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present of two cravats when he set out on his return for Hartford。 Next
day he wrote：
You and Aldrich have made one woman deeply and sincerely grateful
Mrs。 Clemens。 For monthsI may even say yearsshe has shown an
unaccountable animosity toward my necktie； even getting up in the
night to take it with the tongs and blackguard it； sometimes also
getting so far as to threaten it。
When I said you and Aldrich had given me two new neckties； and that
they were in a paper in my overcoat pocket； she was in a fever of
happiness until she found I was going to frame them； then all the
venom in her nature gathered itself together； insomuch that I； being
near to a door； went without； perceiving danger。
It is recorded that eventually he wore the neckties； and returned no more
to the earlier mode。
Another memory of that dinner is linked to a demand that Aldrich made of
Clemens that night； for his photograph。 Clemens； returning to Hartford；
put up fifty…two different specimens in as many envelopes； with the idea
of sending one a week for a year。 Then he concluded that this was too
slow a process； and for a week sent one every morning to 〃His Grace of
Ponkapog。〃
Aldrich stood it for a few days； then protested。 〃The police；〃 he said；
〃are in the habit of swooping down upon a publication of that sort。〃
On New…Year's no less than twenty pictures came at oncephotographs and
prints of Mark Twain； his house； his family； his various belongings。
Aldrich sent a warning then that the perpetrator of this outrage was
known to the police as Mark Twain； alias 〃The Jumping Frog；〃 a well…known
California desperado； who would be speedily arrested and brought to
Ponkapog to face his victim。 This letter was signed 〃T。 Bayleigh； Chief
of Police；〃 and on the outside of the envelope there was a statement that
it would be useless for that person to send any more mail…matter； as the
post…office had been blown up。 The jolly farce closed there。 It was the
sort of thing that both men enjoyed。
Aldrich was writing a story at this time which contained some Western
mining incident and environment。 He sent the manuscript to Clemens for
〃expert〃 consideration and advice。 Clemens wrote him at great length and
in careful detail。 He was fond of Aldrich； regarding him as one of the
most brilliant of men。 Once； to Robert Louis Stevenson； he said：
〃Aldrich has never had his peer for prompt and pithy and witty and
humorous sayings。 None has equaled him； certainly none has
surpassed him； in the felicity of phrasing with which he clothed
these children of his fancy。 Aldrich is always brilliant； he can't
help it； he is a fire…opal set round with rose diamonds； when he is
not speaking you know that his dainty fancies are twinkling and
glimmering around in him； when he speaks the diamonds flash。 Yes；
he is always brilliant； he will always be brilliant； he will be
brilliant in hell…you will see。〃
Stevenson； smiling a chuckly smile； said； 〃 I hope not。〃
〃Well； you will； and he will dim even those ruddy fires and look like a
transfigured Adonis backed against a pink sunset。〃 ＇North American
Review； September； 1906。＇
C
RAYMOND； MENTAL TELEGRAPHY； ETC。
The Sellers play was given in Hartford； in January （1875）； to as many
people as could crowd into the Opera House。 Raymond had reached the
perfection of his art by that time； and the townsmen of Mark Twain saw
the play and the actor at their best。 Kate Field played the part of
Laura Hawkins； and there was a Hartford girl in the company； also a
Hartford young man； who would one day be about as well known to playgoers
as any playwright or actor that America has produced。 His name was
William Gillette； and it was largely due to Mark Twain that the author of
Secret Service and of the dramatic 〃Sherlock Holmes〃 got a fair public
start。 Clemens and his wife loaned Gillette the three thousand dollars
which tided him through his period of dramatic education。 Their faith in
his ability was justified。
Hartford would naturally be enthusiastic on a first 〃Sellers…Raymond〃
night。 At the end of the fourth act there was an urgent demand for the
author of the play； who was supposed to be present。 He was not there in
person； but had sent a letter； which Raymond read：
MY DEAR RAYMOND； I am aware that you are going to be welcomed to our
town by great audiences on both nights of your stay there； and I beg to
add my hearty welcome also； through this note。 I cannot come to the
theater on either evening； Raymond； because there is something so
touching about your acting that I can't stand it。
（I do not mention a couple of colds in my head； because I hardly mind
them as much as I would the erysipelas； but between you and me I would
prefer it if they were rights and lefts。）
And then there is another thing。 I have always taken a pride in earning
my living in outside places and spending it in Hartford； I have said that
no good citizen would live on his own people； but go forth and make it
sultry for other communities and fetch home the result； and now at this
late day I find myself in the crushed and bleeding position of fattening
myself upon the spoils of my brethren！ Can I support such grief as this？
（This is literary emotion； you understand。 Take the money at the door
just the same。）
Once more I welcome you to Hartford； Raymond； but as for me let me stay
at home and blush。
Yours truly； MARK。
The play was equally successful wherever it went。 It made what in that
day was regarded as a fortune。 One hundred thousand dollars is hardly
too large an estimate of the amount divided between author and actor。
Raymond was a great actor in that part； as he interpreted it； though he
did not interpret it fully； or always in its best way。 The finer side；
the subtle； tender side of Colonel Sellers； he was likely to overlook。
Yet； with a natural human self…estimate； Raymond believed he had created
a much greater part than Mark Twain had written。 Doubtless from the
point of view of a number of people this was so； though the idea； was
naturally obnoxious to Clemens。 In course of time their personal
relations ceased。
Clemens that winter gave another benefit for Father Hawley。 In reply to
an invitation to appear in behalf of the poor； he wrote that he had quit
the lecture field； and would not return to the platform unless driven
there by lack of bread。 But he added：
By the spirit of that remark I am debarred from delivering this proposed
lecture； and so I fall back upon the letter of it； and emerge upon the
platform for this last and final time because I am confronted by a lack
of bread…among Father Hawley's flock。
He made an introductory speech at an old…fashioned spelling…bee； given at
the Asylum Hill Church； a breezy； charming talk of which the following is
a sample：
I don't see any use in spelling a word rightand never did。 I mean
I don't see any use in having a uniform and arbitrary way of
spelling words。 We might as well make all clothes alike and cook
all dishes alike。 Sameness is tiresome； variety is pleasing。 I
have a correspondent whose letters are always a refreshment to me；
there is such a breezy； unfettered originality about his
orthography。 He always spells 〃kow〃 with a large 〃K。〃 Now that is
just as good as to spell it with a small one。 It is better。 It
gives the imagination a broader field； a wider scope。 It suggests
to the mind a grand； vague； impressive new kind of a cow。
He took part in the contest； and in spite of his early reputation；
was spelled down on the word 〃chaldron；〃 which he spelled
〃cauldron；〃 as he had been taught； while the dictionary used as
authority gave that form as second choice。
Another time that winter； Clemens read before the Monday Evening Club a
paper on 〃Universal Suffrage；〃 which is still remembered by the surviving
members of that time。 A paragraph or two will convey its purport：
Our marvelous latter…day statesmanship has invented universal
suffrage。 That is the finest feather in our cap。 All that we
require of a voter is that he shall be forked； wear pantaloons
instead of petticoats； and bear a more or less humorous resemblance
to the reported image of God。 He need not know anything whatever；
he may be wholly useless and a cumberer of the earth； he may even be
known to be a consummate scoundrel。 No matter。 While he can steer
clear of the penitentiary his vote is as weighty as the vote of a
president； a bishop； a college professor； a merchant prince。 We
brag of our universal； unrestricted suffrage； but we are shams after
all； for we restrict when we come to the women。
The Monday Evening Club was an organization which included the best minds
of Hartford。 Dr。 Horace Bushnell； Prof。 Calvin E。 Stowe； and J。 Hammond
Trumbull founded it back in the sixties； and it included such men as Rev。
Dr。 Parker； Rev。 Dr。 Burton； Charles H。 Clark； of the Courant； Warner；
and