The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-10

Says English Author Was
Credited, But Foot Note
Lost by Printers.

BALTIMORE. June I0.-Ms-s Twain
Samuel w CIemens). who is IN RaIti-
more today TO attend the COMMENCEMENT
exercises at st. Timothy's School. q
fashionable girls institution. this
morning told how it came 10 Le report
ed that he had used the work of another
man in one Of his recent books without
giving due credit. and also vigorously
denied the charge of plagiarism. He
made the following statement:
In this, the first statement whicll
personally have given to the press, 1
wish to say that in writing my book
took liberty Of using large extracts
from AR. GreenW ood's book. THE
Shakespeare Problem Re-Stated.' ]
made use of the extracts because Of the
great admiration 1 have for that book,
and with fuu permissiGn of the publish
ers, 1 added a foot note IN which
gave full credit TO both author and
publishers
The book was put through the press
N great haste and somewhere, nobody
seems tc know where, the foot note was
lost, probably ia the composing room.
That is the sum and substance of tie
whole story. But, Of course, the John
Lane Publishing Company, OF England,
are good advertisers, ana have only one
object in life and that is TO make
money.
For Advertisement.
Now one of Mark Twain's books. 80
they tell me. is considered worth while
reading. I know at any rate that my
books have always sold well. But TO
have a man Ike Mark Twain steal por-
tions from another mans book makes
that book something extracrdina ".
Ncssrs. Lane are well aware of this
fact. and it is TO be regretted that a
mistake in the mechanical department
OF another publishing house should be
made much Of to accuse falsely one who
has already won fame in the literary
world and put in a false light one who
is the most modest and retiring of
men"
Dir. Clemens said he liked the ladies
very much, especially the young ladies'
THAT is why I am going to the COM
msncement this morning at st. Tim
Othy's," he added They are all very
sweet, and make one feel young again
course or even think of getting Old
No. indeed. j am just as young now as
/ was forty years ago. Why, I don't
see. any reason why I should not live
nothing funny about that Y@u know
Methuseleh lived for 939 years Scrip
ture doesn't record that he lived a bet
ter life than the rest of mortals We
never know what is in store for US"
Few "Innocents Abroad.
He says there are very few limo
cents abroad nowadays. when
first went to Europe" he declared.
'you could rot walk a block without
seeing a thousand and one spurious
relics Relic hunting and relic showing
was a thriving business in those days.
Why, l remember distinctly one dav IN
Cologne I saw enough nails 10 fill a
keg, and every single nail was said
TO be one of those with which CFaist
had been nailed 70 the cross. Now-a-
days these nails and other relics are
shown with a smile to those who have
lost their innocence. and with uneasi-
ness to those who are suspected of hav-
ing lost it. OF course. there are some
still who do not know that there were
only three or four nails in the cross.
Mr.. Clemens stated that he had not
as vet made up his mind as to what
he was going TO do this summer Il
expect 10 stay at home he said MY
residence at Redding, Conn. is TO me
the most beautiful place IN the world.
There / am sree from rain and re
porters, and pla giarism. Unless Ichange
my mind, you will md me there all
summer. Come and see me-