Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-19
Tom Sawyer's Old Friends
Refuse to Believe Him Dead

Old friends OF Marx Twain's Tom
Sawyer feel that he Is not dead and
cannot die, even though man OF that
name who died the other day in Arr
IONA may be credited with the inspira-
ton for Twain's immortal boy.
Marx Tyain's famous statement to
the newspapers that the report Of mis-
death had been greatly exaggerated
is quoted by the Aberdeen Daily Worid
with the suggestion: IN very truth
and whatever the merits Of the argu-
nent on either side as TO the identity
Of the Thomas Sawyer who passed
ayay in Arizona with that OF the hero
OF Marx Twain's book, 1t may be
safely asserted, now, that the report
OF the demise OF Tom Sawyer-of the
Tom Sawyer known and loved BY le-
giorIs Of readers Of his adVentufes-~iS
greatly exaggerated For Tom Sawyer
cannot die The Tom Sawyer
we love is still With Us. and will be for
many a generation"
He Is alive somewhere" AYERS the
Worcester Evening Gazette, "encour-
aging Becky lost In the great cave.
discovering 10 Huck Finn a hoard OF
robbers gold, or raiding Sunday
school picnic with his htghwaymen
He is persuading the reluctant Huck
TO 20 10 school by threatening expui-
sion from his band. He Is making
every lad in town compete for the
privilege OF whitewaghing Aunt Polly's
fence. He is prescribing soul-shiver-
ing oath for his gang and making them
sign II In blood He Is deliriously hap
py over a gunsh0t wound In the leg
For Tom Sawyer will never die. II
Thomas Sawyer Of Tucson, Ariz.. was
Mark Twain's Tom, he has a share In
immortality"
The Arizona Thomas Sawyer's sister
according TO the San Francisco Eve
ming News. asserts that he was veri-
tabiy the hero OF the humOrist's divert
ing tales. II seems that her brother
actually was reared in Hannibal. Mo,
and as he lived the life Of the average
robust pioneer lad, he may have com
United some OF the pranks with which
the author credits him. However, the
reader is still persuaded that most o!
these antics were born Of the authors
fertile fancy, and, besides. Clemens Ii
suspected OF having drawn largely upon
memories Of his own b0yhOOd for the
yarns. Anyhow. IL would appear that
a youth 50 brilliantly endowed as thu
hero Of the tales would have carved
for himself iofticr career than fell
IN the real Tom Sawyer"
The Harrisburg Patriot says Tom
Sawyer. the Pigment Of Mark Twain +
Imagination, Is far more real than any
of the men and women who grew UP In
Hannibal, Mo. half "A century ago. III
has become immortal" says the Pa
triOt, "and In the process has taken
| on substance and reality. A century
hence he VIII be just AS much alive
| as he Is today" In the opinion OF
| the Tulsa Daily Record. "B0yhood has
| not changed materially In any essen
| tiGi since Mark Twain wrote his two
classics" AMI the boy Of II. with all hi!
| buccaneering traits. Is at once tn.
| dread, the hope and JOY of many q
home"
| Quoting the report, tom BaWyer /:
| dead" the Newark Evening News re.
marks: One is tempted To say he II
dead again, for there Is an impression
| that identify with the charming small
| hoy of Mark TWain's fancy has beef
| claimed for 1T least one other who hai
| passed on In the fullnehs Of years. II
| fact The claim has been set up thai
Tom vas no other than Mark TWaif
himself. A. any rate. thought Is mo