New-York tribune., 1910-04-22
MARK TWAIN'S ACTIVE LIFE
Closing Years Crowded by Sorrows in Which He Foune
Tobacco His Chief Consolation.

then I have smoked publicly. AS an ez-
ample to others, and not that I care for
moderation myself II has always been my
rule not 10 smoke when asleep and never
refrain when awake.
'1t is all OF sixty years since I began 20
smoke the limit. have never bought
cigars with life belts around them. I early
found that these were too expensive for
pe. I have always bought cheap cigars
reasonably cheap, at any rate. Sixty years
ago they cost me 81 a barrel, but my taste
latterly improved. and pay 81 now.
"As for drinking, I have no rule about
that. When others drink like to keep UP;
otherwise I remain dry by habit and pref
erence. Since / was seven I have seldom
taken a dose of medicine and have still
schooner needed one. But up TO seven
lived exclusively on allopathio medicines.
Not that needed them: it was for econ
omy. Ny father and took a drug store
for debt, and II made cod liver oil
cheaper than the other breakfast foods.
We had nine barrels, and IL lasted me
seven years. Then was weaned. / was the
first Standard OIL Trust. I had IL all. BY
the time the drug store was exhausted my
health was established. have never taken
eny exercise except sleeping and resting.
and i never intend to take any. Exercise
is loathsome. and 1t cannot be any benefit
when you are tired. was always tired.
When the Strenuous Life 10 Over.
'T have lived a severely moral life. But
IL would be a mistake for other people
TO try that. Morals are an acquire
nent-like music-no man is born with
them. I wasn't myself; / started poor.
hadn't a single moral. There Is hardly
man In this house that Is poorer than
was then. Yes. I started like that-the
world before me, not a moral in the slot.
can remember the first one I ever got.
IL WIS an old second hand moral. all out
OF repair. ani didn't At, anyway. But II
you are careful with a thing and keep it
in a dry place and disinfect it now and
then, end give it a fresh coat OF whitewash
once in 6 while. you will be surprised 20
see how well 4; will last and how long it
will keep sweet and inoffensive.
''Threescore and ten: 1t is the Scriptural
statute of limitations. After that you owe
no active duties; for you the strenuous
life is over. You are time-expired man,
to Use Kipling's phrase.
The previous engagement plea which IN
forty years has cost you so many twinges
you can lay aside forever: on this side of
you shrink at thought OF night and win
ter and the late Homecoming from the ban
ouet. YOU need only reply: Your invitation
honors me and pIeases me, because you
still keep me in your remembrance, but L
am seventy, and would nestle in the chin
ney corner and smoke my pipe and read
my books and take my rest, wishing you
well I'm all affection and that. when you In
your turn shall arrive at Pier 70, you may
step aboard your waiting ship with a rec
onciled spirit and lay your course toward
the sinking sun with a contented heart"
Had TO Begin Work at Twelve.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known the
world over as Mark Twain, was born in the
little hamlet OF Florida, Monroe County,
No, on November 30, 1885. His father,
John Marshall Clemens, was a merchant
whose ancestors settled IN Virginia The
mother. Jane hampton, was a Kentucky
girl. who was born the same year as Abra-
ham Lincoln-1soe. Both parents, It Is said,
were OF high degree OF intelligence. The
birthplace OF Mr. Clemens was I'm earlier
times inhabited by Mound Builders. The
house he was born in IS described as
two-room log building. and many thou
sands OF visitors were attracted to IL until
it was finally torn down, in 1897
Mr.. C1emens's father. shortly after
/, Samuers birth. moved to Hannibal, Mo-,
where he thought he might find better op-
portunties for his business. The town and
vicinity OF Hannibal, as well as the boy
hood life Of the humorist, are picturesquely
described in his tom Sawyer" II ap-
pears that he was a fun loving boy. and
didn't care much for school life He pre-
! ferred instead to rauble about here and
there, and had an especial fondness for the
river In fact IL is said that on no fewer
! than nine occasions he vas hauled from
! its waters in half drowned state His
! fathers death, which occurred when the
! boy was twelve years old. left the family
! in rather destitute circumsta noes, and made
! il necessary for young Samuel TO do such
odd jobs as he could I'm the neighborhood
/ in order TO swell the family exchequer.
Learned the Printing Trade.
! His schooling was almost entirely neg
| lected. Finally he entered the Office OF
The Hannibal Courier" where he learned
the printing trade. He himself describes
the sort Of paper he worked for as one
which had five hundred subscribers who
paid their subscriptions in potatoes. cab
bage and other garden truck He also
tells OF how he published the paper dur
ing the absence Of the editor. IL seems
that for long time he had been anxious
to write some articles. and now, seizing
the opportunity, contributed several to the
news columns. They all dealt with local
topics, and it is said we're OF such a per-
sonal nature that they aroused the ire of
many whose names were mentioned For
I time his first literary attempt threatened
10 ruin the paper. but after little IT had
az opposite effect and gained several new
subscribers
/ IIe remained for three years on the paper,
and having saved a few dollars out or
his wages. which amounted TO 80 cents
week. he decided 60 run away. He went to
New York, where he secured a place I'm y
! small printing establishments. Ifis acct
dental meeting with q resident Of Hannibal
| frightened him, however, aud he left for
| Philadelphia where ne worked for q short
] q ina THe Te5u