The Press., 1911-08-16
HIS GIRL FRIENDS.
Mark Twain Dearly Loved ChiI-
 dren as PlaymateS.
THE ANGEL FISH SOCIETY.
A Delightful and Touching Story About Little Margaret, One of It's Members, and the Genial Humorist-A Pretty Compact and a Quaint Letter.


 Twain was fond of children. He never outgrew childhood. and he always chose young playmates where they were to be found. He formed curious societies of these girl friends. Back in the nineties, when he was living in Europe, he created a club which was to consist of one (only one) girl in each country of the globe, the duty of said member being to write occasionally to the chief officer, who faithfully replied to these random and far farlng mes sages. Of course these little girls were swept into womanhood presently. but even to the last years of his life the member who signed herself "France" remained faithful to the law.
 Another club of girls, little girls, be- came one of the chief interests during his final years. It had its beginning fin Bermuda during one of his frequent visits to those happy islands. It was called the Angel Fish club, after a gorgeous swimmer of those waters, and he gave to each member an angel fish pin as a society badge. It was a suc- cessful club. and on his return to America he elected other members, enough to make twelve in all.
 His home at Bedding, Conn.,, Storm field, had been originally named In nocence at Home, and as Angel Fish headquarters Innocence at Home 1t always remained. Members with their parents visited him there, and the bill Hard room, where the fishes" were likely to spend most of their time knocking the balls about, under the chief members instruction, was called the Aquarium, and gay prints of many Bermuda fishes were hung along the walls to carry out the idea. Each member had the privilege of selecting one of these as her patron fish and, of identifying it with her name.
 It was in Bermuda one day when he was walking along the beach with one of his angel fish members that he pick ed up a small 1ridescent double shell, delicately hinged together. He sepa- rated it and handed his companion half.
 ''You will be going away from me pretty soon, Margaret" he said, "and growing up, and won't know you any more. I shall see a great many Margarets, and now and then one of them will say she is my Margaret, but l will say, No; you resemble my Mar garet, but you are bigger than my Margaret, and can't be sure.' Then will take out this shell and will say. If you are really my Margaret you will have the other half of this shell, and 1t will fit exactly Then if she has the shell and 1t fits I shall know that 1t is really my Margaret, no mat ter how many years have gone by or how much older she has grown"
 All this he said very gravely and earnestly. and the little girl took the shell thoughtfully and promised to keep it always. Next morning when she came running up to meet him on the hotel veranda he looked at her Questioningly.
 "You look like Margaret" he said, ''but can't be sure. If you are really my Margaret you will have a shell gave her once-the mate to this one"-
 He got no further. The talisman was promptly produced, and it fitted ex- actIy. He returned to America, and somewhat later Margaret received a letter-one of the pretty letters he was always writing to children. In it he said:
 am always making mistakes. When I was in New York six weeks ago I was on a corner of Fifth avenue and saw small girl-not a big one-start across from the opposite corner, and exclaim- ed to myself joyfully, That is certainly my Margaret" so I rushed to meet her But as she came nearer I began to doubt
 A AR- is plain enough but Pm half afraid 1t Is somebody else's." So when I passed her I held my shell so she couldn't help but see it. Dear, she only glanced at 1t and passed on. I wondered if she could have overlooked 1t. It seemed best to find out, so turned and followed and caught up with her and said deferentially, "Dear miss, already know your first name by the look of you, but would you mind telling me your other one?" She was vexed and said, pretty sharply: 'Its Douglas, if you're so anxious to know I know your name by your looks, and I'd advise you to shut yourself up with pen and ink and write some more rubbish. I am surprised that they allow you to run at large. You are likely to get run over by baby carriage any time. Run along now and don't let the COWS bite you"
 What an idea! There aren't any COWS on Fifth avenue. But I didn't smile. didn't let on to perceive how uncultured she was. She was from the country, of course, and didn't know what a comical blunder she was making.
 Margaret, with her mother, called when they returned to America. When the cards were brought to him he look ed at hers and said:
 ''Well, the young lady, her name seems familiar, but I can't be sure it's my Margaret without a certain token which she is supposed to carry as proof" The shell came up without delay. He took the two halves now to a jeweler and had them set in gold as charms. One of these Margaret wore on a ribbon about her neck, and the other he linked to his watch chain. where 1t remained till he died. What a sweet fancy 1t all was!
 He spent the last months of his life in Bermuda in the home of one of his angel fish, Helen Allen, daughter of the American vice consul there. She was his daily companion, and it will be her lifelong happy memory that she frightened and comforted his final days.-Albert BigelOw Paine in Ladies' World
 First Aid.
 Speaking of the necessity for wide. spread pduca fiOn in f,ct o;5 +o 4So