Show Mark Twain and the Editor Some time ago while Mark Twain was taking a reminiscent float down Mississippi the boat upon which he had embarked was compelled one night to tie up n at Plays Point a vU Louisiana The humorist had gone to bed and had just sunk into a doze when there came a sharp rap at his stateroom door Twain opened the door Asquinteyed fellow wearing a check shirt and rawhide boots stepped into the room Is this Mark Twain u Yes I am known by that name Well sir I have something mighty important business with you Please state It Kaint do it here but ef youll come with me youll soon find out I dont care to co anywhere tonight except to bed tt Twain replied But I tell you this is important something that should be attended to at once You just come with me a few minutes and Ill be dinged if you ever regret it I dont care to meet anyone You wont have to meet anyone but me You may have had a trick played on you but I tell you this to you advantage ad-vantage It wont take you ten minutes min-utes The only reason I want you togo to-go with me is that L may prove my good faith He continued with such strong importunity that Twain finally consented con-sented to go with him The humorist was conducted through a muddy street and down dark alley to a small wooden building His conductor con-ductor unlocked a door entered a room and lighted a smoky lamp Come right in an set down The humorist looked around and discovered dis-covered that he was in a printing office fitted up with ahand press and a few cases of typeSet type-Set down Twain seated himself on a box His conductor added You are now sir within the portals of th < j Weekly Progress a paper that circulates exBnsively throughout the country and of which I am the editor I wanted to bring you here to show you as con vincin proof of my standin the tools and appliances of my honorable profession I could on the boat have give the information that I intended to deliver but sun without tfiese here surrouddins sincerity you moutliave thought me a fraud Now thisis what 1 want to tell you Mr Twain I have hearn of you an I want to say that anything you write that you want printed wy you send it to J Casper McIntosh and Ill be blaaed if I dont print it for you Yes I will he added meeting the humorists stare of amazement Yes Ill be dinged if 4l dont You jest go ahead now and wrifcflout a lot of your fool things and IttbS hanged if I dont publish em ansi IJ nt ccra a blame whut folks sa VrI7 i belipatched Mr Twain for zSfcS o t ids the truth Ill publish pub-lish yo Wiracfes Wall if you must go goon ijjghjt When you get down thar to t ecbdrneril B JlfS cnce turn to tbe nghtiC you dont wanter get dog bit7Jte Arkansaw Traveler |