Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-22
FIRST SWEETHEART is SAD
Becky Thatcher" Recalls Going to
School With "Eem."
sANFRArc1sco "REMINISCENCES
When Clemens Was a Reporter
Tributes Of Roosevelt, Taft,
Writers, Friends and
Press of World.

PARlS, MO-, April KID - VI. NDni
neD Farthing. the original of "Huckle-
Mark Twain's death.
The old days are passing" he said
Even the long sweep of the majestic
Mississippi river seems to have dwindled.
The noise Of its traffic and the music Of
its deep-throated whistles are practically
no more.
The man who put into words for the
delight OF the world the pictures Of the
great river is dead
First Sweetheart Mourns.
HANNIBAL. Mo-. April 22.-Mrs. Laura
Fraser Cheeky Thatcher'O. known as
Twain's first sweetheart, said: Il can
see him in my minds eye now as we
started to our first school together, more
than sixty years ago. he barefooted and
fingers stained with mulberries as he d.
vided the berries with me. little girl in
calico dress, sunbonnet and pig tails"
Mrs Fraser told last night of visit
she made to the humorists home In Con-
necticut couple of years ago.
II visited Mr.. Clemens at his home in
Redding. Conn.,. at his request, with my
niece, Miss Laura Fraser. in 1905, said
Mrs Fraser. land on leaving insisted
Hannibal
HE replied, sadly: Laura, guess the
next extended trip will take will be up
yonder. can hardly expect to visit the
scenes of my childhood again, as much
genuine pleasure as it would give me-
1--WE remained at Mr.. Clemens home"
continued Mrs. fraser, two days On
the morning OF our departure l found
on a table in my room a splendid steel
engraving of himself and written above
il these words: To Laura Fraser, with
love of her earliest sweetheart
He was one Of my dearest friends. !
cannot express my great sorrow at MS
DEATH
Hannibal Wants His Remains.
The father and mother and two BROTH
ers Of the deceased are buried here, rest
ing in Mount Olivet cemetery. overlook,
ing the Mississippi river.
The news of the death was received
with profound grief in Hannibal, his boy
hood home. Many Of the characters in
his earlier books are still living here.
All business places and city offices
will be closed on the day of the funeral.
Memorial services will be held at the
same hour as the services in the east
A lengthy telegram Of coincidence was
sent to Mrs. Gabrilowftsch. urging that
the body be buried here, In the same lot
with his father, mother and brothers
Clemens boyhood home purchased by the
state State Senator McAllister said that
a bill to this effect would be introduced
in the next legislature.
When Clemens Was a Reporter.
SAN FRANCISCO. Cal. April 22.-san
Franciscos "old timers are conjuring
up "reminiscences galore OF the days. fifty
years ago, when Samuel L. Clemens was
ho
Mark Twain had little significance tor
Mississippi river.
Joseph T. Goodman, the pioneer editor of
the west, who gave Clemens his first job
as a writer, Sam was the best company:
the drollest entertainer and the most in
teresting fellow imaginable. His humor
was always creeping out and stayed with
him to the last.
"A few weeks ago / received a letter
from him, couched in terms SO character
istic. He wrote: Come on and visit me
once more before We get SO old We can't
hear each other swear
1T was my privilege to read many of
his works in manuscript before they were
sent to the publishers. / recollect his
giving me the manuscript of 'Roughing
1t to read. one afternoon when l was
visiting him in the early seventies.
He had made great hit with limo
would not sustain his newly acquired
reputation. When / began to read Sam
sat down at his desk and wrote ner-
vously.
For an hour l read along intently,
hardly noticing that Sam was beginning
TO fret and shift about uneasily. At last
he could not stand 1t any longer, and.
jumping up, he exclaimed: D you, you
have been reading that stun an hour and
you haven't cracked a smile yet. / don't
believe I'm keeping up my lick
Mark Twain's First Assignment.
Goodman gave Mark Twain his first po-
sition as a writer. In 1852, on the Virginia
City New Enterprise.
In 1893 Clemens was sent by Goodman
to report the session Of the Nevada legis-
lature at Carson City. It was while on
this assignment that Clemens wrote the
first story TO which the nom de plume
Mark Twain was signed.
Clemens, writing az Mark Twain, with q
freedom Of style and comment that was
IS breezy and open as the lives Of the
men about whom he wrote, attracted the