Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-23
TWAIN AGAIN A STAR
He Has a Royal Time at Ed
wards Party.
KING Is VERY KIND
Converses With the American Humor-
list for Fifteen Minutes.
MARK ONCE WALKED WITH HIM
Historians Differ as to Just What Oc-
CURED on That Memorable
Occasion.
KIND
MARK ONCE WALKED WITH HIM

LONDON, June 22-Mark Twain was the
center of attraction at the kings garden
party at Windsor this afternoon, and be-
sides meeting the king and the royal party,
had handshake with several hundred no
| tables during the afternoon. Upon his re-
turn from the garden party he declared that
he wa3 not bit tired and had thoroughly
enjoyed himself.
H, was accompanied to Windsor by John
Henniker Heaton, the father of imperial
penny postage" who introduced him to
many of the kings guests on his way to
the party, including Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman, Fridtjof Nansen, Sir Henry
Mortimer Durand and Ellen Terry. He
heartily congratulated Miss Terry on her
recent marriage, the two shaking hands
enthusiastically.
After tea, which was served on the lawn,
Ambassador Reid presented Mark Twain to
King Edward and Queen Alexandra, and
the king and the humorist spent a quarter
of an hour in conversation, the king laugh
ing heartily at Twain's jokes. The queen
also joined in the conversation, and was
much amused when Twain jokingly asked
if he could buy the Windsor Castle grounds
from her majesty. Then the king called on
him to meet the other guests. He intro
duced Twain to the King of Siam, the Duke
of Connaught, Prince Arthur of Connaught
and others. Prince Arthur Is to receive
degree at Oxford at the same time as the
American humorist, and he remarked that
he would collapse if called upon for a
speech. Thereupon Twain offered to UNDER
take to speak for him.
Mark Twain wore the regulation frock
coat and silk hat at the garden party.
Speaking of his receptio there, he said:
His majesty.was very courteous. In the
course of the conversation 1 reminded him
of an episode sixteen years ago, when I
had the honor to walk a mile with him
when he was taking the waters at Homburg.
1 said l had often told about that episode,
and that whenever l was the historian
made good history of it, and it was worth
listening to, but that it had found its way
into print once or twice in unauthentic
ways and had been badly damaged there l
added that should like to go on repeating
this history, but that 1 should be quite
fair and reasonably honest, and while 1
should probably never tell the story twice
in the same way, 1 should at least never
allow 1t to deteriorate at my hands.
His majesty intimated his willingness
that 1 should continue to disseminate that
piece of history, and added a compliment,
saying that he knew good and sound his
tory would not suffer at my hands, and
that If this good and sound history needed
any improvements beyond the facts he
would trust me to furnish those embellish.
ments.
finn 70
the queen looks as young and beautiful as
she did thirty-five years ago. when l saw
her first. l didn't say this to her. because
learned long ago never to say an obvious
thing, but to leave an obvious thing to
commonplace and inexperienced people to
say
That she still looks to me as young and
beautiful as she looked thrty-five years ago
is good evidence that 10000 people already
have noticed this and have mentioned It to
her. l could have said it and spoken the
truth but l have been too wise for that
1 nave kept the remark unuttered, and that
has saved her majesty the vexation of hear
Ing 1t for the ten-thousand-and-on time
All that report about my proposal to
buy Windsor Castle and its grounds is a
false rumor-I started 1t myself"
Mr.. Clemens has announced that he will be
passenger on the steamer Minnetonka, sail
ing for New York July 10. This prolonea-
ton Of his stay abroad has enabled him
to accept few of the hundreds Of invita-
tons that are pouring in on him. The
staff of Punch invited him to a dinner at
the Savoy July 8, but he intimated his
preference to dine in the famous Punch"
room at the Punch offices, and the dinner
will be given there. Mr. Clemens considers
this one Of the greatest honors of his visit