The Lamar register., 1910-04-27


work that has made his name i'm
mortal
In 1872 "Rcugh.ng IT, appeared. and
in the same year The Gilded Age"
written in collaboration with Charles
Dudley Warner. was published. Tom
Sawyer" came in 1876. and "Huckle-
berry Finn" nine years later. OF the
stories with an historical setting THE
Prince and the Pauper." "A Connec-
ticut Yankee at the Court of King
Arthur" and personal Recollections
of Joan of Arc" appeared in 1882.
1890 and 1894 respectively. In 1888
that curious philosopher. "Pudd'nhead
Wilson," made his bow.
Misfortune Dogs Him.
But while the great humorist was
meeting with well-deserved success
from literary standpoint, the imps
of misfortune seemed to dog his very
footsteps.
In 1884 he conceived the idea of
reaping the publishers as well as the
authors profits from some OF his
works. Accordingly he organized a
stock company known as C. l.. Web
i
largest stakeholder. to publish his
works. He had accumulated consider.
able wealth and was rated as n mil
| lionaire.
| His financial ability, however. was
! none of the best. and In 1894 his en-
tire fortune was swept away by the
failure OF the publishing house. Mr..
| Clemens was abroad at 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 S. 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 off
| his debts.
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
II. II. 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 COM
| Portable income.
And now misfortune selected an
other weapon with which to attack the
white-haired author. Heretofore his
books had escaped harsh criticisms.
but In November. 1907. Tom Sawyer"
and "Huckleberry Finn" his boy mas
terpieoes. 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 a
public library" and 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 farm In Redding. Conn.
and erected n $4,000 villa. which he
called "Stormheld" With his two
daughters. Clara and Jean. he moved
there in 1908. and settled down TO a
| life of ease.
| But series OF fresh misfortunes
was In store for him. He had vigor-
ously denounced the rule of the late
| King Leopold II. in the Kongo Free
State. and just when the reform move
ment was at its height. his Ill health
compelled 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 farm which he had presented
to his former secretary. Mrs. Ralph
Ashcroft. on her wedding day; and
which he later attached on the advice
of his daughter.
The facts regarding this disagree
able affair were aired in the press.
much to the humiliation OF the seter-
an humorist.
In the early part OF 1909 his stanch
friend and adviser. II. II. Rogers. died
suddenly at his New York home. This
great financier and the white haired
humorist had been inseparable COM
panlons for 6 number of years. They
had made trips to Bermuda together.
and when Rogers opened his railroad
in Virginia, Twain was one of the
guests OF honor. The author was
greatly affected by the financier's sud
den death.
In the latter part of 1909. Twain"
made another trip to Bermuda. and
on his return his feeble appearance at
tracted great deal OF attention Then
the last crushing blow came the day
before Christmas, when his youngest
daughter. Jean. was found dead In the
bath tub at his Redding home. The
young woman had been a victim OF
epileptic fits.