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Show Tofe(i and Beloved Writer Ex-pressed Ex-pressed Desire That Americans Ameri-cans Finish Task. MANY MANUSCRIPTS IN AN UNFINISHED STATE Task Will Be Difficult for Any Living Writer to Catch Spirit of the Dead. Hy Leased Who to The Tribune. NEW YORK, An I 23. Tho possibility possibil-ity that Samuel Langhorno Clemens ("Mark Twain") appointed his own successor in the field of American literature, litera-ture, if it can bo said that tho late sago and humorist can bav(j a successor, was contained today in tho announcement announce-ment that his uncompletod manuscripts will be completed according to expressed wishes laid down by Mr. Clemens .before his death. Before the shock of Mark Twain's death had begun to spend its force, literary lit-erary men had begun to inquire who would follow in tho footsteps of the great American author. But tho interest attached to the wishen of 'Mark Twain in this respect aro not confined to literary lit-erary circles. Tn tho army of readers who know Twain through his books and loved him for his humor and love, Micro is probably a larger fraction with tho belief that tho writer does not live who can lako un tho pon laid down at Hod-dine Hod-dine on Friday. Who will bo the successor of the famous fa-mous humorist? American Domanded. Tt is understood that Mr. Clemens expressed ex-pressed the wish that his tasks be completed com-pleted either by ono writer or by several sev-eral in collaboration, but the strictest injunction was that the unfinished manuscripts manu-scripts should not bo touched by an3 one save an American. fn the librar3' at StorinGeld, where Mr. Clemens spent tho declining years of his life, aro a number of stories and sketches, some slight and somo pretentions, preten-tions, which were started and never finished. fin-ished. Somo are hastily outlined and others aro nearly completed, Mr. Clemens Clem-ens did not exert himsolf in his task for he was ill and tho weakness of sickness had sappod inspiration from his mind. IIo only worked when the spirit moved him, as hp said himself, aud ho added in his whimaiole manner that he never before Tealizod how lazy a spirit could bo undor tho circumstances. But nH the humorist grew feebler, ho tumod serious attention towards his uncompleted un-completed labor, and as bo realized that ho would likely never touch it aguin. ho expressed his desires as to how it should bo carriod on. It would bo of intorest to know ,iut how Mr. Clemens looked upon work which shall bo posthumous for him. It was understood that after timo tho manuscript man-uscript will bo takou from its present resting place and put into the hands of writers who will continue tho work started by Mark Twain. Difficult Task". If tho work is confpleted by ono man or by several, nil will bo American writers. They will bo .selected from tho field of typical American literature of which Twain whs the first exponent. Continued on Pago Two. MAY COMPLETE WORK OF TWAIN Continued From Page Ono. To carrv out the real Mark Twain humor hu-mor will be difficult nnd to find shoul' dors to fit tho literary toga of tho vanquished van-quished humorist is a task just now forgotten for-gotten in sorrow. A simple funeral eorvicc was pronounced pro-nounced over tho body of Mark Twain at the Presbyterian church at 3 o'clock this afternoon. Twelve hundred persons, per-sons, nmong them r:inny people in many walks of lifo, listened fo tho brief eulogy eulo-gy of Dr. VanDrko until 1 o'clock had passed before the church was through looking upon the remains of tho dead humorist. Of tho thousands who hnd tho last glimpse of the dead man, few could keep tears from their eyeB. Late tonight tho coffin was conveyed to tho private inr of Vice-President Loomis of tho Lackawanna for transportation trans-portation to Elmira, N. Y., where it will be interred tomorrow. Funeral services will be hold in Bl-mira Bl-mira tomorrow. It wns tho wish of Mr. Clemens that there should bo no display over his funeral. Tho casket bore the expression, "Samuel Lnnghorne Clemens. Clem-ens. Murk Twain." Death nor suffering left a traco upon the teaturc of the doad writer. Garbed m tho white suit he loved so vf?k h,p, body reposes as nntural ns lifo within the coffin. A memorial sorvico will bo held horo at Carnegie hnll within three days. |