New-York tribune., 1901-02-03
MARX TWAIN RAPS POETS.
TELLS \ STORY ABOUT ONE WHO SHOT
OUT HIS BRAINS AND LIVED.

Mark Twain the leading attraction yesterday
afternoon at the annual meeting of the University
Settlement Society Of New-York which was held
at the Settlement House. No. 1& Eldridse-st
Mark did not talk politics. but he created a
ton with a recital in which the themes pawn
shops, suicide and a poet.
Seth Low the president of the society. presided
In Introducing Mr.. Clemens, who the last
speaker, he said that the humOrist had suggested
the advisability of adjourning Mr. Clemens spoke
In substance follows:
:. made that suggesuon in good faith for the & hour M
two hours bn b Ts 10 of So9 a That IS tRe
way was trained from my earliest years-io think
spread that idea abroad, chiefly by proxy. for that
1t is astonishing how much ignorance a man can
Cdarry dy ahout without MS bursting hIs cloneS len
SETTLEMENT work. and am now astonished at the
been reading pamphlets and listening these ad-
dresses to-day. and think there is a whole lot of
school where you have drive the children away
pay Tor II. just saw class getting dancing
cents for the lesson. That's the reason never
But the thing that interested most was the
Mont de Pete downstairss-the pawnbroker.s shop.
some or the things you teach here. The ordinary
paMnshoP makes you pay interest of per cent
although I've paid more myself. When people go to
ately, l saw lot Of wedding rings just to-day in
the Sa9p here that IS pathetic Those rings were
and II is run in the right way not for Charity but
money.
I seem to speak feerngly that subject. do.
The other day was looking over some manuscript;
some OF tHat unpu nIished autobiosraphy whlch
am SIapualy bHiding up for the Instruction OF tne
world. ana l ran across an incident which nap
had been and was willing 70 be a reporter-but
Others were not sufficiently interested in me- That
person. poet out Of a lob There was a little
romance about him. love StOry-hut that's the
best part of the story and guess better save IT
told me he thought ne was failure. agreed with
and it is aysvs MI 81 =, ne ee. ~ls fTiTna 70 9 fIenS
Then he said he thought he'd commit suicide. l
hshness in my advice. was out OF a job. and the
idea struck me that II should have scoop, on
idea of suicide before bir,2voT always have 10 do
absurd preference-people Will have preferences.
thai was not 70 he thought OF I'm financial con-
Giion- nI Gur JOINT be,ongings were not enough 70
himself I went down TO the bay with him-I did
pened There was Washed "a shore right a. his
feet. a life preserver.
Mr.. Clemens told how pawubroker was induced
TO trade loaded derringer for the life preserver
and then he described. IN accents OF horror. how
the young put the pistol 20 his head and fired
The audience had not expected anything so serious
and was visbly shocked. The speaker continued
When When he he pulled The ,rtEEer IT made hole clean
ter-toqk II all-and then he was JUST as good
new. Laughter) He mad been nothing but poet
before lie is alive to-day, and ornament 20
society | wish could have the same experience
with lot OF other poets. And want all the poets
10 know fl
Mr.. Clemens closed with a serious word %
mendation for the Settlement society. and a re-
minder that they were all there 20 show their in
terest in some practical way. He had intended 70
draw check himself, bIt since he had heard the
addresses he had decided seua "A few copies OF
Strawberry Finn and some other books 20 the
library. Mr.. Reynolds IN hts address had told OF
the interest in Mark Twains writings. one reader
having recently asked for strawberry Finn"
Richard Watson Glider IN the name Of the
society 70 move vote of thanks to the speakers
He said:
shall not apply 10 Mr.. speyer for any ~ the
pistols in the pawnshop naughterl but ] IL
my IL has been Judically determined that
! not poet
The first order OF business the election OF the
following as members OF the Council 10 serve three
years: Stephen II. Olin. Franklin II. Giddngs
Frank J. Goodnow. Seymour l.. Cromwell and Ed
win r. A Seligman Mrs. Edward r. Hewitt made
a report on behalf of the Womens Auxiliary. OF
which she is vice-president. She said that they
were 10 have building specially constructed
for the music school. MS Thomas the manager
OF the newly established Settlement house for
women workers No. 30 King-st.. described the
workings OF that Institution and the success In re-
organizing ''gsngS-''
Addresses also made by James REYNOLDS
the head worker Of the Settlement: Franklin fI
GiddinRs, Of Columbia University, and William H.
Baldwin, Jr.
ECCENTRIC RROOKLYNITE DIES.