The Columbus journal., 1910-04-27

reapine the publishers ~ well - tn
authors profits from some OF hi
works. Accordingly he organized
stock company known - c. L. Web
ster Z Co., In which he was thu
largest stockholder. to publish hll
works. He had accumulated consider
able wealth and Was rated a. . NIL
lionaire.
His financial ability. however. VA
none Of the best. and In 1884 his en-
tire fortune was swept away BY the
failure Of the publishing house. Mr.
Clemens was abroad 1t the time. and
although 60 years OF age. he started
out on . tour Of the globe. delivering
/ lectures and writing articles In order
to pay the debts Of the defunct firm.
He had scarcely begun his great
task when fate struck him another
hard blow. This was the death Of his
eldest and most accomplished daugh-
ter. Miss Olivia 8 Clemens. who died
In August. 1896. at the age Of "a. Bro
ken In spirit. he continued his great
task and In two years he had paid OF
his debts.
II was during this dark period that
the veteran humorist was reported
destitute and dying In London. A
public appeal was sent out through
New York paper and 5000 was
raised for him. But although pressed
for funds. he still retained his dig
nifty and refused to accept the money.
Wife Passes Away.
AS II In sympathy with her hus-
bands misfortunes. his wife's health
began to fail. He moved to Florence.
Italy. in the hope that the mild climate
would restore her. but 1t proved Of no
avail. and on November 6. 1904. she
died In that far OF land.
About this time the humorist met
H. H. Rogers. the Standard OIL mag
nate. and the men became fast friends.
Rogers gave his literary friend the aid
OF his financial experience. and Glenn
ems was soon In possession Of q COM
Portable income.
Although the future took on q
brighter aspect. his evil spirit was
only slumbering. and one day. without
asking the advice of his shrewd com
pani0n. Twain" was lured into anoth-
er disastrous investment He placed
$32.50O In the pleasure Company Of
America" q pure food organization.
and was elected president But the
company went to the wall In 1907. and
with 1t the $32.500 disappeared.
And now misfortune selected an
other weapon with which to attack the
whjtehaired author. Heretofore his |
books had escaped harsh criticisms. !
but IN November. 1907. TON Sawyer"
and "Huckleberry Finn" his boy mas
terpieces. were withheld from youths |
by the Brooklyn Public libraries. as
unfit for young minds" Comptroller
Joy Of Detroit. Mich. declared his
work. "A Double Barrelled Detective
Story" was literary Junk. unfit for
public library" and a Massachusetts,
public library refused to give shelf
room to his Ewes Diary" declaring
that the book was shocking"
Worn out by his lectures. after din
ner speeches and misfortunes. Twain"
purchased q farm in Redding. Conn.
and erected q $4,000 villa. which he
called "Stormfield." With his two
Clara and Jean. he moved
there in 1908. and settled down to .
life Of ease.
But q series of fresh misfortunes
was In store for him. He had vigor-
ously denounced the rule Of the late
King Leopold H. in the Kong0 Free
State. and just when the reform move
ment was at its height. his Ill health
him to abandon his work.
The "Children's Theater." which
was founded by Mark Twain in New
York. and which represented one Of
his lifelong ambitions. was forced to
close through lack of funds.
Then the humorist and his daughter
Clara became involved in a lawsuit
over q farm which he had presented
to his former secretary. Mrs. Ralph
on her wedding day. and
which he later attached on the advice
Of his daughter.
The facts regarding this disagree
6OIC AFFAIR WcIc Iu SuC PICSSs |
much to the humiliation Of the veter.
an humorist.
In the early part Of 1909 his staunch
friend and adviser. HI. H. Rogers. died
at his New York home. This
great financier and the white haired
humorist had been inseparable com
canions for a number Of years. They
had made trips to Bermuda together.
md when Rogers opened his railroad
In Virginia, Twain" was one of the
guests of honor The author was
greatly affected by the financier's
sudden death.
Daughter Dies Suddenly. |,
In the latter part Of 1909. Twain"
made another trip to Bermuda. and
IN his return his feeble appearance at
racted q great deal of attention. Then :
he last crushing blow came the day
before Christmas. when his youngest
laughter. Jean. was found dead In the
bath tub at his Redding home. The
voung woman had been a victim Of
,pileptic fits. and had been seized with
me while In the bath tub. which re-
suited in her death.