Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-04-29
bis droll fun. his quips and jestings
THE LATE MARK TWAIN.
samuel L. Ciemens.l

bis droll fun. his quips and jestings
and his pathos.
Mark Twain became before he died
the most famous man on earth. He
was not merely man; he was an in
sdtution. He was sort Of neighbor-
hood settlement Of good cheer, with
many branches located in the GASES as
in the waste places, where admission
and refreshment were free to all. MIL
uons-how many millions is beyond
estimating-came and partook of his
wine Of optimism and stayed for sup
per. His fame was and is universal.
Though an American born, a native
Of Missouri. he belonged to all lands.
He had travelled in all lands and lived
In most Of them. He had more near.
permanent homes perhaps than any
other man Of his day. Nearly always
he was wanderer, sometimes from
necessity, more frequently from choice.
The world was his plaything, and he
was not content without remapping
for himself the entire surface Of the
big ball.
Of Most Striking Appearance.
He was man Of most striking ap-
pearance-the kind that attracts atten-
ton anywhere in crowd and causes
others to take second look. In his
later years his shock-no, his crown
Of hair, perfectly white and glossy like
fine spun silk, became his trademark of
recognition by strangers wherever he
went I have seen a woman who new
er before saw Mark Twain pick him
out without opera glasses. though she
sat in the top gallery Of Carnegie hall
and he occupied lower box near the
stage, and the great house was crowd
ed. He had no doubles as to personal
appearance-there was only one Of
him.
And there was only one Of Mark
Twain as literary syndicate. 1t has
become the fashion to describe him as
the great. American humorist. This
undoubtedly he was, but he was more.
His appreciation Of Joan Of Arc, first
published anonymously, is accepted by
critics Of acumen as one, Of the most
refined works in the serious literature
Of the nineteenth century. The book
won its way, before Mark Twain ad-
United its paternity. While he was
writing the Joan classic he worked,
time and time about, on that amazing
funny masterpiece, "Pudd 'nhead VIII
son." He simply couldn't be serious
altogether for stated period.
Never Altogether Funny.
Nor must we take it for granted that
Mark Twain, summing up his career
as writer, ever was altogether funny.
He never was. He was one of the
closest observers of human nature and
institutions, places and things, that
ever lived. Even in his most humor-
GUS books we find that he has made
accurate transcripts Of the things
which impressed him. Though he ex-
aggerated, a privilege belonging to his
profession, one can read between the
lines the inhering truth. He was an
inveterate foe to shams Of every sort,
and apparently knew his highest hap-
piness when with droll sarcasm he
punctured popular fraud with his
pen. f..: - ,'o:s.:s: =
But Mark Twain often wrote books
Just because he had the story to tell: !
The tale Of tom Sawyer is one Of
these, and the "Huckleberry Finn !
book Is another. Each Of these; is true
to nfe-to boy life. Rudyard Ktpling o.
saaA IN have roma rked that ho wonlA :