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Show WHY MARK DlDNT TALK. t August Personage at the Table Had fl a Monopoly of It. ,H A couplo' or days ago a gentleman called upon mo with a message (from tho German emperor). , , . The word lng of tho messago was: "Convoy to Mr. Clemens my kind- -H ost regards. Ask him if no remom-hers remom-hers that dinner, and ask him why ho didn't do any talking." 'H Why, how could I talk when ho -as talking? Ho "held tho age," as 'M tho poker-clergy say, and two can't talk at tho samo tlmu with good of-feet. of-feet. It reminds mo of tho man who was reproaching a friend, who said: "1 think it a shamo that you havo not spoken to your wlfo for 16 years. How do you Justify It?" "I didn't wnnt to interrupt her." If tho emperor had been at my tablo ,H ho would not havo suffered from my silence, ho would1 only havo suffered from tho sorrows of his own solitude. If I wero not too old to travol I would go to Berlin nnd Introduco tho etl-quetto etl-quetto of my own table, which tallies with tho etiquette obsorvablo at othor iHI royal tables. I would Bay: "Invito mo again, your majesty, and glvo mo n chance;" then I would courteously waive rank and do all tho talking my-self. my-self. I thank his mnjesty for his kind message, and am proud to havo It and glad to express my slncoro reclproca-tlon reclproca-tlon of Its sentiments. From Mark Twain's Autobiography In tho North American Review. |