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Show "mark twain" applauding HIMSELF. "Speaking ol banquets," Baid Mark Twain, (amusl M. Clemens,) "reminds "re-minds me of a ruther amusiug incident inci-dent that occurred to mo during my Blop in smoky, dirty, grand old London. I received an invitation to attend a banquet there, and 1 went. It was one of those tremendous dinners where there are from 800 to 900 invited gueelB. I hadn't been used to tbat sort of thing, and Ididn't feel quite at home. When we took our seats at the tables I noticed that at each plate was a lilt ie plan of the ball with tbe position of each gueat numbered so that one could Bee at a glance where bis friend was seated by lenrning his number. JuBt before we tell to, Borne one the lord mayor, or whoever was bossing tbe occasion arose and began to read a IUt of those present No. 1, Lord So-and-so, No. 2, tbe Duke ot Something or oiher.and ao on. When this individual read the name of some prominent political character or literary lit-erary culebrity. it would be greeted with more or le-n applause. The individual in-dividual wbo was reading tbe names did so in bo monotonous a manner that I became tired, and began looking look-ing rs round for something to attraot my attention. I found tbe gentleman gentle-man next to me, on my right, a well-informed personage, and I entered into conversation with him. I had never seen him before, but be was a good talker, and I enjoyed en-joyed it. Suddenly, just as he was giving me bis views upon the luture religious aspect of Great Britain, our ears were assailed by a deafening storm of applause. Sucb a clapping of hands I never heard before. It lent tbe blood to my bead with a ruih, and I got terribly excited. I straightened up and commenced clapping my bands with all my m it tit. I moved about in my chair ani clapped harder and harder. 'Who is it?' I Eked the centleman en my right. 'Whose name did be read7' 'Samuel M. Olemens,' be answered, an-swered, I Btopped applauding. I didn't clap any more." Correspondence Correspond-ence of the Chicago Times. |