Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-07-11
THERE'S MILLIONS IN 1T.
Original Colonel sellers Lived ana
FIOurishcd In Missouri.

FIOurishcd In Missouri
One hears almost annually of some
person "who was Mark Twains IN
spiration" for the famous character OF
Colonel Mulberry Sclcrs-that wonder
full optlmist who has delighted two gen
erations. taught the lesson Of human
kindness and loving charity as it was
never taught by mortal man and given
mingled happiness and merriment TO
untold thousands of our time. just
how many persons have received this
cnviable distinction we shall not uh-
dcrtake to say. They are innumeraDIe
nv this time. and we shrink from the
task of asserting and classifying them
with anything like care. Indeed we
are relieved of that labOriOus and flu
tile undertaking by the sure knowl-
edge that Mark Twain had originally
in mind the late Thomas a. Harris OF
Pewee Valley. Ky, some fifteen OF
twenty miles to the north Of Louis
vile.
General Harris was Mlssourlah'
man of travel, education, wide expert
cncc. indomitablc courage and engas-
ing manners and appearance. Gifted
far beyond ordinary men in brains, al
dress and noble instincts, he was be
loved in private, successful in affairs.
admired. respected and conlided In by
nil who knew him. He made millions
like genius and spent them like
prince. He was a soldier, poet, an
orator, a bold and shrewd SPECTATOR.
| No one ever lost dollar through trust
ING him. His failures and disappoint-
ments touched himself alone. Mark
| Twain knew him well in the old days
before the civil war; thrilled responsive
TO his sublime conceptions and the al
Turing eloquence with which he gave
them shape and substance, recognized
his fine character, his noble purpose,
his chivalric soul. felt the full charm OF
his amazing personality. And Mark
Twain in painting Colonel Mulberry
Sellers merely utilized the pathos ana
the humor and the splendid and beautl-
full bcnevolence of the mans unique
and brilliant nature.
Senator Vest remembers dear old
Tom Harris. 1t was he who In the fall
of 1861 when Price was besieging Lex
jngton. Mo, and when all efforts failed
10 dislodge Mulligan and his immortal
"Chicago brigade" conceived the eX-
pcdicnt of the hemp bales and put the
Confederate army behind them, rolling
the movable breastworks up the hill
and over the Union Notifications TO We
tory. But for Harris genius Lexington
would never have been taken. Thrice
the force that Price had at his com
mand could not have successfully
stormed that formidable height. n
wear or so later Harris was in Rich
mond seeking command. While there
he fell out Of foprth story window
alichting face downward on a pile OF
bricks. Vest said Of it aftcrward, I'll
would have killed snowbird." II
Harris case there were only Il nose
split right down the middle ana a seal
which everybody thought had beer
made by saber in some desperate
hand to hand conflict with hated zoe
Harris was always the kind anC
courteous and clean handed gentleman
He loved his fellow man. lie was
ready to Share his last dollar with any
one who seemed TO be in distress OF
sorrow. Great thoughts issued from
his fruitful mind. Prodigious schemes
and enterprises were the children o.
his intellect. Untold millions in which
he had no share have been the crea
lures Of his light, suave suggestions
He never wronged man or woman. liz
was incapable Of deceit or pretense
But when he talked all men listened
out of the crumbs of his Opulent sug
gestion others gathered fame and for
tune. And he died poorl He had made
many men rich. He had distributed
succor. hope. encouragement, as TIT
sower filings his seed. But he alWay
saw the bread upon the water and N
never lost his faith in man. He wa
Mark TWain's Sellers. - Washington
Post. ~.