The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-23
Marx 7euam S Advertisement.

To the Editor of Harper's Weekly:
Sir-I approaching seventy it Is in sight ;
it is only three years away. Necessarily, must
go soon It is but matter-of- course wisdom then
that should begin to set my worldly house in
order now, so that It may be done calmly and with
thoroughness, in place Of waiting until the last
day when, as we have often seen, the attempt
TO set both houses in order at the same time
has been marred by the necessity for haste and by
the confusion and waste OF time arising from
the inability of the notary and the ecoesastie TO
work together tremendously taking turn about
and giving each other friendly assstance--not
perhaps in fielding which could hardly be ex-
pected but at least in the minor Offices Of keep
ing game and umpirng by consequence of which
conflict of interests and absence Of harmonious
action a draw has frequently resulted where this
III fortune could not have happened il the houses
had been set in order one at a time and hurry
avoided by beginning in season and giving to
each the amount of time fairly and justly proper
to IL.
In setting my earthly house in order ! find
it OF moment that I should attend in person to
one or two matters which men in my position
have long had the habit OF leaving wholly to
others, with consequences often most regrettable
wish to speak of only one OF these matters at
this time Obituaries. or necessity, an obitu-
AIRY is a thing which can not be so judicously
edited by any hand as by that Of the subject Of
II. In such a work il is not the facts that are
Of chief Importance, but the light which the
obituarist shall throw upon them, the meanings
which he shall dress them in the conclusions
which he shall draw from them, and the judg-
ments which he shall deliver upon them The
Kerdcts, YOU understand that is the dAuger-hne
In considering this matter in view of my APP
preaching change it has seemed TO me wise q
take such measures as may he feasible to &c
qure by courtesy Of the press access to. my
standing obituaries with the privilege .this is
not asking too nuoh-of editing, not their facts
but their verdicts. This, not for present profit
further than as concerns my family but as
favorable influence disable on the other side
where there are some who not friendly %
nc.
With this explanation Of my motives, ! will
now ask you Of your courtesy to make an appeal
Tor me to the public press. 1t is my desire that
such journals and periodicals as have obituaries
Of me lying in their pigeon holes, with view
TO sudden use some day will not wait longer, but
viii publish them now, and kindly send marked
copy My address is simply New York city,
have no other that is permanent and not tran
sient.
| will correct them-uot the, facts, but the
verdets-striking out such clauses could have
deleterieus influence the other side and
replacing them with clauses of mere judicious
character / should of course, expect to pay
double rates for both the omissions and the sub
situations; and should also expect TO pay quad
ripple rates for all obituaries which proved to be
rightly and wisely worded in the originals, thus
requiring cancellations at all.
Il is my desire to leave these amended obitu-
aries neatly bound behind me as a perennial con-
ISOLATION and entertainment to my family and as
an heirloom which shall have a mournful but def
mite commercial value for my remote posterity
beg sir, that you will insert this advertise
ment (Iteow agate, insde), and send the bill
70 Yours very respectfully,
MARX TWAIN