The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1911-02-23
HIS GIRL FRIENDS.
Mark Twain Dearly Loved Chill
dren as PIaymates.
TAE ANGEL FIsA sOcIETY.

A Delightful and Touching Story About
Little Margaret, One Of lie Members
and the Genial Humerist-A Pretty
Compact and Quaint Letter.
Like many another great man, Marx
Twain was fond OF children. He never
oufgrew childhood. and he always
chose young playmates where they
were 70 be found. He formed curious
societies OF these girl friends. Back
IN the nineties, when be was living 10
Europe. be created a club which was
10 consist OF one (only one) girl In each
country OF the globe. the duty Of said
member being 70 write occasionally 10
the chief officer. who faithfully replied
70 these random and far fariEg mes
saRes. or course these little girls were
swept into womanhood presently. but
even 70 the last years OF his life the
member who signed herself France"
remained faithful 20 the law.
Another club Of girls. little girls. be
came one Of the chief interests during
his inal years II had It's beginning
IN Bermuda during one Of his frequent
visits 10 those happy islands, II was
called the Angel Fish club. after
gorgeous swimmer Of those waters. and
be gave 70 each member en- angel dsh
pin MS a society badge. II was a sue
cessful club. and on his return 10
America be elected other members.
enough 70 make twelve IN all
His home AZ Redding. Conn. Storm
field. had been originally named In
nocence AZ Home. and as Angel Fish
headquarters Innocence az Home II
always remained. Members with their
parents visited him there. and the BIZ
lizard room. where the fishes" were
likely % spend most OF their time
knocking the balls about. under the
chief members instruction. was called
the Aquarium. and gay prinas Of
many Bermuda fishes were hung along
the walls 10 carry out the idea Each
member bad the privilege Of selecting
one Of these as her patron tish and OF
identifying Il with her name.
II was 10 Bermuda one day when he
was walking along the beach with one
OF HIS angel fsh members that be pick
ed up a small irldesceni double shell.
hinged together. he sepa-
rated II and handed his companion half.
You viii be going away from me
pretty soon. Margaret" be said. and
growing up. and I won't know you
any more. I shall see a great many
slargarets. and now and then one Of
them win say she Is my Margaret. but
] VIII say. NO: you resemble my Mar
gnret. but you are bigger than my
Margaret. and can't be sure Then
VIII take out this shell and Will say.
n you are really my Margaret you
win have the other half Of this shell. |
and Il win 8t exactly Then II she
has the shell and Il FITS ! shall know
hat Il Il really my Margaret. no mat
Ter how many years have gone by or
how much older she has grown"
An this be said very gravely and /
earnestly. and the little giri took the
hell thonghtfully and promised 70
,cep Il always. Next morning when
he came running up 20 meet him on
he hotel veranda be looked AZ her
~You look IKE Margaret" he said,
but can't be sure. II you are really
ny Margaret you win have a shell
ave her once-the mate 20 this one
He got no further. The falisman was
'romptly produced, and Il fitted ex-
city. He returned TO America. and
later Margaret received a
ettcr-one OF the pretty letters he was
ways writing to children. In II he
aid:
I am always making mistakes. When
was IN New York six weeks aEo was
n a corner Of Fifth avenue and saw a
mall Eiri-not a big ono-atart across
rom the opposite corner. and I exclain-
Z 70 myself joyfully, That II certainly
" Margaret" 20 I rushed to meet her.
I'd said 70 myself tits a Margaret. that
plain enough. but I'm half afraid Il is
elee'a" 50 when I passed her
held my shell 20 she couldn't help but
u H. Dear. she only glanced az Il and
lEsed on. I wondered n she could have
4. Il seemed best 20 md out.
} ] turned and followed and caught up
lth her and said defercntialiy. Dear
iss. / already know your frst name BY
q look OF you. but would you mind
Hing me your other oner' She was Z
'xcd and said. pretty sharply: IT'S
ougias. n you're 20 anxious 70 know.
low your name BY your looks. and ia
wise you TO shut yourself up with pen
ID ink and write some more rubbish.
n surprised that they allow you to run
large. You are likely 10 get run over I
n baby carriage any time. Run along q
Nv and don't lee che COWS bite you" \
What an ideal There aren't any cows
Fifth avenue. But I didn't smile.
int let on to perceive how unculturod Q
g was She was from the country. OF o
urnc. and didn't know what a comical J.,
under she was making.
with her mother. called J,
ben they returned to America. When
e cards were brought to him he lock
at hers and said:
well. the young lady. her name
ems familiar. but can't be sure it's =
y Margaret without certain token
hlch she is supposed to carry rs a 2
oof" The shell came up without =
lay. He took the two halves now to y
ieweler and had them set in gold as 8
arms One Of these Margaret wore o.
a ribbon about her neck. and the
her he linked to his watch chain,
lore Il remained tn he died. What