The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-25
Body of Great Writer Is Laid
to Rest In the Gene
terry At E|nira
SIMPLE CEREMONIES
MARX THE OCCASION
Friends Far and Near Send Beautiful
Tributes of Flowers to Place on
the Grave of the Man So
Well Loved

Elmira, n. Y, April 24.-Under a tent
on the grassy slope of the Langdon plot
In Woodlawn cemetery, with rain beating
fiercely against the canvas cover, a little
group of mourners silently watched to-
day as the body Of Samuel L. Clemens
was lowered into an evergreen-lined
grave beside the bodies of his wife and
children. The Rev. Samuel e. Eastman,
pastor of Park church and close friend
of the late humorst conducted a brief
ara simple service and Mark Twain's
final pilgrimage was at an end. Tonight
he lies sleeping in a grave piled high
with flowers. the tributes of friends from
far and near.
There were present at the grave only
members of the family party who came
from New York with the body, a former
governess of the Clemens family, two of
her friends the sexton and half a dozen
newspaper men.
Services had previously been held at
the residence of Gen. Charles ]. Langdon.
where 10 years ago Mark Twain married
the generals sister. In keeping with Mr..
Clemens wish the ceremony was simple.
There was no music, no honorary pail
of Dr. Eastman.
The body lay in state in the very parlor
where the marriage of 40 years ago was
held and some of those who attended the
wedding were there today to look for
the last time upon the face of their
friend. Neither the Rev. Thomas K.
Beecher nor the Rev. Joseph Twitchel,
who performed the wedding ceremony.
was present, however. Mr.. Beecher died
several years ago and Mr.. Twitchell was
called to Hartford by the serious Illness
of his wife. who died this morning.
Among the floral gifts was beautiful
wreath bearing this inscription: From
500 boys of the Louisville Male High
school, in remembrance of Mr.. Clemens,
who has frightened their lives with inno-
cent laughter and taught them square
ness and grit and compassion for the
weak charge"
The services at the house were public
| but the attendance was not large. Be-
: sides the funeral party which accompa-
MED the body from Redding the little
gathering included only few relatives
and old friends. DIR. Eastman said in
part:
I'VE are not here at this time to speak
of the great man whose going hence the
whole world mourns, nor to claim for
him that place 81 the halls of fame which
time only can give him. We are here to
weep with those who weep, to give thanks
with those whose own he was in the sa-
cred bonds of human kinship and family
affection"
After the little group had looked for
the last time upon the features of the
he Fin, n1nc nd
borne to a waiting hearse. Outside a
few curious onlookers stood in the rain as
the procession started on its way to the
cemetery, mile or more away.
Residents of Elmra cherished for
memories of Mark Twain. With Mrs.
Clemens and the children he had spent
many happy summers at Quarry Farm
on East Hill, overlooking the city, the
home of Mrs. Susan L. Crane. Mrs. Glenn
ems sister, who was one of those who
mourned today. A path from the Crane
house winds through the wooded grounds
TO the summer lodge which was MARI
Twains workshop. Here he wrote
''Roughing It, "A Tramp Abroad" and
other works.
Below this lodge a short way down in
the woods, is another rustic structure
with barked roof, which the author bull.
for his children. Here may still be seen
many of the undisturbed playthings of
the little ones.
1t was during the Quaker city exped-
tion in 1867 which Mark Twain immor-s
talized In 1.-THE Innocents Abroad" thai
the humorist met General Langdon. then
a young man, the son of Jarvis Lang
don. distinguished and wealthy Elmiran.
Iangdon took kindly to young Clemens
and the intimacy which grew out OF the
meeting led to the marriage of the author
with Olivia l.. Langdon.
II saw her first" wrote Twain of his
wife in his autobiography, "in the form
of an ivory miniature in her brother
Charles stateroom on the steamer Quak-
er City in the Bay of Smyrna, in the
summer of 1867, when she was In her
twenty second year. I saw her in the
flesh for the first time in New York in
the following December.
''She was slender and beautiful and
girlish. and she was both girl and woman.
She remained both girl and woman to
the last of her life'
Over Mrs. Clemens grave, alongs'
the fresh made one today, stands stone
engraved with this epitaph
"Warm summer sun
Shine kindly here.
Warm southern wind,
Blow softly here.
"Green sod above, /
"Lie light. lie light
Goodnight, dear heart.
Goodnight"
Manuscripts VIII Be Completed