiHg n brief
period several years ago, when the pub
fishing house In which he WAS heavily
interested failed and Clemens WAS finan-
ciaily embarrassed
sam doesn't write very often now"
saws Mrs. Greening. We used 20 keep
up a regular correspondence though, eN-
cepi when he Was writing q book and
until that was finished the only news any
of the family had from him was through
his wife. During these periods he quit
writing letters altogether. and his best
friends couldn't sc; a word from him al
rectly."
Mrs. Greening relates many interesting
anecdotes Of her childhood DAYS and Is
fond OF talking OF her cousin. When a
hoy Mark was inclined 10 be rather deli
cate. and so his father permitted him TO
spend much ~ his time, especially during
the summer. on HIS urcle's farm, The
two cousins spent their DAYS together
nshing. nuttlng aud romplng over the
farm. and the friendship % these days
has not been ohliterated by the years
that nave wrinkled the hr0ws aud
frosted the heads of both
sam was always fun of his fun" said
Mrs Greening. ''He could play more
pranks and escape with less punishment
than any boy | ever knew, He was al
WAYS so frank and gocd-natured that
every body liked him; and. while they all
knew he was as full OF mischief as an
egg Is OF meat, they made great allow
ances for him. aud where most boys
would have suffered severely for similar
offense$, sam usually went free. When
a boy he was victim OF somna mhulism,
and close watch had to be kept on him
10 keep him from meeting with some mis-
hap. lie was frequently found wander
ing around the house or yard IN his
sleep. and on several occasions had mar
row escapes from serious falls. Sam had
the family characteristics OF ahsentmind
edness. but II was not nearly so strongly
developed in him Il was in his father
or his brother orion,
Speaking OF observation-disclosures reninds
me OF how Uncle John forgot TO take sam
along when he moved 20 Hannibal The
household goods had all been loaded IN enc
wagon, and after II had started the family
all piled into another wagon. After Uncle
John had nailed up the doors and windows
OF the deserted house he mounted the seat,
elucked to the horses and drove OF, leaving
little Sam making mud pies on the opposite
side OF the house 4 half hour later my
grandfather, Wharton Hampton. father Of
the Rev. F.. ]. hampton. formerly pastor
OF the Christian church IN Palmyra, came
riding along and found Sam busily engaged
in his culinary work. He appreciated the
situation. and, lifting the hoy Up In front
OF him. rode after the movers and when
he had travelled seven or eight miles caught
up with them. So busy we're they contem-
plating what was then considered a long
/ journey and making plans for their future
that the absence Of the 20 be Mark Twain'
| had not been noticed The matter was
> taken SIS huge Joke by all concerned.
sam included. and the journey resumed
! ''orion. the oldest son, inherited large
! legacy OF forgetfulness from his father and
! grandfather and when he married Was
guilty Of a more absurd trick than the one
| just told lie was living at the time IN
i<eokuk. la, and went 10 Museatlne for RS
wife. The river was frozen over. and Orion
and his wife were 10 go 10 Keokuk by stage.
The next morning after the uerFiasc orion
left his wife In their room at the hotel
/ while he went out 10 make arrangements
about the trip. when the stage drove M
! orion, forgetting all about what he had
( gone 10 Muscatine for, calmly took his sea-
/ In the vehicle and was mile out NJ to~n
I before he remembered he was married The
driver sood-naturedlv turned tack hul Il
/ took orion all the way 20 Keoisuk 80 explain
the matter satisfactorily Ia hts wife A
great deal has been written about Sam and
his family. but ! don't remember 70 have
seen those stories in print. and they are 800
good to keep" said Mrs. Grecning, NTH a
quiet little chuckie
II have seen Il stated In the ne~ spa psrs =
said Mrs Greenins. resuming her converst-
ton with reference 90 the Florida history 81
, the Clemens family, that the house Ia
which Sam was horn had recently been TORI
down. and the regret vas expressed that i
had not been preserved, This Is mistake
as the house Is Sun standing and Is IN
much better shape than when sam Hrsi
saw g. II IL owned and occupied ny Johr
Gos= merchant. and he has converted Il
into neat and rather modern booking roH
ience. The Clemens family did live for
time in the house, which the relic hunter,
nearly hacked to pieces with their knives
under the impression that u was Fam .
birthplace. but IN this they were much mis-
taken. ST. Louis Republic,