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the exclusive serial privilege of whatever he might write at a fixed rate
of twenty cents per worda rate increased to thirty cents by a later
contract； which also provided an increased royalty for the publication of
his books。
The United States； as a nation； does not confer any special honors upon
private citizens。 We do not have decorations and titles； even though
there are times when it seems that such things might be not
inappropriately conferred。 Certain of the newspapers； more lavish in
their enthusiasm than others； were inclined to propose； as one paper
phrased it； 〃Some peculiar recognitionsomething that should appeal to
Samuel L。 Clemens； the man； rather than to Mark Twain； the literate。
Just what form this recognition should take is doubtful； for the case has
no exact precedent。〃
Perhaps the paper thought that Mark Twain was entitledas he himself
once humorously suggested…to the 〃thanks of Congress〃 for having come
home alive and out of debt； but it is just as well that nothing of the
sort was ever seriously considered。 The thanks of the public at large
contained more substance； and was a tribute much more to his mind。 The
paper above quoted ended by suggesting a very large dinner and memorial
of welcome as being more in keeping with the republican idea and the
American expression of good…will。
But this was an unneeded suggestion。 If he had eaten all the dinners
proposed he would not have lived to enjoy his public honors a month。 As
it was； he accepted many more dinners than he could eat； and presently
fell into the habit of arriving when the banqueting was about over and
the after…dinner speaking about to begin。 Even so the strain told on
him。
〃His friends saw that he was wearing himself out；〃 says Howells； and
perhaps this was true； for he grew thin and pale and contracted a hacking
cough。 He did not spare himself as often as he should have done。 Once
to Richard Watson Gilder he sent this line of regrets：
In bed with a chest cold and other companyWednesday。
DEAR GILDER；I can't。 If I were a well man I could explain with
this pencil； but in the cir…ces I will leave it all to your
imagination。
Was it Grady who killed himself trying to do all the dining and
speeching？
No； old man； no； no！ Ever yours； MARK。
He became again the guest of honor at the Lotos Club； which had dined him
so lavishly seven years before； just previous to his financial collapse。
That former dinner had been a distinguished occasion； but never before
had the Lotos Club been so brimming with eager hospitality as on the
second great occasion。 In closing his introductory speech President
Frank Lawrence said； 〃We hail him as one who has borne great burdens with
manliness and courage； who has emerged from great struggles victorious；〃
and the assembled diners roared out their applause。 Clemens in his reply
said：
Your president has referred to certain burdens which I was weighted
with。 I am glad he did； as it gives me an opportunity which I
wantedto speak of those debts。 You all knew what he meant when he
referred to it； & of the poor bankrupt firm of C。 L。 Webster & Co。
No one has said a word about those creditors。 There were ninety…six
creditors in all； & not by a finger's weight did ninety…five out of
the ninety…six add to the burden of that time。 They treated me
well； they treated me handsomely。 I never knew I owed them
anything； not a sign came from them。
It was like him to make that public acknowledgment。 He could not let an
unfair impression remain that any man or any set of men had laid an
unnecessary burden upon him…his sense of justice would not consent to it。
He also spoke on that occasion of certain national changes。
How many things have happened in the seven years I have been away
from home！ We have fought a righteous war； and a righteous war is a
rare thing in history。 We have turned aside from our own comfort
and seen to it that freedom should exist； not only within our own
gates； but in our own neighborhood。 We have set Cuba free and
placed her among the galaxy of free nations of the world。 We
started out to set those poor Filipinos free； but why that righteous
plan miscarried perhaps I shall never know。 We have also been
making a creditable showing in China； and that is more than all the
other powers can say。 The 〃Yellow Terror〃 is threatening the world；
but no matter what happens the United States says that it has had no
part in it。
Since I have been away we have been nursing free silver。 We have
watched by its cradle； we have done our best to raise that child；
but every time it seemed to be getting along nicely along came some
pestiferous Republican and gave it the measles or something。 I fear
we will never raise that child。
We've done more than that。 We elected a President four years ago。
We've found fault and criticized him； and here a day or two ago we
go and elect him for another four years； with votes enough to spare
to do it over again。
One club followed another in honoring Mark Twainthe Aldine； the St。
Nicholas； the Press clubs； and other associations and societies。 His old
friends were at these dinnersHowells； Aldrich； Depew； Rogers；
ex…Speaker Reedand they praised him and gibed him to his and their
hearts' content。
It was a political year； and he generally had something to say on matters
municipal； national； or international； and he spoke out more and more
freely； as with each opportunity he warmed more righteously to his
subject。
At the dinner given to him by the St。 Nicholas Club he said； with deep
irony：
Gentlemen； you have here the best municipal government in the world；
and the most fragrant and the purest。 The very angels of heaven
envy you and wish they had a government like it up there。 You got
it by your noble fidelity to civic duty； by the stern and ever
watchful exercise of the great powers lodged in you as lovers and
guardians of your city； by your manly refusal to sit inert when base
men would have invaded her high places and possessed them； by your
instant retaliation when any insult was offered you in her person；
or any assault was made upon her fair fame。 It is you who have made
this government what it is； it is you who have made it the envy and
despair of the other capitals of the worldand God bless you for
it； gentlemen； God bless you！ And when you get to heaven at last
they'll say with joy； 〃Oh； there they come； the representatives of
the perfectest citizenship in the universe show them the archangel's
box and turn on the limelight！〃
Those hearers who in former years had been indifferent to Mark Twain's
more serious purpose began to realize that； whatever he may have been
formerly； he was by no means now a mere fun…maker； but a man of deep and
grave convictions； able to give them the fullest and most forcible
expression。 He still might make them laugh； but he also mad