The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-04-22

honor up and down the mystic river,
 famed for it's capricious habit of
 Sawyer 'Huckleberry Finn,'' "Pud-
 dim Head Wilson, and Life on the
 Mississippi which came from his
 pen in later, years, every incident of
 this vanishing estate is dwelt upon lovingly.
 In the midst of this phase of his ca
 torn of slave-holding parents. the youth pi1oted his boat through the blockades and joined the .Confed crate army. This army experience lasted two weeks, when he resigned. assign ting the cause to t'incapacity by fatigue through persistent retreating."
 Returning to Hannibal he joined his brother, Orion. who had. accepted the appointment as first secretary of the rev territory of Nevada. Samuel ac- which his brother explained was "a good job, with nothing to do and no salary
 At yirginia City young Clemens the Virginia City Territorial Enter prise, and was finally engaged as leg islative correspondent at Carson City. name Mark Twain: which he adopt ed from the old Mississippi river term for a two -fathom sounding.
 One of his barbed literary shafts struck a vital spot in the emotions of Editor Laird of the Virginia Union The latter proposed a duel as 3. salve
 
 the only available weapon, Twain sought out the proposed dueling grounds for practice, expending an ie1iorrnous amount of ammunition and the appointed hour of the meeting Mark was taking a last practice shot when luekless bird collided with a random bullet. Laird. from afar off. saw the decaoitated bird in it's fall to the ground. and lost no time making the apologies necessary to the aban- comment of the duel.
 The authorities. however. were not satisfied, and determined to make an example Of Ihose who broke the law forbidding the acceptance of a duel challenge. As result. Mark Twain and the eonspirators hustled across the border into California.
 Firing of his berth as city editor of the San Francisco Call. Mark Twain penetrated the Sierras in search of gold. but being inapt a. prospector, he sailed for Hawaii as correspondent of the Sacramento Union. arriving just in time to report the sensational burn ing of the clipper Hornet. which was
 After a six-month stay he returned to California and joined the Quaker. City. excursion to the Holy Land as representative of Alta California On this, one of the first personally con ducted world tours, Mark Twain ob- tained the material which found it's real introduction to the world of liter ature. Another Hateful influence up-, on his life was furnished by the Qua ker City excursion through his meet ing Miss Olivia l.. Langdon of E1mira, N Y. In 1870 they were married. and throughout one of the most ideal mar four children were born to them. Iangdon, a son, came in 1870 and died in 1872. Susan Olivia. born in the latter year, lived to be 24-Iong enough to develop extraordinary mental pow CTS and strength of character. Two other daughters, Clara and Jean. were  Jean died of epilepsy in her bath. Dec. A, 1909. Clara is the wife of Ossip Gabrilowitsch, the Russian pianist
 At the outset of his career as Q man of family Mark Twain acquired an in terest in the Buffalo Express. but soon retired to the more remunerative field of freelanee literary efforts.
 Henceforth Mark Twain added stead fly to his international literary fame. His Important works and their date of appearance. follow: n 1873; From Sawyer, in 1878; sslzetches'' in 1877; Tramp Abroad'', 1 n 1880; Prince and Pauper'', in 1883; l 'Huekleberry Finn. in 1885: library | f Hunor'', in 1888; "A Yankee in King Arthur's Court, in 1889. chas. L. Webster & Co. in 1884 which E vas a disastrous undertaking. Through he business depression. of 1894 the firm ailed, and Mark Twain, at the time ated a wealthy man, assumed it's Iebts,s though it swept away his for une and left an indebtedness of s100,- 00, which he paid in full.
 In the midst of his struggle to re- cup his fortunes came the death of is wife in 1905. This loss was per laps the most serious blow of his life rated, but laid aside his grief long nough to; pay her this tribute:
 Ter character and disposition were f the sort that not only invites wor- hlD but commands if ''
 Since the death of his wife and the marriage of his daughter Clara. Mark nental boise and fortitude that seldom omes to man as a sustaining force. His daughter Jean became his sole companion and assistant. Until the i1ne of her death they lived in the country home .'Stormfield'', lear Redding. Conn, named after 5apt. StormFie1d, whom Mark Twain ent on a. visit to heaven.
 This hone.swhose architecture bears he impress of it's owners personality. rev to be the mecca, of literary idols s well as the shrine of every striving tudent. Here came also the wealthy 1 an, the hunter and the artist. The ospita1ity was infinite and the neigh ors found a welcome always.
 It was in the library of this home n his roth birthday that Samuel L. :lemens interviewed Mark Twain for he enlfghtenment of his friends the WOfIQ. InaC the pro- ess was unique detracted not a. whit rom the revelation of his private na- ure. He admitted that it had been is desire to be handsome
 tGI am asI was nade,'' said he. This is a disaster which I cannot elp.
 Many people think I am a happy nan, but I am not; it is because my ortraits do me justice. have a fghly organized and sensitive con- titution and an educated taste in Sfneaf1PS and ahidn a ira nhi.l1 is too particu1ar. I do the art t no harm. have never done him ny harm, yet he always exercises this anton and malicious rankness upon ly portrait. I should like to be drawn nee before I reach 70 again, as aould look if I had been made right lstead of careleSsly.''
 A little more. than a year ago Mark vain was criticised for smoking a gar while waiting for the final sce4se- lony sconferring upon him the doctors 1 eesreR at Oxford. E1Il Orla- more