The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-10-04
MARK TWAIN IN ITALY
Humorist Jolly Neighbor, Says
American Resident.
noL1zED BY PEOPLE OF FLORENCE

Language and Cigars of the Country
Were Sources of His Mirth-Joxe ON
Color of Overcoats Worn by the
Farmer = Trouble with His Land
lady.
"You mustn't smoke too much" DR..
Kiersch of Florence, Italy, told Mark
Twain while treating the famous Mis-
sourian for bronchitis at the Villa di
Quarto.
How can I?". replied the humorist.
''There are only twenty-four hours in
a day"
George Gregory Smith Of Florence,
Italy, who was interviewed at the JEFF
ferson hotel In st. Louis, told the story,
says the st. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1t is
one of. many anecdotes he relates Of
the distinguished American"
"When Mark Twain came to Flor
ence," said Mr.. Smith, The inquired
about brands of italian cigars. l rec
commended a cigar called the Branca.
1 explained to him that l considered 1t
good, although it's price was five for a
nickel.
after he had smoked n he said:
Smith, that cigar is like altar of roses
or violet water. The only valuable
thing about it is the cent
"That was characteristic of Mark
Twain while in Florence, as probably
everywhere else. Gems of humor con-
stantly dropped from his lips as well
as his pen, and he didn't mind ringing
4 L., n MN ooooci0no11v 9e"s-F#- H
1.-THE italian language, which he
knew only imperfectly. afforded him
a source Of much merriment. So did
certain Italian customs. He wrote
Just as he thought about these sub
; jects, and the Italians, who have a
keen sense Of humor, enjoyed them in
, stead of taking ofense. One thing that
:, made an instant impression on Mark
Twain when he landed in Florence
> was the color Of the overcoats worn
!, by the contadini, or farmers, of the
= neighboring country. This color is a
deep orange a flaming shade. He
: wrote of these that the Italians wear
ing them: 54a
".Looked like they had come from
the hereafter and didn't have time to
: cool Off
"This was translated into Italian and
hugely enjoyed by the Italians in the
neighborhood of Florence.
Mark Twain lived in Florence from
last November. until his wife died. He
!, was idolized by the people there. The
American and English colony wor-
shipped him. Occasionally he gave
l. readings in public, but the greater part
II Of his time he spent in the beautiful
q villa he had leased. 1t happened that
Ia I leased the villa for him, and some
times l wish l hadn't. 1t is about
three and one-half miles from Florence
toward Pistoia and Is surrounded by
70 a park Of about twenty-five acres.
"Humorists have often written OF
other men having trouble with theil
y. %landladies, but Mark Twain had real
trouble with his. She happened to be
q countess at that. When Mark Twain
moved into the beautiful villa she ask
ia ed him to take her 'fattore' or agent
70 to manage his household. Twain re
~ fused, and from that time on through
y. out his residence there she did every
thing she could to Inconvenience him
She declared she would drive him out
"She interfered when he applied TO
at a telephone. and made him wait thre'
n. weeks for it She put stones and rock
he in the roadways Of the park so hi
II. daughters could not ride or drive a
,ir they liked. She cut of the water SUP
ply for a time, and then tried to hav
he the villa declared in an %unsanitar
condition nv tho orfhOrffioa
10 "She even tried to arrange things s
ng bells would ring near the house q
often as possible while Mrs. Clelnen
we was seriously Ill. There Is a little pa
ok ish church back of the villa, and whe
.th the priest heard Of Mrs. Clemens IL
of ness he stopped ringing the bells Il
en- early mass for fear it might annoy tt
mo invalid. But the countess even ol
is jected to this.
Of Concerning the countess heal
est Mark Twain say: g 3
AN ~ really never expected to wish
meet anybody in HI, but I'd like
in meet that countess there, nc matt
an. at what personal inconvenience
at "Mrs. Clemens death was a gre
his blow to Mark Twain. Their marie
i'm. life was ideal. To him the world
life volved about Mrs. Clemens. 1nciden
ally her death showed the great pop
larity of her husband. Cablegrams
coincidence and sympathy came to t
villa di Quarto when her death W
re- announced. not by the dozen or hu
of dreds, but. I say it advisedly, by t
the thousands.
has "They came not only from the Unit
life States, but from all quarters of t
a it globe. They came from China a
the from Siam and a large number FRI
1or- India, and they came from Africa a
' to from islands in the Pacific ocean. Th
Inv, came from crowned heads and pot,