Show Twains Career In the West San Sun Francisco April 21 Joseph N Goodwin of Alameda Cal Ca one of ot the first editors m in the west is the man who gave Mark lark Twain his first position as a writer That was over 50 years ago in the days day of ot the old Comstock lode in Nevada when men who had made their way across the continent In prairie schooners were ware taking vast fortunes in gold from the tho ground It was a day when literature had not penetrated the west to the remote points where the search for wealth led the fortune hunters and writers of even eyen ordinary ability were hard to find rind Samuel Clemens had gone into Ne No Nevada Nevada Novada vada with hundreds of others as ns a pros prospector prospector prospectOr While at work in Ia the tho country just beyond Virginia City he sent vari varl various van ous contributions td tO t the Territory En Enterprise the leading paper of that section of the state of which Good Goodman Goodman Goodman man was the editor lila His manuscript was written In a highly humorous vein and touched upon men and conditions In Ina Ina ina a way that was Intensely interesting Goodman accepted the stories and re requested requested requested quested that more be sent In this way he got into correspondence with Clem Clemens Clemens Clemens ens and in a short time offered him a position Clemens at first declined the offer but later Goodman prevailed upon him to forsake his quest for tor the yellow metal and become a n newspaper man That was In 1862 and springing sud suddenly suddenly suddenly denly into local fame tame the humorist climbed steadily Into public tavor favor Nom de do Plume First Used In 1863 Clemens was sent by Goodman to report the session of the Nevada leg legislature legIslature legislature at Carson City It was while upon this assignment that Clemens wrote the tile first story to which the nom acm de do plume Mark lark Twain was signed Clemens writing welting as Mark lark Twain with witha a freedom of ot style and comment that was as breezy br ezy and open as the lives of or the men about whom he wrote at attracted a attracted the attention of the San Fran Francisco FrancIsco Francisco cisco editors and offers of began to tempt him In 1866 he left Nevada and came caine cameto cameto to San Francisco Here he be worked up uron on the A Alia AIta Ha California the Call CalI then owned by George Barnes B and the Bulletin In San Francisco he met many of his old cronies Clemens Clemna was commissioned by the Sacramento Union in 1867 to Journey to the Sandwich Islands I land and write a se so series serle sorIe ries rIe of special articles descriptive of ot the islands and their people When he returned to Ban an Francisco some some months later the desire deiro to go east pos poe possessed possessed him and he made several efforts to give up his associations here h i re and depart Finally In 1869 1569 he left loft the scene of his early triumphs and went wept to New York He never returned to San Francisco Most Mont of the old guard who were Wore in intimately intimately intimately acquainted with Clemens are dead lead The last one of his close friends of the early days was Arthur McEwen tha the well known editorial writer r who wha died about three years ago a o President Taft when Informed of f the death of Mr Clem ons wrote this statement Mark Twain gave pleasure real In Intellectual intellectual Intellectual enjoyment to millions and his hiD works will continue to give such pleasure to millions yet to come He lie never wrote a line a father could not read to a a daughter His humor was American but he be was nearly as much appreciated by Englishmen and people of other countries as aa by his ls own coun countrymen countrymen He has made an enduring part of American l literature |