The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-04
Mark Twain's Experience With Bur-
glars.

Probably the most startling and
picturesque incident during Mr.. Glenn
ems short time at Redding was when
the two misguided young men from
New York burglarized the house on
the hill. This came very near being
tragic affair, and our sheriff carries
two bullet-wounds to remember it by.
The following morning neighbor
Lounsbury's stable-yard looked like a
field hospital in time of war. The viii
lage doctor was busy binding up the
battered head of one of the burglars
and caring for the bullet-wounds in
the leg and thumb Of The doughty
sheriff. BY great good fortune / hap
pened to be in the little town clerks
office when Mark Twain himself en-
tered. 1t was q small, narrow room
on the west side of the little one-story
building. A safe stood at the north
end. near a plain deal table at which
the officials sat.
At the south end OF the room there
was, on this occasion, a small table, at
which the two prisoners, with the
gives upon their wists. sat waiting
their fate. One Of them had his head
swathed In bandages and the back of
his coat stiff with his own gore. The
other, with an insolent smile, was
smoking cigarette. Some kind neigh
Dor had supplied them with sand
wiches and coffee. The sheriff was
limping around. with one hand done
up In bandages. and, as ne said, "a
bootful of blood begob." The oni-
cials were in the clothes they wore at
their farm work, and the doors were
crowded with rustics. In strong con-
trast with the simple surroundings
was the fashionably dressed Miss
Clara Clemens and her feminine COM
panions.
When Mark Twain entered, array
ed in his white flannel suit, he stopped
at the table occupied by the two
"yeggmen." This was before any of
the newspaper men had arrived, and
they missed a most characteristic and
interesting heart to heart talk with a
live burglar. Said the white philoso-
pher: 80 you're the two young men
who called at my house last night and
forgot to put your names in my guest
book? Now that was pretty sort Of
business for you, wasn't it, and a nice
way to treat me, after I've been down
on the East Side working for just
such fellows as you. and after 1 made
Bingham take back what he said
about the Jews"
Excuse me, Mr.. Clemens" inter-
rupted the battered and wounded pris-
oner, for the first ne showing any
interest in the, proceedings, "ray pa
rents are jewish"
Then you're a disgrace to your
race!"
We'll. L guess I am" replied the
burglar.
Now you two young men," con-
tinued Mr.. Clemens. "have been up to
my house, stealing my tinware, and
got pulled in by these Yankees UP
here. You had much better have
stayed in New York, where you have
the pull. Don't you see where you're
drifting to? They'll send you from
here down to Bridgeport Jail, and the
next thing you know you'll be in the
United States senate. There's no 9TH
er future left open to YOU"
1t was worthy of remark that even
the burglar treated Mark Twain with
a Difference which was the more
marked because Of the sullen con-
tempt with which the "yeggman''
greeted every one else.-From Mark
Twain as a Neighbor," by Dan Beard
In the American Review Of Reviews
for June.