The Detroit times., 1910-04-22
MARK TwAIN's DEATH.


giving to the world its dearest smiles
and drawing from il its most willing
NOR the public eye has seen no happy
life punctuated with deeper sorrows
He had knowr every travail of the
soul, and few there are whose spirit or
sound humor would have survived so
many onslaughts of whimsical ana
cruel fate
Ii was the same man who gave this
message to an anxious world: "Ru-
mors of my death are largely eXag.
fgerated:" who subsequently, described
his health as mot ruggediy well. but
mot III enough 10 excite an undertake
ier," and who on return from Bermuda.
Two days prior 10 the sudden death or
ihis favorite daughter Jean. the day be
fore last Christmas. confirmed the be-
lief OF the newspaper reporters VINO
met him at the gangplank' with TINS
z discouraging statement:
"My active work in this life and for
the world is done. ! shall write no
more books nor attempt new work
The accompanying smile was one OF
IS amiable sadness. His cheeks were hol-
low and furrowed. and his gait was
shutting and uncertain. as II tired al
The next day. i2 hours before her un-
timely death, his daughter Jean made
public this statement at the instance
q 81 hear the newspapers say I am dy-
I Ing. The charge is not true, ] would
do no such thing at my time OF life.
II am behaving as well as ] can. Merry
Christmas TO everybody"
How merry was his Christmas ~
/, known throughout sympathizing uni
verse. The hand Of fate. always in
ecrutable. dealt its cruelest blow TO the
'kindest, gentlest Of men.
The hour hand had travelled but once
around the clock before the daughter
his confidant. companion and aInanu-
ensis--was found dead In her bath at
dlns conn Hep last sUt had been the
preparation of mammoth Christmas
Christmas symbols into bier-the
shrine OF his last earthly idol-almost
completed the wreck made possible
by the ravageS of time
Recalling the statement OF the pre-
vfcus evening which Knocked the ru-
Jnors OF his death. the author ventured,
pitifully, that the punishment Is more
Than the act merited." and settled back
into n silent, stole conflict with his
latest grief. Then his health declined
Sanaqally trsIn lhs faost No ara
II In 1885 while there were less than
million white inhabitants In the
great empire, west Of the Mississippi.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born.
IL was Nov. 30 and the scene Of his
nativity was . humble cabin at Flori-
The extreme fringe OF frontier settle
ment His parents Were John Mar
shall Clemens OF Virginia and his good
wife. who was Jane I.ambton, OF Ken
lucky.
The father was n lineal descendant
of Gregory Clement one OF ,hc three
Judges who condemned To death Charles
]. Clement. excepted from the general
amnesty following the restoration. lost
his head in consequence.
John Lamhton's forbcGrs str0vc with
Daniel Boone on the dark and bloody
ground" the scene OF her birth %
years after the building Of the first log
cabin within tho present confines ~
that commonwealth Even in the state
fSmous as dollhouse Of feminine
beauty. Jane Lambtnn became known
as one OF the most beautiful and bril-
liant bellies OF her time in the Bluegrass
STATE
Clements parents. victims or the
wanderlust. left their small property
fn Lexington for q new home at James
town on the Cumberland river In Ton
messed. Next they Travelled 10 Missouri
passing 81 Louis then city OF IA. 600
Tor what seemed 10 them a land of
brighter promise They settled at Flor
Ida, a hamlet described hv the author
fn later wears - the settlement that
Just divides the desert from the sown -
II was there that the future Mark
Twain was born. and here IL was also
That he FIRST encountered that capri
cious Fate. which az the age OF three
years. foretold the anomalies OF his ca
reer
Ills father. an absent-mlnded soul
wary of the scant opportunities afford
Florida without thought OF the little
n human bRgRaRe who laughed and cooed
B In the delightful occupation OF mud
pff baking ~ tho sun -batbed gerdeD
M oblivlous TO the disappearance OF the
+ household cavalcade across the sky
tive found the compliment youngster