Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-26

spelling. however. which is. perhaps, the
l only indication he showed of coming lit
erary greatness. In 1S47 his father died,
/ leaving the family in poor circumstances
Sam was then u and had to go to worl
| He entered the printing office of his
brother, Orion, who was running
| country paper.
| The young humorist developed a ten
dency for practical joking. There was
another sd in the office named Wolf
whom Sam loved to tease. On one occa-
sion he sent him all around town try
Ing TO buy a round square"
BECAME AN EDITOR
From printers devil" Sam became
pressmsn, printer. and even edited the
paper for one week. He filled the sheet
with so many singing personal remarks
about the country folks that the circula-
ton jumped up 800 subscribers during his
editorship. But when Orion returned he
/ found the town in an uproar of indig-
nation.
At Is. Sam ran away to New York,
| finding employment at type setting with
John l. Green. He soon went to Phil
, adelphia working as a printer. At the
age Of IL he returned to Hannibal and
resolved to study to be a pilot on the
Mississippi river. He was apprenticed to
for seven years.
az the breaking out of the war Clemens
enlisted in the southern army and served
as soldier for only five weeks. He left
| the army TO accompany Orion to Nevada,
the latter having been appointed lieuten-
ant governor of the territory. Sam went
as his private secretary. He made the
journey across the continent in a wagon.
1t was this trip which subsequently
Smnn1fad him with aI 20.
it"
While in Nevada Clemens began writ
ing for the Territorial Enterprise, pub
lished at Virginia City. He wrote in
those days under the nom de plume of
| JOSH" afterwards changing this name
to Mark Twain" This nom de plume
was derived from an expression used on
the Mississippi river by pilots when TAX
ing soundings., Clemens became local ed
itor of the Virginia City Enterprise, SAL
airy SIS weekly. He held this post for two
years.
GOES TO FRISCO.
When % he went to San Frisco, OBJ
tanning a Job as reporter on the Call.
He held this post but six months, and
did not take kindly to routine journals
tic work.
In 1867 the journal Alta California COM
missioned him to make a trip to Europe
and Palestine on the steamship Quaker
City. Conducted" trips abroad were then
growing fashionable. 1t was on this trip
that Twain obtained material for his
famous 'Innocents Abroad" This book
was written in his 34th year. and close on
to 100000 copies have been sold.
It was on the Quaker City that Mark
Twain met his future wife. Miss Olivia
L. Langdon, of Elmira, n. Y. An anus
ing story is told of how he asked the
consent Of his future father-in-law for
his daughters hand.
Mr.. Langdon," he said, in his slow,
characteristic drawl. have you noticed
anything in particular between your
daughter and me-?
NO" responded Langdon.
WELL" said Clemens, just keep your
eyes open. and you win"
Langdon presented the couple with
fine residence and a third interest in a
newspaper-the Buffalo Express. On re-
ceiving the gift of the house, Twain in
formed his father-in-law that he could
come any time and stay all night with
them.
From this period onward Mark Twain
rapidly acquired fame. "Roughing IT,
appeared in 1871; 1.-The Gilded Age" 1873;
Tom Sawyer" 1876; Sketches" 1871;
Tramp Abroad" 1850; prince and
Pauper." 1888: Life on the Mississippi"
1888; "Huckleberry Finn 1885: Library
of Humor," 1888; "A Yankee in King Ar
thurs Court" 1889, and other works in
rapid succession.
BIG BUSINESS FAILURE.
In 1884 he founded the publishing firm
of Charles L. Webster & Co., furnishing
two-thirds of the capital. This con-
Germ was, at first, successful Twain
had a magnificent house in Hartford,
! conn. and was considered one of the
4 most prosperous literary men of the
& time. Through the business depression
of 1894, however, Webster & Co. failed,
n and Twain assumed its debts. His for
!, tune was wiped out, but he paid his
= creditors IN full. He lost an additional
o s1OO,O Oe through trying 10 deveIop
e new typesetting machine.
e Truth is Mark Twains life had been
y anything but humorous. Few men had
suffered so severely from the 'slings
land arrows of outrageous fortune, and
; few had borne tn eir tribulations so cour-
s. aReously. 1t is not an easy thing at 60
; 10 have TO start anew i'm life in order
: to pay off the debts of someone else;
; and yet Clemens did this, working des-
}. perately to accomplish il.
4 GREAT SHOCK.
. His first great shock was the death
y of his idolized "Susy.' He was heart
: broken over the dea,.. or his wife in
dIsO5 Her character and disposition
= were of the sort that not only invites
worship but commands IT," ne wrote Ia
|. ter.
I. His daughter. Clara. married ossip