The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-05
MARK TNAIN'S VACATION
READS NO LETTERS OR PAPERS.
BUT WRITES INDUsTRIoUsLY.
That Is, He Writes When He Doesn't
Indulge in Scientific Loahng-
Canoeing a Part Of Days Work.
CW. W. Eorthrup in St. Louis Post-Dis-
patch.(


On the borders Of Lake Saranac, III
the heart Of the Adirondack mounta'se
Mark Twain has built him summe
home.
Far from the madding crowd, with
in the depths Of a forest primeval, he
lives the life Of a reCluse.
The circle OF his society is narrowed
to the members of his own family,
consisting of his wife and two grown
daughters. he reads no daily papers.
Even his mail is left stacked up ana
uncaIled for at the nearest postOttlce.
No one could take q vacation more
seriously than does the worlds great
est humCrist.
Though on the borders Of a lake
stocked with fish, the rod and reel pos
sess for him no charms; though en-
ploying an Adirondack guide, the path
less woods the airy mountain top hold
out for him no allurements-
Seated in a little tent beside the Dor
ders of The lake, Mark Twain spends
the largest portion OF his time in work
Systematically brOOkng few Interrupt
tions he applies himself from four TO
seven hours each day.
It was only after much persuasion,
seconded by the kindly offices of Mrs.
Clemens. that L obtained an interview
with him.
on the south shore of Lake Saranac,
literally buried in q deep forest of fr
and pine trees. stands THE Lair
Mark Twain's cottage Though the
dictionary defines a lair as the couch
Of wild beast, it is only in the sense
of it's eXclusiveness and inaccessibility
that the name is opposite as the dwell
ing place of the famous author.
Dean Swift Ionged for
a house to entertain friend,
A river at his gardens end"
But Mark Twain has more than this
The beautiful sweep Of whole lake
stretches out before him.
From the outside Mark TWaI1's
house looks like q Swiss cottage, such
Alps near Lake LUceTne. The wood
of which it is built is rough pine, the
bark Of the tree being left on the
outside
Within, the idea of rusticity is still
further emphasized by leaving the
crOssbeams Of the ceiling covered by
native bark. The upper portion of the
doors and windows are finished in the
same fashion The high manteIpiece OF
the reception room is made Of huge
pine log, with the bark left on, the
upper surface being planed fiat.
The tables, chairs and other furnish
inEs are rustic, even down to the ink
well on the writing desk which stands
IN the northeast corner Of the room.
So closely is the house urTOunded by
far across the verandaS and look i'm
puden-ly in at the windows Of the sec
Ond cOry.
This tops Of the trees seem to lock
arms above the roof, and when the
wind blows the trunks rub against the
caves
Save for the ripping of the waters
of Lake SaTanac or the signing OF the
wind through the trees, there is moth
ing to disturb the profound quiet which
reigns about The Lair"
1t was q sentimental unwllhngness
TO break through this qUietude that
made me at first hesitate upon calling
on Mark Twain in his Adirondack re
treaI. 1t seems almost species OF
sacrilege for an outsider to enter the
monastio nook in which he has buried
After rowing up and down several
times in front of The Lair, 1 at last
/ overcame my reluctance and grounded
my canoe on the little boat landing
which iuts out into the lake few
rods to the left of the house
/ A short walk over soft moss, strewn
with pine needles, and L round myself
/ on the veranda of The Lair
I was met at the door by Mrs. Glenn
ems. a woman of sweet face ana cnarH-
/ ing manner. She explained to me that
/ her husband was very. very busy-that
/ he had. come to Lake Saranac TO work
rather than to recreate-that ne had
! even neglected to send for his mail at
/ the pOstof1Ce-
1t was about o'clock when I first
! called. Mrs. Clemens said It was one
of her husbands busiest hours
II I would return after o'clock, she
/ added he would see me-perhaps-
/ Deem shadows were creeping across
the lake when I again made my way
/ Lairw ard.
+ Seated in a high-back cane chair on
! the veranda. in an easy position, with
/ one leg crossed over the other, was
Mark Twain.
( ism blue. negligee shirt, low, turned
! down collar and wash tie. Comfortable
/ Slippers were on his feet Floating on
I his mass of white hair, rather than
fitting his head, was fiat-top Panama
hat.
preached. and waved me to seat be
| side him. The book he had been read
ing - Bismarcks autobiography - ne
placed on a settee near by
I asked Mark Twain how be en-
pIoyed his time on his vacation.
Il suppose YOU enjoy the deer and
other hunting to be found in these
! parts?" 7 said.
Nc" he replied; Il never hunt
have never taken any pleasure IN
shooting down birds and animals
"Of course you go hsEingE
mo, / do not fish either, he re
sponded with smile
MARI Twain then explained TO me
that his life in the Adircndacks was
not one devoted to pleasure He went
there mainly for the purpose Of work
ing Quiet is essential 10 him IN order
to do satisfactory work.
Mark Twain then talked freely about
books, Observation-Disclosures, incidents IN
his life at home and abroad, his prl-
vate system of philosophy, answering
my every question with open candOr.
ne EXPRESSED a desire however, not
to be quoted on any of these SUBJECTS
in the form Of an extended interview.
He said he had no objection to my de-
scribing his Adirondack life
with slight variations, here Is Mark
Twain's daily programme st The
Lair
] Rising between Z and s in the morn
ing he dresses Ieisurely and breakfasts
about g. After breakfast he enjoys a
cigar. either sitting on his veranda OF
strolling by the lake.
At 10 o'clock promptly his working
day begins. To the right OF his house,
about fifty feet away toward the AXE
side. is a small tent This tent Is MARX
Twain's literary camp. he works reg u
larry each day.
The floor of the tent is covered with
boards. which in front are extended
outward toward the lake. forming
small platform, rallied of at the END
The sole furniture Of this tent is
high backed cane chair, on the seat o.
which re a couple OF cushions
seated in this chair, wh'~h IS placed
] either within the tent or on the httiS
platform. Mark Twain produces eacT
day the humorous phrases whlcn MAKE