The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1915-06-03

cave and spent some days and nights
there. lnJun Joe got shut up in the
cave and starved to death. And af-
ter that. Tom and Huck explored the
cave and found the hidden treasure
that was taken from the haunted
house and hid away there by Injun
Joe.
We found the cave in the care Of
an unromantic chap who had never
read Tom Sawyer. and who knew
nothing Of the romantic possibilities
OF the cave or OF its fame in litera-
ture. He had two smoky old oil lam
terms. however, and for two-bits each
he guided US around through several
miles of narrow corridors-the same
narrow cavern isles that Tom and
Becky made love in SO many years
ago.
You get your moneys worth Of cave
all right. II you like caves. and you
certainly see the same old cave, with
its many hidden passages and oppor-
tunities for getting lost in, and good
places tor hiding riches In that you
have read about But you don't see
any evidences OF enterprising imagi-
nations on the part Of present day
promoters-for we might just as well
have seen the very spot where Injun
Joe's riches had been dug out by
Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. What
they need In Hannibal to make this
cave q drawing card is a little Colo
rado Springs imagination and tourist
promoting enterprise
From the cave we walked back to
town over the hills and through the
woods. full OF the fragrance and
beauty Of spring-hills covered with
wild flowers and blooming trees.
One evening we called on Mrs.
Laura Hawkins Frasier, dear old
! LADY Asll OF memories OF the times
when Nr. Clemens was a boy In Han
nihd7When he was living the Tom
Sawyer days. She told us much Of
Mr.. CIemens' early life and OF his
visits In recent years to his old
home town. She had many pictures
from Mr.. Clemens-one OF which was
sent to her shortly before he died.
inscribed, ITO Laura Hawkins Fra
zier, with love and affection. from her
first sweetheart. Samuel l. Clemens."
Mrs- Frazier was undoubtedly the
person from whom Mr.. Clemens
drew the character. Becky Thatcher.
Tom aAwyer's little sweetheart, in
the book He also used her name.
Laura Hawkins. for a character In
the bc6k. '-GIlded Age.- but she dis
claims any OF the characteristics OF
that c1amctoF.
Hnnrabal has ouo man Who appre-
ciate6 Marx Twain and believes that
his old home town should keep green
his memory. This is Mr.. George A.
Mahan. q prominent lawyer and busi-
ness man. Three years ago Mr.. and
Mrs Mahan purchased the old home
where the Clemens family lived and
where Mark Twain grew up. and
presented II to the city Of Hannibal
that future generations as well as the
present might be able to visit it and
honor the memory Of one OF Ameri-
cas- greatest writer's.
Learning that we were there in the
interest of Mark Twain memories.
Mr.. Mahan looked us up at the hotel
and showed us many courtesies. He
took us in his car and showed us the
country all about-a beautiful coun-
try, for the most part on the hill
tops overlooking the great Mississippi
river.
In one OF the parks on high hill
overlooking the river. far walk
from the town. is a large bronze
statue OF Mr.. Clemens, placed there
at n cost OF $4,000 by the state OF
Missouri. A few people will go to see
the statue. But as the years go by
thousands OF people every year will
go to Hannibal to visit the old home
OF Mark Twain. And so In opening
this little old home to the public Of
future wears. Mr. and Mrs Mahan
have done more for the memory OF
Mark Twain and for the pleasure of
Mark Twain loving public than
could be done by the erection of a
trainioad of bronze statues