The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1912-10-23
WINNING A BRIDE.
Mark TWain's Wooing of Lovely
Olivia Langdon.
NOT HELPED BY HIS FRIENDS.

They Seemed to Agree That He Would
Make About the Worst Husband on
Record, but Miss lansdon's Father
Took Different View.
In Harper's Magazine Albert Bige-
low Paine, the authorized biographer
Of Mark Twain, tells how the great
humorist first met Olivia Langdon.
who afterward became his wife. They
met In New York. Young Charles
Langdon, who had been on the voyage
Of the 'Tnnocents," brought them to.
gether
"At the old st. Nicholas hotel. which
stood on the west side of Broadway
between Spring and Broome streets,
there were stopping at this time Jervis
LangdOn, a wealthy coal dealer and
mine owner OF Elmira; his son Charles
and his daughter. Olivia. whose pic
tured face Samuel Clemens had first
seen in the bay Of Smyrna one Sep
TENDER day. Young Langdon had been
tinguished Quaker City friend and his
own people together, and two days be-
fore Christmas Samuel Clemens was
invited to dine at the hotel. He went
very willingly. The lovely girl of the
miniature which he had first seen in
her brother's stateroom had been often
part or his waking dreams. For the
first time, now. ne looked upon its
reality. long afterward he said
1T is forty years ago. From that
day to this she has never been out of
my mind
His was not an unruffied courtship.
When at last he reached the point Of
proposing for the daughter OF the
house neither the daughter nor the
household offered any noticeable en-
enlargement to his suit.
There was only a provisional Ell
gagement at first. JerviS Langdon sug.
gested, and Samuel Clemens agreed
with him, that it was proper to know
something of his past as well as of his
present before the official parental
sanction should be given When Mr..
LangdOn inquired as TO the names OF
persons Of standing to whom he might
write for credentials. Clemens pretty
confidently gave him the name of the
Rev. Mr.. Seedlings and others of San
Francisco, adding that he might write
also 70 Joe Goodman if he wanted to.
but that he had lied for Goodman q
no
would lie for him If necessary, so his
testimony would be of no value. The
letters to the clergy were written. and
Mr.. Eaugdon also wrote one ON his
own account.
Clemens was in Jacksonville, H.,
at the end of March. 1869. and in a let
ter To his publisher states that he will
be in Elmira two days later and, asks
that proofs of the book be sent there
He arrived according TO schedule. anX
iOus to herr the reports that would
make him, as the novels might say,
the happiest or the most miserable Of
men Jervis i-an@don had rather
solemn look when they were alone to
gether. Clemens asked:
You've heard from those gentle
men out there:'
Yes, and from another gentleman
| wrote concerning you
They don't appear to have been
very enthusiastic from your manner
well, yes; some of them were
81 suppose | may ask what particu
lar form their emotion took?
"'Oh, yes; yes, they agree unani-
mOnSly that you are a brilliant, able
man. man with future. and that
you would make about the worst hus
band on record
The applicant for favor had a for
Torn look.
There's nothing very evasive about
that. he said.
There was period Of reflective 81
fence. 1t was probably no more than
Il few seconds, but 1T seemed longer.
Haven't you any other friend that
you suggest?' Langdon said.
Apparently none whose testimony
would be valuable
"JerviS Langdon held out his hand
You have at least one he said i be-
lieve in you. know you better than
they do
And so came the crown of happi-
ness. The engagement of Samuel
LanChorne Clemens and Olivia Lewis
Langdon was ratified next day, Feb
?. 1863"