The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-06-30
Mark Twain and the Burglars.

Mark Twain and the Burglars.
Probably the most startling and
picturesque incident during Mr.. Clem-
ens's short time at Redding was when
the two misguided young men from
New York burglarized the house on
the hill. This came very near being
a tragic affair, and our sheriff carries
two bullet-wounds to remember it by.
The following morning neighbor
Lounsbury's stable-yard looked like
a field hospital in time of war. The
village doctor was busy binding ~up
the battered head of one of the bur-
glars and caring for the bullet
wounds in the leg and thumb Of the
doughty sheriff By great good for
tune I happened to be in the little
town clerks Office when Mark Twain
| himself entered. 1t was small,
narrow room on the west side of the
little one-story building. A safe stood
at the north end, near plain deal
table at which the officials sat.
At the south end of the room there
was, on this occasion, small table,
at which the two prisoners, with the
gives upon their wrists, sat waiting
their fate. One of them had his
head swathed\ in bandages and the
back of his coat stiff with his own
gore. The other, with an insolent
smile, was smoking a cigarette.
Some kind neighbor had supplied
them with sandwiches and coffee.
The sheriff was limping around, with
one hand done up in bandages, and,
as he said, "a bootful Of blood be-
gob." The officials were in the
clothes they wore at their farm work,
and the doors were crowded with
rustics. In strong contrast with the
simple surroundings was the fashion
ably dressed Miss Clara Clemens and
her feminine companions.
When Mark Twain entered, array
ed in his white flannel suit, he stop
ped at the table occupied by the two
''yeggmen. This was before any of
the newspaper men had arrived, and
they missed most characteristic and
interesting heart to heart talk with
live burglar. Said the white philo-
sopher: $50 you're the two young
men who called at my house last
night and forgot to put your names
in my guest book? Now that was
pretty sort of business for you, wasn't
it, and a nice way to treat me, after
I've been down on the East Side
working for just such fellows as you,
and after I made Bingham take back
what he said about the Jews"
Excuse me, Mr.. Clemens" inter-
rupted the battered and wounded
prisoner, for the first time showing
any interest in the proceedings my
parents are jewish"
Then you're a disgrace to your
race!"
"Well, I guess 1 am" replied the
burglar.
Now you two young men," con-
tinued Mr.. Clemens, have been up to
my house, stealing my tinware, and
got pulled in by these Yankees up
here. You had much better have
stayed in New York, where you have
the pull. Don't you see where you're
drifting to? They'll send you from
here down to Bridgeport jail, and
the next think you know you'll be
in the United States senate. There's
no other future open for you"
1t was worthy of remark that even
the burglar treated Mark Twain with
a Difference which was the more
marked because of the sullen con-
tempt with which the "yeggmen'
greeted every one else.-From MARK
Twain as a Neighbor," by Dan
Beard, in the American Review of
Reviews for June.