The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-02-03
HIS CIR! 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 Humcrist--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 lie was living in
Europe, he created 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. or course these little girls were
swept into womanhood presently, but
member who signed herself "Francc"
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
gorgeous swimmer of those waters. and
he gave TO each member an angel fish
pin as a society badge. 1t was sue.
cessful club. and on his return tu
America he elected other members
enough to make twelve in all.
His home at Eedding, Conn, Storm.
field. had been originally named In
nocence at Home, and as Angel Fish
headquarters Innocence at Home il
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 guy 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.
1t was in 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,
dellcately hinged together. He sepa-
rated 1t 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 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
MarGaTrt. and | can't be sure Then I
will take cut this shell and Will say,
If you are really my Margaret you
will have the other half of this shell,
and 1t will at exactly Then IL she
has the shell and it fits / 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 1t always. Next morning when
she came running up to meet him ON
the hotel veranda he looked Mt her
questionlngly.
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 tallsman wos
promptly produced, and 1t fitted OK.
actly. He returned to America. and
somewhat later Margaret received n
letter--one OF the pretty letters he was
always writing to children. In it he
said:
] am always making mistakes. When
j was In New York six weeks ago I was
on corner of Fifth avenue and saw
small girl-not big one-start across
from the nnnnsita \ aI,,,-
ed TO myself joyfully. fThat Is certainly
my Margaret" 30 ] rushed TO meet her.
But as she came nearer began to doubt
and said TO myself. Its n Margaret, that
In plain enough. but I'm half afraid II is
somebody elses." So when l passed her
i held my shell so she couldn't help but
see IT, Dear. she only glanced at II and
passed on. l wondered If she could have
overlooked II. 1t seemed best to find out,
80 1 turned and followed and caught up
with her and said deforentlally, 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, IL you're 30 anxious TO know.
know your name by your looks, and I'd
advise you TO shut yourself up with pen
and Ink and write some moro rubbish.
am surprised that they allow you to run
at large. You are likely to get run over
now and don't let tho cows bite you"
What an idea! There aren't any cows
on Fifth avenue, But / didn't smile.
S.dn't let on TO perceive how uncultured
she was. She was from the country. OF
course and didn't know what 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 as a
proof" The shell came mp without
delay. He took the two halves now to
jeweler and had them set In gold as
charms. One of these Margaret wore
on ribbon about her neck, and the
other he linked to his watch chain,
where II remained till he died. What
sweet fancy It 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
tha Aynarfnon tina onpo.A thAra Cha