The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1910-04-29
DEATH CLAIMS
MARK TWAIN
king Of Wits Passes Away al
His Connecticut Home,
WROTE HIS LAST WORDS
Humorlst LspSed Into Unconscious
ness and Passed Away Without q
struuole-Tried to Joke Until tho
Last


struuqle-Tried to Joke Until tho
Last.
Redding. Conn. April 22-samuel
l. Clemens MARK Twain died OF an
gina pectoris at his home near tn'a
city. He became unconscious and san"
gradually until his death.
All hope Of recovery was aOan
dened on Wednesday night when Il
was evident to the physicians attend
ing him that the patient was grad
uallv losing ground. He had been con
ecious through practically all OF ms
fitness and had considerable know
edge OF his condition and Of the hgh'
that was in progress. His spirits kept
ND to the last, and until Wednesday
night he tried to joke little with the
people about him.
He recognized his daughter, spoke
a rational word or two and, feeling
himself unequal TO conversation. wrote
out in pencil: GIVE me my glasses.
Those were his last words Laying
them aside he sank first into reyerle
and later into final Inconsistencies.
Americas Most Popular Author.
Beyond question Mark Twain was
the most popular American author
Some persons think Of him as the most
popular writer In the English Ian
Kuage. certainly the most widely
known humorist. and philosopher OF
uArts. In recent years his conspicuous
and pungent personality has made hin
not less than national institution.
He was born in 1885 in the town Of
Florida. Mo. His father was a lawyer
who Kept store" because he could
not live BY his profession, in those
times. Something of the visionary
qualities of one Of Mark Twain's par
ticularly deathless characters. Colone
Mulberry Sellers, may have been pres
ent in Judge Clemens. They also reap
pesred in MS son. He died when Sam
uel Clemens was only twelve years ole
and thereafter. throughout his life. th'
son kept moving on" about the coun
try and the world The family was liv
ing al Hannibal Mo. when his fathe
died. and the boys first writing was
done for the Hannibal Journal AT th'
age Of eighteen he came to New forl
and worked as a printer; then to Phil
adelphia and Washington. then bacl
TO Missouri and Iowa. He went from
Cincinnati to New Orleans, where hi
decided TO become a Mississippi pilot
to learn almost literally to feel his wa.
In the dark through the more than
thousand miles of river between New
Orleans and St. Louis. Something o
all this he has set down in Life OF
the Mississippi"
He married. in 1870. Miss Olivi'
Langdon. of Elmira, and went 10 liv'
in Buffalo. where he became inter
ested in the Express newspaper. Blu
after a few years the family moved 4
Hartford. where they lived from 1877
for nearly seventeen years. Man.
books were published during this per
lou. anu MIS- AlEAilfAAo Ut ,oA iA'A WI
as her husbands literary adviser an
kept up this work as long as she lived
An occasional lecture tour afforded va
riety; but the platform became yer.
distasteful TO him and he declared h
would never lecture again Yet in 1888
he started ont on the reading tour
around the world. which set him OF
his feet again financially and game
him wide appreciation. Then came
stay in Europe. but after period o
family bereavement he came back {
America in 1900 In 1888 Yale CAV
him the degree Of master Of arts. an
in 1901 the degree of doctor Of liters
ture. In 1907 oxford university crown
ed his honOrs with the degree OF Lit
Doc The world rang with his name.
EISHE1 RApY Gilt Of RIVE