Cable; yes, and Josh Billings also had it. Such
people brighten the lives of their friends, regardless of themselves.
They make sunshine wherever they go. In Rip Van Winkle's words: "All
pretty much alike, dem fellers." Every one of them is unselfish and
warm of heart.
The public only knows one side of Mr. Clemens--the amusing part.
Little does it suspect that he was a man of strong convictions upon
political and social questions and a moralist of no mean order. For
instance, upon the capture of Aguinaldo by deception, his pen was the
most trenchant of all. Junius was weak in comparison.
The gathering to celebrate his seventieth birthday was unique. The
literary element was there in force, but Mark had not forgotten to ask
to have placed near him the multi-millionaire, Mr. H.H. Rogers, one
who had been his friend in need. Just like Mark. Without exception,
the leading literary men dwelt in their speeches exclusively upon the
guest's literary work. When my turn came, I referred to this and asked
them to note that what our friend had done as a man would live as long
as what he had written. Sir Walter Scott and he were linked
indissolubly together. Our friend, like Scott, was ruined by the
mistakes of partners, who had become hopelessly bankrupt.
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