The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-10-18
WINNING A BRIDE.
Marx TWain's Wooing of Lovely
Olivia Langdon.
NOT HELPED BY HIS FRIENDS.
They Seemed to Agree That He Would
Make About tho Worst Husband on
Record. but Miss Langdon's Father
Took Different View.

Make About the worst HUSBAND on
Record. but Miss langdon's Father
Took Different View.
In Harpers 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 Innocents," 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, 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
! tember day. Young LanSdon had been
especially anxious to bring his dis.
! 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
! heE brothers. staterOom had been often
/ II part of his waking dreams. For the
! first time. now. he looked upon its
| reality Long afterward he said:
! day to this she has never been out OF
| my mind
His was not an unruffled courtShiD
/ When at last he reached the point OF
! proposing for the daughter Of the
! house neither the daughter nor the
household offered any noticeable Ell
enlargement to his suit.
There was only provisional en-
gagement at first Jervis Langdon sug
gested and Samuel Clemens agreed
/ with him, that it was proper to know
something of his past as we'll 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. Stebbings and others Of San
Fra ncisco, adding that he might write
also to Joe Goodman If he wanted to-
but that be had lied for Goodman a
hundred times and that Goodman
would lie for him if necessary. so his
! testimony would be Of no value. The
letters to the clergy were written, and
Mr. LanSdon also wrote one on his
own account
Clemens was in Jacksonville. ILL.,,
at the end of March. 1860. 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 hear the reports that would
make him, as the novels might say.
the happiest or the most miserable of
men, Jervis Langdon had rather
solemn look when they were alone to
gether. Clemens asked:
you've heard from those gentle
men out thereY
"'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'
mously that you are a brilliant able
man, man with future. and that
you would make about the worst bus
band on record
The applicant for favor had for
lorn look.
There's nothing very evasive about
that. he said.
There was a period Of reflective 81
lence. 1t was probably no more than
a few seconds. but it seemed longer
Haven't you any other friend that
you suggestY Langdon said.
apparently none whose testimony
would be valuable
"Jervis Langdon held out his hand
You have at least one,' he said i be
ieve in you. know you better than
they do
And so came the crown Of happi-
ness. The engagement Of Samuel
Langhorne Clemens and Olivia Lewis
Langdon was ratified next day, Feb
2, 1862"
l.