The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-01
THE ORIGINAL COL. SELLERS.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.
One hears, almost annually, of some
person who was Mark Twain's inspi-
ration" for the famous character of
Col Mulberry Sellers-that wonderful
optimist who has delighted two gener-
atoms. 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 envia-
BILE distinction, we shall not I'M
Vulnerable by 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 futile undertaking by
the sure knowledge that Mark Twain
had originally in mind the late Thomas
~. Harris of Pewee Valley, KY, some
fifteen or twenty miles to the north of
Louisville.
Gen. Harris was a Missourian--a man
of travel, education, wide experience,
indomitable courage, and engaging
manners and appearance. Gifted far
beyond ordinary men in brains, adj
dress, and noble instincts, he was be-
loved in private, successful in affairs,
admired, respected and confided in by
all who knew him. He made millions
like a genius, and spent them like a
prince. He was a soldier, a poet, an
orator, bold and shrewd speculator.
No one ever lost dollar through trust
ing him. His failure and disappoint-
mentS touched himself alone Mark
Twain knew him well in the old days
before the Civil War; thrilled respon-
sive to his sublime conceptions and the
alluring 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 Col. Mulberry Sell
ers. merely utilized the pathos and the
humor and the splendid and beautiful
benevolence 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
ington, Mo-, and when all efforts fail
ed to dislodge Mulligan, and his inn
mortal Chicago Brigade" conceived
the expedient of the hemp bales and
put the Confederate army behind them,
rolling the movable breastworks up the
hill and over the Union Notifications
to victory. But for Harris genius,
Lexington would never have been
taken. 1nrlce the IOfce tnat Price naQ
at his command could not have sue
cessfully stormed that formidable
hight. A year or so later, Harris was
in Richmond seeking a command.
While there he fell out of fourth-story
window, alighting, face downward, on
a pile of bricks. Vest said of it, after
ward ut would have killed a snow
bird" In Harris case, there was only
a nose split right down the middle, and
a scar which everybody thought had
been made by a saber in some disper-
ate hand-to-hand conflict with a hated
foe.
Harris was always the kind and cour-
teous and clean-handed gentleman. He
loved his fellowman. He was ready to
share his last dollar with any one who
seemed to be in stress or sorrow Great
thoughts issued from his fruitful mind
Prodigious schemes and enterprises
were the children of his intellect. Tn
told millions, in which he had no share.
have been the creatures of his light.
suave suggestion. He never wronged
man or woman. He was incapable Of
deceit or pretense. But when he talk
ed. all men listened. Out of the crumbs
of his opulent suggestion, others gath
cred fame and fortune And he died
poori He had made many men rich.
He had distributed succor, hope, en-
couYa cement, as the sower filings his
seed. But he always saw the bead
upon the water and he never lost his
faith in man. He was Mark Twains
Sellers.