The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-04-22
A Sketch Of the Life Of Mark Twain, Joker
a

" slumbering and one day. without
asking the advise OF his .shrewd COM
panion. Twain was lured into another
disastrous investment. He placed
$4,000 In = pure food organization.
and was elected president. But the
company went to the wall in 1907 and
with 1t the $4,000 disappeared.
And now misfortune selected anoth-
er weapon with which to attack the
white-haired author. Heretofore his
books had escaped harsh criticism.
but in November. 1907. tom Sawyer"
and '.Huckieberry Finn" his boy mas
terpieces. were withheld from youths
by the Brooklyn public libraries. a.
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 q Massachusetts,
public library refused to give shelf
room to his Ewes Diary" declaring
that the book was shocking.
Worn ont by his lectures. after din
ner speeches and misfortunes, Twain
purchased a farm In Redding. Conn.
and erected $4,000 villa, which he
called ..Stormfield." 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 Congo Free
State, and just when the reform move
ment was at its height. his Ill health
compelled him to abandon his work.
His Theater \ Failure.
The "Children's Theater.' which
was founded by Mark Twain in New
York, and which represented one o.
his lifelong ambitions. was forced K
close through lack of funds.
Then the humorist and his daughter
Clara became involved in a law sui
over farm which he had presented
to his former secretary, Mrs. RALPH
| Ashcroft, on her wedding day, ant
which he later attached on the advic'
of his daughter.
The facts regarding this disagree
| able affair were aired In the press
| much to the humiliation OF the veteT
an humorist.
In the early part Of 1909. hi
staunch friend and adviser. H. H
Rogers. died suddenly at his Nev
York home. This great financier m,
the white haired humorist had beel
! inseparable companions for humble
OF years. They had made trips +
Bermuda together. and when Roger
opened his railroad in Virginia, Twai
was one OF the guests OF honor. Tn
author was greatly affected by tn
financier's sudden death.
His Daughter Found Dead.
In the latter part OF 1909, Twai
made another trip to Bermuda and O
his return his feeble appearance q
tracted a great deal attention. The
the last crushing blow came the da
before Christmas when his younges
daughter Jean. was found dead In th
bath tub at hiss Redding home. tn
young woman had been q victim {
epileptic fits, and had been seize
with one while In the bath tub. whic
resulted in her death.
q A few weeks after the burial OF b
!. daughter. the aged humorist lei
broken hearted. for Bermuda He =
turned home In April. broken in healt
J. and spirits and spent his last DAY
J. at his RAdding home.
During his last years. an Of Il
humorists writings were under u
control OF Harper and Brothers. HI
autobiography which appeared In ne
; ial form In q magazine, and sever,
: attacks on Christian Science, wei
: his latest important works.
!, Writes on shakespears.
He also wrote q book questionir
the authenticity OF Shakespeare
works, which caused considerab
: comment
Il As an after dinner speaker he ",
always In demand, and in his uniq,
costume of white fannels. he made
> striking appearance.
:. He was always ready nth a joI
and his wonderful personality ma,
: him an attraction ON every occasio
The quaint philosophy Of the chs
acters he created in his works wou
never cause anyone to suspect Il
trials and tribulations he had undo
gone. He always faced the wor
with smile. and may safely be "a
q to have created more smiles than al
i other American.