The Glenwood post., 1905-12-09
SEVENTY YEARS
MARK TWAIN TELLS HOW HE
REACHED THREE SCORE
AND TEN.
BIG BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
Authors Dinner at Deimonico's-Great
Foreign Writers Send ConsratuIa-
tions-Characteris Letter
From President Roosevelt.

New York.-Mark Twain on Tuesday
night was the guest of honor al a din
ner at Delmonico's given by George
Harvey in honor OF the humorist's sew
entieth birthday. The guests We're
confined closely to writer's of imagina-
tive literature and about 40 authors
We're present, nearly half of them
women.
During the dinner congratulatory
cable message was received from Eng
land signed by forty of the most dis
tinguished writer's there, including
Thomas Hardy, George Meredith, Al
fred Austin, Arthur Balfour. Rudyarl
liiplng, Anthony Hope. Sir Gilbert
Parker, Sir Conan Doyle, Ian Mac
laren. Mrs. Humphrey Ward and Is
rael Zangwill. The principal souvenir
which each guest received was a bust
of Mark Twain. half life size.
President Roosevelt and Joel Chan
dler Harris sent letters. President
Roosevelt wrote:
II wish il We're in my power to be
at The dinner and hulp to celebrate the
seventeen birthday of Mark Twain,
1t is difficult to write of him by his
real name instead of that PANE which
has become n household word wher-
He is one OF the citizens whom all
Americans should delight to honor,
for he has rendered Il great and pc
culiar service to America, and his
writings though such as no one but
an American could have Written, Vet
emphatically come within that small
list which are written for no particu-
lar country. but for all countries. and
which are not merely written for the
time, but have an abiding and porn,a-
nenr value. May he live long and year
by year may he add to the sum OF
admirable work that he has done
When Mark Twain arose to speak he
could not proceed for several minutes
on account of the cheers that were
| given in greeting. He said:
II have achieved my 40 years in the
usual way-by sticking strictly to 4
scheme of my life which would XIII
anybody else. 1t sounds like an eNag
geration. but that is really the COM
mon rule for attaining old age. We
have no permanent habits until we arr.
! 40. Then they begin to harden, pres
| entity they pctlify. then business begins.
Since 40 | have been regular about go
ing TO bed and getting up-and that is
| one of the main things. | have made
| II Il RUE 10 20 10 DGu Wnen lnefe was
not anybody left to sit mp with; and
have made it Il rule 10 get mp when
| had to. This has resulted in un-
swcryng regularity of irregularity.
In the matter of diet which is an
other main thing. ] have been persist
| emily strict in sticking to the things
which did not agree with me until one
| or the other of us got the best of II.
Three score years and ten.
'It is the scriptural statute of limit
| alton. After that YOU owe no active
| duties: for you the strenuous life is
over You are timeeXpircd man, TO
use Kipline's military phrase. You
! have served your term, well or less
well, and you are mustered out. You
become an honorary member of Che
| republic: you are emancipated; com
| pulsions are not for YOU, nor any
bugle call but lights out You pay the
| tlme-worn duty bills if you choose. or
| decline if you prefer-and without
prejudice: for they are not legally col
| lectable."