The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-02-10
HIS GIRL FRIENDS.
Mark Twain Dearly Loved Chill
dren as PlaymateS.
THE ANGEL FISH SOCIETY.
A Delightful and Touching Story About
Little Margaret, One of Its Members,
and the Genial Humorist-A Pretty
Compact and a Quaint Letter.

| Twain was fond Of children. He never
putgrew 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 faring 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. 1t had its beginning
In Bermuda during one OF his frequent
visits to those happy Islands. 1t was
called the Angel Fish club, after a
gorgeous swimmer OF those waters. and
he gave to each member an angel fish
pin as society badge. 1t was sue
cessful club, and on his return to
America he elected other members,
enough to make twelve in all.
His home at Redding, 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
lard 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 or
identifying 1t with her name.
It was I'm Bermuda one day when he
was walking along the beach with one
of his angel fish members that he pick
ed up small iridescent double shell,
delicately hinged together. He sepa-
rated II and handed his companion half.
"You will be going away from me
pretty soon, Margaret" he said. land
growing up. and won't know You
any more. | shall see great many
Margarets, and now a&a then one or
them will say she Is my Margaret, but
! 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
hn ath hal of Ghn1
and It will ft exactly Then If she
has the shell and 1t fits / shall know
that IL 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 II always. Next morning when
she came running up to meet him on
the hotel veranda he looked ut her
questioningly.
"You look like Margaret" he said,
"but can't be sure. If you are really
my Margaret you will have shell
gave her once-the mate to this one
He got no further. The talisman was
promptly produced, and Ii fitted eX
actly. He returned to America, and
somewhat later Margaret received
letter-one of the pretty letters he was
always writing. TO children. In 1t he
said:
am always making mistakes. When
/ was In New York six weeks ago | was
on corner OF Fifth avenue and saw
small girl-not big one-start across
from the opposite corner. and | eXclaim-
ed TO myself joyfully. THAT is certainly
my Margaret" so | rushed TO meet her
But as she came nearer / began To doubt
and said TO myself IT'S n Margaret that
is plain enough. but I'm half afraid II Is
somebody elses." So when | passed her
/ held my shell so she couldn't help but
see II. Dear. she only glanced at 1t and
passed on. / wondered If she could have
overlooked II. II seemed best TO find out
so i turned and followed and caught up
with her and said deferentially, Dear
miss. l 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 l
know your name by your looks. and I'd
advise you 10 shut yourself up with pen
and ink and write some moro rubbish
am surprised that they allow you 60 run
at large. you likely W btl run VNNi
by a baby carriage any time. Run along
now and don't let the cows bite YOU"
What an ideal There aren't any cows
on Fifth avenue But / 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 can't be sure It's
my Margaret without certain token
which she Is supposed to carry rs n
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 ribbon about her neck, and the
sther he linked TO his watch chain,
xvharp N rpmained tfll no died What