Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-04-28

A year after his marriage. and was
the editor of the Buffalo
Express. In 1871 he joined the liter
airy colony at Hartford, Conn. where
he lived for great many years. and
where he did the greater part of the
work that has made his name i'm.
In 1872 ''Roughing 1t" appeared, and
In the same year THE Gilded Age"
written in collaboration with Charles
Dudley Warner. was published, tom
Sawyer" came in 1876, and "Huckle.
berry Finn" nine years later. OF the
stories with an historical setting THE
Prince and the Pauper," "A Connec.
ticut Yankee at the Court of King
Arthur" and Personal Recollections
of Joan Of Arc" appeared in 1882,
1890 and 1894 respectively. In 1893
that curious philosopher, "Pudd'nhead
Wilson," made his bow.
Misfortune Dogs Him.
But while the great humorist was
meeting with well-deserved success
from a literary standpoint, the imps
of misfortune seemed to dog his very
footsteps.
In 1884 he conceived the idea OF
reaping the publishers as we'll as the
authors profits from some OF his
works. Accordingly he organized a
stock company known as G. l.. Web
ster & Co., in which he was the
largest stakeholder, to publish his
works. He had accumulated consider.
able wealth and was rated as a mil
lionaire.
His financial ability, however, was
none Of the best, and in 1894 his en-
tire fortune was swept away by the
failure of the publishing house. Mr..
Clemens was abroad at the time, and
although 60 years OF age. he started
out on a tour of the globe, delivering
lectures and writing articles In order
to pay the debts of the defunct Arm
He had scarcely begun his great
task when fate struck him another
hard blow. This was the death of his
eldest and most accomplished daugh
ter, Miss Olivia s. Clemens. who died
IN August, 1896. at the age of "a. Bro
ken In spirit, he continued his great
task and In two years he had paid of
his debts.
Wife Passes Away.
As II in sympathy with her hus
bands misfortunes, his wife's health
began to fail. He moved to Florence
Italy, in the hope that the mild climat,
would restore her, but it proved of M
avail, and on November 6. 1904. she
died in that far off land.
About this time the humorist me
III. II. Rogers, the Standard Oil mag
nate. and the men became fast friends
Rogers gave his literary friend the ait
of his financial experience, and Glenn
ems was soon In possession of com
Portable income.
And now misfortune selected an
other weapon with which to attack tn,
books had escaped harsh criticisms
but in November. 1907, TON Sawyer
and "Huckleberry Finn" his boy mas
terpieces, were withheld from youth.
by the Brooklyn public libraries, al
unfit for young minds" Comptroller
Joy Of Detroit, Mich, declared his
work, "A Double-Barrelled Detective
Story" was literary junk, unfit for 9
public library" and a Massachusetts
public library refused to give shell
room to his Ewes Diary" declaring
that the book was shocking"
Worn out by his lectures, after din
ner speeches and misfortunes. Twain
purchased farm in Redding, Conn.
and erected $4,000 villa, which h,
called "Stormfield." With his tw.
daughters, Clara and Jean, he moved
there in 1908, and settled down to I
life of ease.
But a series of fresh misfortune
was In store for him. He had vigor
ously denounced the rule of the lat,
King Leopold II. In the Kongo Free
State, and Just when the reform move
ment was at Its height, his Ill healtl
compelled him to abandon his work
The "Children's Theater," which
was founded by Mark Twain" In New
York, and which represented one o
his lifelong ambitions, was forced I,
close through lack of funds.
Then the humorist and his daughte
Clara became involved In a lawsui
over a farm which he had presented
to his former secretary, Mrs. Ralpl
Ashcroft, on her wedding day; ant
which he later attached on the adyic,
of his daughter.
The facts regarding this disagree
able affair were aired In the press
much to the humiliation of the veter
an humorist.
In the early part of 1909 his stanci
friend and adviser, II. III. Rogers. dice
suddenly at his New York home. Thii
great financier and the white haired
humorist had been inseparable com
panions for a number OF years. They
had made trips to Bermuda together
and when Rogers opened his railroad
In Virginia, Twain" was one OF the
guests of honor. The author was
greatly affected by the financier's sud
den death.
In the latter part of 1909, Twain
made another trip to Bermuda, and
on his return his feeble appearance at.
tracted great deal Of attention. Then
he last crushing blow came the day
pefore Christmas, when his youngest
daughter. Jean, was found dead In the
bath tub at his Redding home. The
young woman had been a victim OF
epileptic fits.
A Reason.