More "Twain" Stories.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 July 1910, Page 4

More "Twain" Stories.

EUROPEAN BREAKFASTS

Mark Twain's opinion of European cooking ds well known. Just before he sailed for Italy in. _ 1903, Mr Chaiincey Depew met him a.t dinner, and said: <r Well, you'll soon he back where you can enjoy your favourite European _ breakfast." " See here," returned, the humorist, in his most serious manner, "If I ever got down to European breakfasts, do you know what I'll do? I'll nail a piece of cut-tle-fisli up oil the chimney, vnd ©vfejry morning I'll hop ii/pon the mantel and pick at it with a til bill. It will be just as filling and much cheaper than a European breakfast." HIS FIR,ST FIVE DQLLVRS. A story is told of how he earned liiis first) five dojlTars. When a boy iho was at a school wii }ro there was an especially severe rule about the marking of schoolroom desks the fine of five dollars, he was sure of a severe caning. On* day, young Clemens happened to disfigure his desk with sundry original designs, and was caught by the master and offered the usual alternative—the fine or the whipping. He went and. told his father, who, being a kindhearted man, gave him the five dollars. Now, five dollars was a large sum to Master Clemens, and one whipping more or less (Lid not make much difference. "Sto that," as ho used to say. "was how T earned my first five dollars." MEETING' WITH KING EDWARD. He once told a New York audience that while temporarily residing .in England lie was subjected) to a tax. and wrote, "a friendly letter of protest" to Queen Victoria. "T don't know yon," ran the letter, "but I've met your sion. He was at the head of a procession in the Strand, and I was on a 'bus." Some vears later he met the King, then Prince of Wales. They talked together for some time, and then, when bidding him scod-byo, the Prince said : "T am glad to have met you again." This puzzled Mark, who fancied that his Roval Hiyhnrss must, ibave miistnken him for someone else. "Why, Mr Clemens," said the Prince, "don't von remember that von met mo in tlio Strand once? I was in a profession, and you were on the top of a 'bus."