Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-22
THE DASrsH wEsr INDIES.
what Mark Twain rot About Their
ThIrtY-Four YEAR AGO.

- AN-
The Danish West India islands, about to
transfer their sovereignty to the United
States. were the object OF extended negotia-
tions, having the anne end in view, over
thirty years ago. Mark Twain was the
Washington correspondent OF the New York
Tribune in 1867 when the question Of pur-
chase was under consideration and wrote
several letters ridiculing the proposition.
One Of these letters. dated December 10.
1867, is a characteristic Jolly and serves
to chow the change public sentiment has
undergone In a third OF 3 century.
Under the heading, Information Wanted"
Twain wrote:
Gould you give me any information re-
specting such islands. II any, as the gov
eminent is going to purchaser
ut Is an uncle Of mine that wants to
know. He is an industrious man and we'll
disposed and wants to make a living in an
honest, humble way. but more especially he
wants to be quiet and transformations. He
has been to many of the new islsnds-st.
Thomas-but he says he thinks things are
unsettled there.
H went down there early with an at
tsche Of the State department, who was
sent down with money to pay for the
island. Ny uncle had his money in the
same bank, and so when they went ashore,
getting a receipt, the sailors broke open
the box and took all the money, not max.
ing any distinction between the government
money, which was legitimate money to be
stolen, and my uncle's, which was his own
private property, and should c been re-
spected.
But he anne home to get some more and
went back. And then he took the fever.
There were seven kinds Of fever down
there, o know, and as his blood was out
Of order by reason Of loss of sleep and gen.
eral wear and tear Of mind, he failed to
cure the frat fever, and then somehow he
got the other six. He Is not a kind Of man
that enjoys fevers, though he is well mean
ing and does always what he thinks Ia
right. So he was a good deal annoyed
when 1t appeared that he was going to die.
But he worried through and got well and
started a farm. He fenced it in and the
next day that great storm came and washed
the most Of 1t over to Gibraltar or around
there somewhere. He only sald in his
patient way that 1t was gone and couldn't
bother about trying to flnd 1t and where IL
went to. though It was his opinion that Il
went to Gibraltar.
Then he invested In a mountain and
started a farm up there, 30 as to be out OF
the way when the sea came ashore again.
1t was q good mountain and q good farm,
but 1t wasn't any use--an earthquake came
the next night and shook II all down. II
was all fragments, you know, and so mixed
up with another mans property that he
could not tell which were his fragments
| UiFhdnf oOiRg IN loU aud he wrax,Ia - a.
that because his main object In going Ia
st. Thomas was to be quiet. All that he
wanted was to settle down and be quiet.
He thought 1t all over and finally con-
cluded to try the low ground again, espe-
cially as he wanted to start a brick yard
this time. He bought a fat and put GU
10000 brick to dry, preparatory to baking
them. But luck appeared to be against
him. A volcano showed itself through there
that night and elevated his brick 1000 fee
In the air. It irritated him a good deal. H,
has been up there and says the brick arr
all baked right enough, but he can't ge'
them down. At first he thought maybe tn.
government would get the brick down fol
him, because the government bought tn,
island 1t. ought 10 protect the property wher
a man has invested In good faith; but al
he wants ts quiet, so he is not going to ap,
ply for the subsidy he was thinking about
He went back there last week In
couple of ships Of war to prospect AROUND
the coast for a safe place for q farm, wher,
he could be quiet, but another earthquak,
came and hoisted both OF the ships out int,
n OF the interior counties and he Jam,
near losing his life. So he has given III
prospecting in q ship and is discouraged.
WELL now he don't know what to do
He has tried Walrussia ALASKA had Jus
been bought Of Russia). but the bears KEEP
after him so much and kept him so on thu
Jump, as 1t were, that he had to leave tn,
country. He could not be quiet there, witt
these bears prancing after a:n all the time
That is how he came 10 the new island W,
have bought, st. Thomas.
But he is getting to think st. Thomas
Is not quiet enough for a man Of his turr
Of mind and that is why he wishes me I,
md out II the government is going to bu]
any more islands shortly. He has heart
that the government is thinking about buy,
ing Puerto Rico. II that is true he wishes
to try Puerto Rico, II that is a quiet place
How is Puerto, Rico for his style OF a man
| M vou think fha oovarnmank urIl 49, a. .,