The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-22

press. In 1871 he joined the literary
colony at Hartford, Conn. where he
lived for a great many years and where
he did the greater part of the working
that has made his name immortal. :.
In na s7 same nos Ysnr sa Gaes
written in collaboration with Charles
Dudley Warner, was published. Tom
Sawyer came in 1876, and "Huckle-
berry Finn" nine years, later or the
Prince and the Pauper," N Connecu-
cut Yankee at the Court of King Ar
thur and Personal Recollecttons of
Joan of Arc appeared in 1889. 1890 and
1894. respectively. In 1898 that curious
his bow.
Dogged by Misfortune.
But while the great humorist was
meeting with well deserved success
from 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 c. l. Web
ster & Co. in which he was the largest
stakeholder. TO publish his works. He
had accumulated considerable wealth
and was rated as a millionaire
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 ana
although sixty years OF age he started
out on tour of the globe, delivering
lectures and writing articles in order
to pay the debts of the defunct firm,
He had scarcely begun his great task
when fate struck him another hard
blow This was the death of his eldest
and most accomplished daughter, Miss
Olivia S. Clemens, who died in August,
1896, at the age of tweEty.four. Bro
ken in spirit, he continued his great
task and in two years he had paid off
his debts.
1t was during this dark period that
the veteran h,lmor-ist was reported des-
titute and dying in London. public
York paper. and $4,000 was raised for
him. But although pressed for funds.
he still retained his dignity and refused
to accept the money ~ -,
AS if in sympathy with her hus-
bands misfortunes, his wifes health
began to fail. and he moved to Flor
ence. Italy, in the hope that the mild
climate would restore her. But 1t
proved of no avail, and on November
s, 1894, she died in that faroff land.
About this time the humorist met II.
II. Rogers, the Standard Oil magnate,
and the men became fast friends. Ro.
gers gave his literary friend the ala
of his financial experience. and Glenn
ems was soon in possession of COM
Portable income.
Although the future took on a
brighter aspect, his evil spirit was only
slumbering, and one day, without ask
ing the advice OF his shrewd compan-
ion, Twain was lured into another dis
astrous investment He placed S32 900
In the pleasure Company of America"
a pure food organization, and was
elected president. But the company
went to the wall in 1907, and with 1t
the s32,500 disappeared.
Another Attack.
And now misfortune selected another
white-haired author. Heretofore his
books had escaped harsh criticisms,
but in November, 1907, Tom Sawyer.
and "Huckleberry Finn" his boy mas
terpieces. were withheld from youths
by the Brooklyn Public Libraries as
unfit for young minds. Comptroller
JOY. of Detroit, Mich, declared his
work, "a Double-Barreled Detective
story. was literary Junk. unfit FOR g r
room to his Ewes Diary declaring
that the book was shocking"
Worn out by his lectures, after din
purchased farm in Reeding. Conn.
and erected $4,000 villa, which he
called "stormfeld," With his two
daughters, Clara and Jean. he moved
there in 1908 and settled down to a life
of ease.
But series OF fresh mlsfortunes was
in store for him. He had vigorously
denounced the rule of the late King
| Leopold H. in the Congo Free State,
| and Just when the reform movement
was at It's height his III health COM
| PEELED him to abandon his work
| Tie "Chidren's Theatre" which was
| founded by Mark Twain In New York.
and which represented one of his life
long ambitions, was forced to close
| through lack of funds.
| Then the humorst and his daugh-
! ter Clara became involved in lawsuit
] over Il farm which he had presented to
| his former secretary, Mrs. Ralph Ash
croft, on her wedding day, and which
| he later attached on the advice of his
daughter. The facts regarding this
| press, much to the humiliation Of the
| veteran humorist
In the early part of 1909 his staunct
friend and adviser, III, I'll. Rogers, died
! suddenly ut his New York home, This
rreat dnancier and the white-hairec
| humorist had been inscparabe compan-
| ions for number OF years. They had
| made trips to Bermuda together, and
when Rogers opened his railroad IN
of honor, The author was greatly at
fected BY the financier's sudden death
Last Crushing HloW.
| In the latter part OF 1909 Twain made
| another trip to Bermuda, and on hts
| return his feeble appearance attracted
| q great deal OF attention, Then the
| last crushing blow came the day be-
| fore Christmas, when his youngest
daughter, lean, was found dead in the
: Young woman had been q victim OF cpl
: s * H. d i i