Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-12-09
HONOR TwAIN'S
MEMORY.
By BURNErr E. BRENNAN.

/ Last Wednesday evening. Novem-
Der seth, a crowd numbering nearly
i've thousand H1cked 20 Carnegie
Hall 70 pay warm tribute to the
! memory Of Mark Twain, Samuel L.
I iCiemensh Americas greatest humor-
list.
Is was the most distinguished
gathering that has come together
here for many years The speakers
were Mr. Joseph H. Chate, Rev. Or
Joseph h TwieheIl, Of Hartford, Ct.
mark Twain's old pastor, Champ
Ciark, Of Missouri. slated to succeed
Mr. Cannon as Speaker in the next
Congress. George ". Cable, Henry
Watters0n, Henry Vsn Dyke. and
lsst but not least dear old 'sUncle
Joe'' Cannon himself Ths stage on
which these famous men were assem-
bled was proiusely aud indeed artis-
tically decorated with spreading
green palms and American bunting
Tbs addresses were all good and ev-
cry speaker received his share Of
hearty applause.
Mr.. Cannon told in his droll.
drawing, delightful way how Marx
vain came to Washington to
'ioUby" in the interest Of the COPY
right law. Mr.. Clemens added that
he wished to protect his and his
children's rights against 'pirates.7
MARX Twain, said the CHEEKY.
old Speaker, with a merry twinkle
in bis pleasant eyes, cherished an
urgent desire to appear on the floor
Of the House Of Representatives and
argue his case. Mark came 20 ne
aSOUt ii. told him that it could
not be done as it had never been
done said that none but members
and ex members bad the privilege
Of the floor of the house. The only
preC edents in the cases of Others
were when persons received the
thanks of Congress. A few days
later Mark slipped in, and, without
a word, laid on my desk letter ad.
dressed to me" Here is the letter:
Dear Uncle Joseph: Please get
me the thanks of Congress; not next
week, but right away. 1t is very
necessary Do accomplish this at
once, by persuasion, If You can, by
violence il you must, for IL is absO-
uteiy necessary that / get on the
tiOor for two or three hours and talk
to the Congressman man by man. l
have arguments with me; also bar
rel with liquid in it, 1 have stayed
away from Congress and let it alone
for seventy-One years and | am en-
titled to its thanks Congress knows
this wen and il never has publicly
acknowledged its appreciation. Send
me reply at once with an order on
the Sergeant-at. Arms. With love
and benedietion.
MARK TWAIN.
Mr.. Watterson spoke of the beauty
aud purity of Mr.. Clemens charaot.
er and life "His marriage he
said, twas the most brilliant success
of hIs life. He got the woman of all
the world he most needed; truly
lovely and wise helpmate, who kept
him in bounds and headed him
straight and right while she lived
the best OF housewives and mothers,
and the safest of cOunselors and
soundest Of critics She knew his
worth; she understood his genius;
she clearly saw his limitations and
angles Her death was a grievous
disaster as well as a staggering blow
He never quite survived it."
The closing and most effectively
impressive feature of the meeting
was Or. Van Dykes poem read by
himself Here it is;
We knew You well, dear Yorick Of
the West,
The very soul of large and friendly
jest,
That loved and Knocked the broad
grotesque Of things
In this New World where all the
folk are kings.
Your breezy humor cleared the air
with sport
of shams that haunt the democratic
court
For even where the sovereign people
rule,
A human monarch needs a royal fool.
Your native drawl lent flavor to your
wit;
Your arrows fingered but they al
ways hit;
Homerick mirth around the circle
ran
But left no wound upon the heart Of
man.
We knew you kind in trouble, brake
in pain,
We saw you honor kept without a
stain;
We read thus lesson of our Yoriek's
years
True wisdom comes with laughter
aud with tears.