mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第31章
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service； were sacrificed in the bull…ring。 Her letter closed：
I have lain awake nights very often wondering if I dare ask you to
write a story of an old horse that is finally given over to the
bull…ring。 The story you would write would do more good than all
the laws we are trying to have made and enforced for the prevention
of cruelty to animals in Spain。 We would translate and circulate
the story in that country。 I have wondered if you would ever write
it。
With most devoted homage；
Sincerely yours；
MINNIE MADDERN FISKE。
Clemens promptly replied：
DEAR MRS。 FISKE； I shall certainly write the story。 But I may not get it
to suit me； in which case it will go in the fire。 Later I will try it
again& yet again& again。 I am used to this。 It has taken me twelve
years to write a short storythe shortest one I ever wrote； I think。
＇Probably 〃The Death Disk：〃＇ So do not be discouraged； I will stick to
this one in the same way。
Sincerely yours；
S。 L。 CLEMENS。
It was an inspiring subject； and he began work on it immediately。 Within
a month from the time he received Mrs。 Fiske's letter he had written that
pathetic； heartbreaking little story； 〃A Horse's Tale；〃 and sent it to
Harper's Magazine for illustration。 In a letter written to Mr。 Duneka at
the time； he tells of his interest in the narrative； and adds：
This strong interest is natural； for the heroine is my small
daughter Susy； whom we lost。 It was not intentionalit was a good
while before I found it out； so I am sending you her picture to use
& to reproduce with photographic exactness the unsurpassable
expression & all。 May you find an artist who has lost an idol。
He explains how he had put in a good deal of work； with his secretary； on
the orchestrelle to get the bugle…calls。
We are to do these theatricals this evening with a couple of
neighbors for audience； and then pass the hat。
It is not one of Mark Twain's greatest stories； but its pathos brings the
tears； and no one can read it without indignation toward the custom which
it was intended to oppose。 When it was published； a year later； Mrs。
Fiske sent him her grateful acknowledgments； and asked permission to have
it printed for pamphlet circulation m Spain。
A number of more or less notable things happened in this； Mark Twain's
seventieth year。 There was some kind of a reunion going on in
California； and he was variously invited to attend。 Robert Fulton； of
Nevada； was appointed a committee of one to invite him to Reno for a
great celebration which was to be held there。 Clemens replied that he
remembered； as if it were but yesterday； when he had disembarked from the
Overland stage in front of the Ormsby Hotel； in Carson City； and told how
he would like to accept the invitation。
If I were a few years younger I would accept it； and promptly； and I
would go。 I would let somebody else do the oration； but as for me I
would talkjust talk。 I would renew my youth； and talkand talkand
talkand have the time of my life！ I would march the unforgotten and
unforgetable antiques by； and name their names； and give them reverent
hail and farewell as they passedGoodman； McCarthy； Gillis； Curry；
Baldwin； Winters； Howard； Nye； Stewart； Neely Johnson； Hal Clayton；
North； Rootand my brother； upon whom be peace！and then the
desperadoes； who made life a joy； and the 〃slaughter…house；〃 a precious
possession： Sam Brown； Farmer Pete； Bill Mayfield； Six…fingered Jake；
Jack Williams； and the rest of the crimson discipleship； and so on； and
so on。 Believe me； I would start a resurrection it would do you more
good to look at than the next one will； if you go on the way you are
going now。
Those were the days！those old ones。 They will come no more； youth will
come no more。 They were so full to the brim with the wine of life； there
have been no others like them。 It chokes me up to think of them。 Would
you like me to come out there and cry？ It would not beseem my white
head。
Good…by。 I drink to you all。 Have a good time…and take an old man's
blessing。
In reply to another invitation from H。 H。 Bancroft； of San Francisco； he
wrote that his wandering days were over； and that it was his purpose to
sit by the fire for the rest of his 〃remnant of life。〃
A man who； like me； is going to strike 70 on the 30th of next
November has no business to be flitting around the way Howells does
that shameless old fictitious butterfly。 （But if he comes don't
tell him I said it； for it would hurt him & I wouldn't brush a flake
of powder from his wing for anything。 I only say it in envy of his
indestructible youth anyway。 Howells will be 88 in October。）
And it was either then or on a similar occasion that he replied after
this fashion：
I have done more for San Francisco than any other of its old
residents。 Since I left there it has increased in population fully
300；000。 I could have done moreI could have gone earlierit was
suggested。
Which； by the way； is a perfect example of Mark Twain's humorous manner；
the delicately timed pause； and the afterthought。 Most humorists would
have been contented to end with the statement； 〃 I could have gone
earlier。〃 Only Mark Twain could have added that final exquisite touch
〃it was suggested。〃
CCXXXVI
AT PIER 7O
Mark Twain was nearing seventy； the scriptural limitation of life； and
the returns were coming in。 Some one of the old group was dying all the
time。 The roll…call returned only a scattering answer。 Of his oldest
friends； Charles Henry Webb； John Hay； and Sir Henry Irving； all died
that year。 When Hay died Clemens gave this message to the press：
I am deeply grieved； & I mourn with the nation this loss which is
irreparable。 My friendship with Mr。 Hay & my admiration of him
endured 38 years without impairment。
It was only a little earlier that he had written Hay an anonymous letter；
a copy of which he preserved。 It here follows：
DEAR & HONORED SIR；I never hear any one speak of you & of your
long roll of illustrious services in other than terms of pride &
praise& out of the heart。 I think I am right in believing you to
be the only man in the civil service of the country the cleanness of
whose motives is never questioned by any citizen； & whose acts
proceed always upon a broad & high plane； never by accident or
pressure of circumstance upon a narrow or low one。 There are
majorities that are proud of more than one of the nation's great
servants； but I believe； & I think I know； that you are the only one
of whom the entire nation is proud。 Proud & thankful。
Name & address are lacking here； & for a purpose： to leave you no
chance to make my words a burden to you and a reproach to me； who
would lighten your burdens if I could； not add to them。
Irving died in October； and Clemens ordered a wreath for his funeral。 To
MacAlister he wrote：
I profoundly grieve over Irving's death。 It is another reminder。
My section of the procession has but a little way to go。 I could
not be very sorry if I tried。
Mark Twain； nearing seventy； felt that there was not much left for him to
celebrate； and when Colonel Harvey proposed a birthday gathering in his
honor； Clemens suggested a bohemian assembly over beer and sandwiches in
some snug place； with Howells； Henry Rogers； Twichell； Dr。 Rice； Dr。
Edward Quintard； Augustus Thomas； and such other kindred souls as were
still left to answer the call。 But Harvey had something different in
view： something more splendid even than the sixty…seventh birthday feast；
more pretentious； indeed； than any former literary gathering。 He felt
that the attainment of seventy years by America's most distinguished man
of letters and private citizen was a circumstance which could not be
moderately or even modestly observed。 The date was set five da
