The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-02-09
HIS GIRL FRIENDS.
Mark Twain Dearly Loved Chill
dren as PlaymateS.
THE ANGEL FISH SOCIETY

Compact and a Quaint Letter.
Like many another great man. Mark
Twain was fond of children He never
butgrew childhood aud he always
chose young playmates where they
we're to be found He formed curious
societies of these girl friends. Back
IN the nineties. when he was living I'm
Europe, he created Il club which was
10 consist OF one (Ouly one girl i'm each
country of the globe, the duty of said
member being to write occasionally to
the chief officer, who faithfully replied
20 these random and far faring mes
sages. or 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
tisits TO those happy islands II was
rallied the Angel Fish club. after
gorgeous swimmer of those waters. and
he gave to each member an angel fish
pin az a society badge II was a sue
teSsful club, and on his return to
America he elected other members.
enough TO make twelve in all
His home at Rcdding. Conn. Storm.
teld. had been originally named In.
Aoccnce 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
ihr Aquarium, and gay prints OF
many Bermuda fishes were hung along
lhe 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.
IL was in Bermuda one day when he
was walking along the beach with one
Of his angel fish members that he pick
ed up n small ridescent double shell,
a8!icately hinged together. He sepa.
tbtc-l IL 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 and then one of
them will say she is my Margaret but |
J will say. NO: You resemble my Mar !
garet. but you are bigger than my |
Norgaret, and can't be sure. Then |
Kill take out this shell and will say. |
n you are really my Margaret you |
will have the other half of this shell. |
and II will III exactly Then II she !
has the shell ana il fits ! shall know
that ii 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 at her
questioningly
You look like Margaret" he said
but [ can't be sure If you are really
my Margaret you win have a shell |
gave her once-the mate to this one
He got no further. The tallsman was
produced. and It 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 il he
said
| am always making mistakes. When
] was in New York six weeks ago | was
on a corner OF Fifth avenue and saw a
smar girl-not a big one-start across
from the opposite corner. and / eNclaim-
ed TO myself joyfuly. THAT is certainly
my Margaret" so / rushed to meet her
But az she came nearer began TO doubt
ana said TO myself ITS a Margaret that
Il plain enough but I'm half afraid II is
somebody elses." SO when / passed her
held my shell 50 she couldn't help but
ace H. Dear, she only glanced at IL and
passed on. / wondered II she could have
overlooked II. II seemed best 10 find out,
90 ] turned and followed and caught up
with her and said deferenually, Dear
miss, I already know your first name by
ihe look Of you but would you mind
telling me your other one?' She was
yexed and said pretty sharply; ITS
Douglas II you're so anxious to know.
know your name by your looks, and I'd
advise you 10 shut yourself up with pen
and ink and write some more rubbish. l
am surprised that they allow you 10 run
at large. You are likely 10 get run over
by a baby carriage any time. Run along
how and don't let the cows bite YOU
What an idea, There aren't any cows
On fifth avenue. But | didn't smile. l |
didn'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,
NY Margaret without a certain tokenl
which she is supposed to carry as al
proof" The shell came up withoutl
delay. He took the two halves now tol
a jeweler and had them set in gold as
charms. One of these Margaret worel
on ribbon about her neck, and thel
other he linked to his watch chain, 4
where II remained TIL he died. WHAT