The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-04-22
Publishes First Book.

Publishes First Book.
In March OF 1867 Twain published
his first book. The Jumping Frog Of
Calaveras County" The book made
quite stir in that part Of the coun-
try. but only four thousand copies
we're sold. 1t attracted the attention.
however. OF the editor OF the Alta Cali
fornian, who sent the author out as q
correspondent. on steam
ship excursion to Southern Europe
and the Orient.
His letters were published from
time to time. and In 1869 the author
revised them and published them in
boog form under the title Of The In
nocents Abroad This work made
Mark Twain famous. and compelled
his recognition as Americas foremost
humorist In the first sixteen
months, $1,000 volumes were sold. but
many more subsequently,. This was .
record sale for those days.
1t was on this trip In the Mediter-
ranean that Mark Twain met Olivia
L. Langdon OF Elmira. N. Y. They
fell in love with each other and in
1870 were married. Their married life
was one of perfect harmony and four
children blessed their union.
Edits Buffalo Paper.
Mr.. Clemens resided in Buffalo for
year after his marriage and was
nominally the editor of the Buffalo
Express. In 1871, he Joined the liter
airy colony at Hartford, Conn, where
he lived for a great many years and
where he did the greater part of the
work that has made his name immor.
tai
In 1872 "Roughing 1t" appeared
and in the same year, The Gilded
Age" written in collaboration with
Charles Dudley Warner, was publish
ed. TON Sawyer" came in 1876 and
"Huckleberry Finn nine years later
OF the stories with historical set
ting, The Prince and the Pauper.'
"A Connecticut Yankee at the Cour,
of King Arthur" and Personal Recol
lections of Joan of Arc" appeared II
1882, 1890 and 1894, respectively. II
1893 that curious philosopher. "Pud
d'nhead Wilson," made his bow.
Misfortune Haunts Him.
But. while the great humorist wa,
meeting with well-deserved success,
from a literary standpoint, the imp'
of misfortune seemed to dog his yer!
footsteps.
In 1884 he conceived the idea o
reaping the publishers as well as tn,
authors profits from some Of hi
| works. Accordingly he organized ,
stock company known as C. L. Web
ster & Co.. in which he was the larg
est stakeholder. to publish his works
He had accumulated considerable
| wealth, and was rated as a million
aire.
His financial ability, however. wa
none of the best and in 1894 his entir'
fortune was swept away by the failur
of the publishing house. Mr.. Clemen
was abroad at the time. and althoug
sixty years of age he started out on
| tour of the globe, delivering lecture
and writing articles In order to pa
the debts Of the defunct firm.
i Struck Another Blow.
He had scarcely begun his grea
task when fate struck him anothe
hard blow. This was the death of hi
i ter, Miss Olivia s. Clemens, who die
! In August, 1896. at the age OF 2
I Broken in spirit he continued hi
great task. and in two years he ha
paid off his debts.
4, 1t was during this dark period this
the veteran humorist was reporte
destitute and dying In London. A pul
lie appeal was sent out through Ne
York paper and $4,000 was raised Il
him. But although pressed for fund
he still retained his dignity and refu
ed to accept the money.
As il in sympathy with her hu
bands misfortunes. his wife's healt
began to fail and he moved to Flo
ence, Italy, in the hope that the mi
, climate would restore her. But it pro
ed of no avail and on November
1904, she died in that far off land.
About this time the humorist M
H. Rogers. the Standard OIL magnat
|. and the men became fast friends. Ro
: ers gave his literary friend the aid
his financial experience. and Cleme1
was soon in the possession of col
Portable income.
! Drops Second Fortune.
eli Although the future took on
brighter aspect, his evil spirit was o