MARK TWAIN AS FATHER-IN-LAW.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 675, 27 November 1909, Page 11

MARK TWAIN AS FATHER-IN-LAW.

4 INTERVIEW WITH HIMSELF. -. "'Mark . appeared ' (says tho New York correspondent ~ of- the - "Daily , -Mail") ' as' chief, jester at- the,-,we'dding' 'of , ; >fiik daughter, ' Miss Clara L.- Clemens, to.M; Ossip Gabrilovitsch, the i Russian 1 pianist; 'Dressed-' itr ■'the' scarlet cap 'and >gown'- of'■ a' doctor- of literature of .Oxford University,'; the, humourist; -.. perambulated ambng ; the guests-at''West-Bodding, Connecticut,, explaining; that : ttie,-'Costume- "wasn't intended :as-a joke.'-' 'Then'-he'circulated- among the' congregation'long .'slips of paper,',containing an interview- which; he-said he had prepared- "in-order 'to-.avoid any delay in'the •ceremony.".-',;ln -this; interview Mark ,TwainCgave'anjimaginary.repprter'.a full history/.of. the'. -Kbssian' musioian's courtship of hi:i daughter. ', •• ' '" ■ . ' f "Then-.'the. .''marriage pleases , you, -Mr. Clemens'?" - the 'reporter 'asked. ' : 'Tes," Mark Twain replied; "fully -as much • as- any marriage could .please-; mo : or 'any. father. V.TKere vara two or : three' tragically .solemn ■ things; in this life, and 'k happymarriage'isone of' them,, for tho terrors oflife aTO all !to come. A funerahis a.- solemn .'office,-fbut I . go to ,ono with ' spiritual - uplifting/ thankful that : ithe dead friend has Been sot free.' "ram- glad;.of,this;.marriage;/. Mrs.' Clemens would. also * have .been .glad, ; .'fpr ~she'. always had •a :• warm f affection '. for Gabrilovitsch; but, all ..the same,-' : it' is: a. tragedy,-!since it' is ,a happy imarriage -vrith- its:futuro : before, -it, loaded'to-the 'Plimsoll 'line:.,withiuncertainties;" As soon' as;'tKe' cefempny. was over, '.-Mark Twain'- doffed' l the -- Oxford- -robe,.. arid" douned'' a white flannel suit.';. 1 To the .forty- guests, . all from- • New York,. .who' : attended i the wedding breakfast.he explained that,-ho - made it an invariable, rule,. to • charge s all ■, male . visitors to the house ,a. dollarj lu-.ordfer that the biiildJng '■ fund of /the, Bedding. Mark Twain: Library .mightj.nrti iangUKtU' ;v; . give jjroji "a'A?au tographefl ireceipt -.for. your dollar,". Mark Twain concluuod! "this you can .carry away, -andsell /,for."a■ .dollar and tea cents.". . •