Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-07-25

...
NOT HELPED BY HIS FRIENDS.
They Seemed 70 Asrss That Ne Would
Make About the Worst husband On
Record, but Miss lansden's Father
Tsek . Different View.
In Harper's Magazine Albert Bigs-
low Paine. the authorized ~blographer
Of Mark Twain, tells how the great
humorist urst met Olivia Langdon,
who afterward became his wife. They
met 10. New York. Young Charles
Langdon. who had been on the voyage
Of the %"Innocents." brought them TO-
gethee.
AT the old st. Nicholas hotel. which
stood on the west side Of Broadway
between Spring and Brooms streets.
there were stopping At this time Jsrvis
Langdon. 4 wealthy coal dealer and
milne owner Of Elmira: his son Charles
and bis daughter. Olivia. whose pic
tured face Samuel Clemens had 6rst
seen In the bay Of Smyrna q Sep
tember day. Young Langdon had been
especially anxious to bring bis dis
tinguished Quaker City friend and bis
own people together. and two days BE-
fore Christmas Samuel Clemens was
invited to dine at the hotel. BE went
very willingly. The lovely girl Of the
miniature which he had 6rst seen In
her brothers stateroom had been often
a part Of bis waking dreams. For tho
first time. now. be looked upon it,
reality. Long afterward be said:
lit II forty years ago. From that
day to this she has never been out OF
my mind
His was not al unruf1ed courtship.
When at last he reached the point OF
proposing for the daughter Of the
house neither the daughter o the
household offered any noticeable en-.
enlargement to his suit.
There was only a provisional on.
gagement at FIRST Jervis Langdon sug.
gested. and Samuel Clemens agreed
with him. that 1t was proper to know
something Of bis past as well ~ Of bis
present before the official parental
sanction should be given. When Mr..
Langdon inquired as to the names Of
persons of standing to whom be might
write for credentials. Clemens pretty
confidently gave him the name of the
Rev. Mr.. Seedlings and others Of San
Francisco. adding that be might write
also to Joe Goodman II he wanted to,
but that be had lied for Goodman .
hundred times and that Goodman
would lie for him II necessary, 20 his
testimony would be of no value. The
letters to the clergy were written, and
Mr.. Langdon also wrote one on bio
own account
"Clemens was In Jacksonville. Ill,
at the end Of March. 1869. and In q let
ter to bis 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 bear the reports that would
make him. as the novels might say.
the happiest or the most miserable Of
men, Jervis Langdon had q rather
solemn look when they were alone to-
gether. Clemens asked:
"'You've heard from those gentle.
men out there7
eyes. and from another gentleman
I wrote concerning you.'
"'They don't appear to have been
very enthusiastic from your manner
"'Well. yes: some Of them were
~ suppose ! may ask what particu.
lar fOrm their emotion to0kr
"'Oh. yes: yes, they agree unani'
mously that you are q brilliant, able
man. a man with a future. and that
you would make about the worst hus-
band on record
1.-THE applicant for favor had q for.
Iorn look.
"'Tbere's nothing very evasive about
that be said.
'.There was a period Of reflective d.
Ience. 1t "a probably no more than
Y few seconds. but It seemed longer.
"'Haven't you any other friend that
you suggestY Langdon said.
apparently none whose testimony
would be valuable
"Jeryis Langdon held out bis hand.
You have at least one,' be said. ! be-
lieve In you, ! know you better than
they do
"And 20 came the crown OF happi.
ness. The engagement of Samuel
I.anghorne Clemens and Olivia Lewis
Langdon was ratified next day. Feb.
2. 1862"
a Fortune In HE Lsss