The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-27
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furnished with happy ending for the
humorist Two years before his death
Grant found himself Impoverished through
the failure Of Grant. Ward & Co. The
dying hero set to work writing his ne
noirs, which Twain's firm published, pay
ing Grants family nearly 100000 2
few years later Mark Twain's hrm failed.
and he was put to the necessity Of rails
ing $4,000 by heroic labor-iiabihties
which Mark considered himself morally
obligated to pay, though not legally bound
Mark Twain paid all his bills by a feN
years toil-books and a lecture tour-aua
laid the foundations for a new fortune
ample enough to let him indulge n
Italian villas and similar expensive habits
He has the humorist's elasticity OF tern
permanent, and it would perhaps be better
to say he IS 10 years young this No
vember 30th-
HERO OF HUNDRED ANECDOTES
He is the hero Of as many good stories.
the mouthpiece of as many drol sayings.
as any other American that ever Hved-
exeept. perhaps, Abraham Lincoln There
IS one story that goes back to his Cat
fornia days that has been told perhaps
hundred times. Even then he was as IL
veterate smoker as General Grant
Friends often demonstrated with BIN
about his overfondness for the weed. and
he always had some evasive excuse One
day lady met him win cigar-bnx M
der his arm Z am afraid. Mr. Twain.
she said. shaking her finger. shat yen
are smoking too much ION, no. rF
nlied Mark looking at the cigar box.
'soniy moving again.
Mark never lost the smoking habit. r.
Major Ponds account Of the trip aronno
the world tells how he bought SOD
oberoots i'm Victoria, hoping they woul,'
last three weeks. And when a delegation
NET him at Olympia. and the spokesman
apologized for the forest fires that were
shrouding the scenery in pail. the
answer was: Il don't mind the smoke 4
bit. I'm n perpetual smoker myself
To his early iecturing days belongs al
other anecdote recently resurrected-t-e
story of Mark Twain and the barber
you're a stranger here, aren't yoEs
asked the man who was shaving hiru-
Mark admitted that he was We're going
to have q good lecture tonight said The
man. "a Mark Twain lecture. You oughs
to co. Eyes, I think | Will" said Mars
s.Have you got your ticket yetr' the baz
her continued No. not yet said TIE
other .sThcn I'm afraid you'n have 70
stand s'Dear mei' exclaimed Mark ~iE
seems as If ! always have to stand wben
hear that man Twain lecture"
On another occasion lark visited =
small town where he was welcomed NJ
the railway station by the minister as the
leader of intellectual society in the place
AZ they walked up TO the parsonage
where Mark was to be housed and FED
during the day, his host cOnyersed on sew
eral topics, and finally said; Mr.. Glen
ems, It has always been our custom In this
little town to open every enterf ainuenf
with PRAYER, and-would you have any
objection to my doing so tOnightT why.
nv dear sir replied Marx warmly, ION the
contrary. I should be very glad to know
that the lecture WAS going to ne started
right anyhow" With this understanding
they went to the lecture-rOom that even
ing, and the minister left the lecturer sill
ting In the corner of the platform, tOok
the center Of the stage himself aud pro
ceeded to offer a prayer about half an
hour long, IN the course Of which be gave
his Views on all the current affairs OF In
terest, and concluded by saying And
now, o Lord, we have with tonight
man who is known throughout the world
as the great American humortst- Help rs.
o Lord-help Us to understand what he Is
about to say to us and to be amused By
It.; and, If possible, grant that we maF
derive some real benefit from bis lecture
No doubt Mark felt toward the parson
as he did toward a conscientious printer
who once sent him proof with all the
humor carefully eliminated Mark com
plimented him highly upon having con
sumed only one week to make sense Of
story WH1cn II laQ taken nlmseiL two
weeks to make nonsense of"
Harper & Bros, his authorized pub
fishers ever since he went upon his globe
girdling tour, have made elaborate prepa-
rations TO observe Mark Twain's sever
tieth birthday. both at the festaI board
and In formal type. But it Is doubrful
whether any tribute Of tongue or pen
win crafty him more OF ind a louder
echo in the hearts OF all his readers thar
the stanzas Oliver Wendell Holmes al
dressed TO him IN the Critic" on the oc.
casion Of bis hfteth birthday:
All, Clemens, when saw thee last
We both Of Us were younger;
How fondly mumbling Der the past
IS Memory's toothless hunger.
Before you learned to bite OF muneh,
Still kicking in your cradle,
The muses. mixed bowl OF punch,
And Hebe seized the ladle.
Dear babe, whose httieth year TO-DAY
Your ripe half-century rounded.
Your books the precious draught betraz
The laughing Nine compounded
So mixed the sweet, the sharp, the strong
Each hnds its faults amended,
The virtues that to each belong
IN happier union blended.
And what the favor can surpass
Of sugar. spirit, lemonsT
So while one health fills every glass
Aark Twain for Baby Clemens
GEORGE SEfRrr