Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-07-10
THERE'S MILLIONS IN 1T.
original Colonel Sellers Lived and
F1ourishcd I'm Missouri

FtourAshcd ln Missouri.
One hears almost annually OF some
person -"who was Mark Twain's in
spiration' for the famous character OF
Colonel Mulberry Sellers-that wonder
ful optimist who has delighted two gen
erations, taught the lesson of human
+ kindness and loving charity as IL 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
enviable distinction we shall not I'm.
dertake to say. They are innumerable
by this time, and we shrink from the
task or asserting and classifying them
with anything like care. Indeed we
are relieved of that laborious and fu.
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 or
twenty miles to the north Of Louis
vile.
General Harris was a Missourian, n
man or travel, education, wide expert
enee, indomitable courage and engag-
Ing manners and appearance. Gifted
far beyond ordinary men I'm brains, ad.
dress and noble instincts, he was be-
loved in private, successful in affairs,
admired, respected and confided In by
oil who knew him. He made millions
like genius ana spent them like a
prince. He was q soldier, a poet, an
orator, bold and shrewd speculator.
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 lie gave
them shape and substance, recognized
his fine character, his noble purpose,
his chiyalric soul, felt the full charm of
his amazing personality. And Mark
Twain in painting Colonel Mulberry
Sellers merely utilized the pathos and
the humor and the splendid aud heauti,
ful henevolence of the mans unique
and brilliant nature.
Senator Vest remembers dear old
Tom Harris. 1t was he who I'm the fall
OF 1861, when Price was besieglng Ley
tngtop, No., and when all efforts failed
to dislodge Mulligan and his immortal
Chicago brigade" conceived the ex
pedient Of the hemp bales and put the
Confederate army behind them. rolling
the movable breastworks up the hill
and over the Union Notifications to vic
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. Al
year or so later Harris was in Rich.
mond seeking command. While there
he fell out OF a fourth story window,
nlighting face downward on q pile of
prlcks' Vest said of 1t afterward, 1T
would have killed snowbird." In
Harris case there were only a nose
split right down the middle and a scar
which everybody thought had been
made by a saber In some desperate
hand to hand conflict with a hated fos
Harris was always tho kind and
courteous and clean handed gentleman.
he loved his fellow man. He was
ready to share his last dollar with any
one who seemed to be in distress or
sorrow. Great thoughts issued from
his fruitful mind. Prodigious schemes
and enterprises were the children of
MS intellect Untold millions in which
he had no share have been the crea-
lures of his light, suave suggestions.
lie never wronged man or woman. He
was Incapable OF deceit. or pretensc.
But when he talked all men listened.
Out OF the crumbs of his opulent sug-
Sestion others gathered fame and for
tune. And he died poor! He had made
many men rich. He had distributed
succor, hope, encouragement as the
sower filings his seed. But he always
saw the bread upon the water, aud no
never lost his faith In man. He was
Mark Twain's Sellers. = Washington
Post.