The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-11
MARK TW AIN TELLS
WAY HE ACCOMP-
LISHED IT
ONE CIGAR At A TIME
Goes to Bed When No One
is Left to Sit Up With.

New York. Dec 1.-THE following is
the text Of President Roosevelts letter
on the occasion Of Mark Twaln's seven
tie:h birhday
November %, 1so5.-My Dear Colonel
Haryey. I wish 1t were IN my power to
be at the dinner he'd TO celebrate the
seventeen birthday OF Mark Twain. II
IS difficult to write OF him by his real
name. instead OF that name which has
become household word wherever the
English language is spoken. He IS one
OF the citizens whom all Americans
should delight to honor, for he has rem
dered a great and a peculiar service 10
America and his writings. though such
as no one but an American could have
written. yet emphatically come within
that small list which arr -rittt- sor &c
particular country. but for all countries
and which are OF an abiding and perma-
nent value. May he live Song, and year
by year may nc add to the sum OF ad-
mirabie work that he has done Sin
cerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
lsark Twain's speech in fun at the
banquet was as follows:
"The seventieih birthday II is the
time OF life wien you arrive at new
and awful dignity; when you may throw
aside the decent reserves which have op-
pressed you for a generation and stand
unafraid and unabashed upon your
seven terraced summit and look down
and teach--unrebuked You can tell the
world how you got there-it is what they
ali do. You shall never get tired OF tell
ing By what delicate arts and deep NOR
alities you climbed UP TO the great place.
You will explain the process and dwell on
the particulars with senile rapture. 1
have been anxious to explain my own
system this long time. and now at last
have the right.
Il have achieved my seventy years IN
the usual way--by sticking strictly to a
scheme OF life which would XIII anybody
else, 1t seems like an exaggeration, but
that is really the common rule for at
tanning old age. We have no perma-
nent habifs tntl wc are forty. They
they begin 70 harden presently they pet
rify, then business begins Since forty
have been regular about going 10 bed,
and getting up-and that is one Of the
main things. / have made II rule to
60 to bed when thee was not anybody
left to sit up with; and | have made it
a rule to get up when I had TO. This
has resulted IN an unswerving regularity
OF irroguiarity.
"In the matter Of diet which is au-
other main thing I have been persis-
ten,ly sticking to the things which didn't
agree with me- until cne or the other
OF us got the best OF IT,. Until lately
got the best of myself, but last spring
stopped frolicking with mince pie after
midnight. Up to that time ] had al
ways believed It wasn't loaded For
thirty years 1 have taken coffee and
bread at s IN he morning and no bite
nor sup till 1880 in the evening.
Il have made a a rule never 10 smoke
more than one cigar at time, have
no other restrictions as regards smok-
ing. l do not know Just when / began 70
smeke ! only know that II was in my
fathers lifetime and that Il was dis
Greet He passed from this lie early
in 1s47, when l was a shade past eleven.
Ever since then ! have smoked publicly
As an example to others and not that
care for moderations myself, It has al
ways been my rule never TO smoke when
asleep. and never 10 refrain when awake
LAS for drinking, l have no rule about
that. When the others drink, like &c
help otherwise. l ROMAN dry by habl'
and preference This dryness does not
hurt me- but Il could easily hurt you
because you are different You let &
alone.
Since I was seven years old l have
seldom taken dose of medicine. ans
have stil more seldom needed one. Blu
up to seven I lived exclusively on al
lopathic medicines. not that neede'