Thanks, Kent -- good fun. And the story *does* sound kind of familiar,
though I couldn't say exactly why.
*_________________________________*
*Peter Salwen /* salwen.com
*114 W 86, NYC 10024 | 917-620-5371*
On Mon, Nov 30, 2015 at 8:25 PM, Kent Rasmussen <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> At the risk of adding to the already large stock of bogus information
> about Mark Twain, I'm passing along an anecdote I just stumbled on in a
> 1903 newspaper, as my way of honoring Mark Twain's birthday today. I
> don't know if it's true, and if it is true, I don't know who the
> principal figures in the story were. It may have happened, it may not
> have happened; but it COULD have happened.
> ___________________________________
>
> On one occasion a Westerner, who owns a big cattle ranch far out and
> lives on most of the time, was at the Lotus club with a New York
> business acquaintance who is a pretty close friend of Mark Twain. The
> two men were having a bit at a table when the humorist entered and at
> once proceeded to the table of his friend. He sat down and was duly
> introduced, but as Mr. Clemens instead of Mark Twain. The Westerner,
> whose literary acquaintance did not extend beyond the newspapers, didn't
> know the difference, and was soon swapping yarns with the newcomer.
> Finally after looking him pretty closely for a moment, he said:
>
> "Did anybody ever tell you looked like Mark Twain? I mean like the
> pictures of him; that's as far as I know him."
>
> "Um--er--," Mr. Clemens hesitated, while his friend was dumb. "I don't
> recall that any one ever did, though it is possible some one might have
> done so, because I have thought that way myself at times."
>
> "Well, you do," the Westerner went on, "and I noticed it when I first
> looked at you, though I should say, meaning no disrespect, that Mark had
> a little the bulge on you for beauty, and he ain't so d---- handsome,
> neither."
>
> The humorist was in for having more of it, but the friend couldn't stand
> the pressure, and he changed the subject to something the Western man
> knew more about.
>
> (from "Very Snappy Stories of Well Known Authors," AUGUSTA CHRONICLE
> [Ga.], December 20, 1903.The story has the feel of a syndicated item,
> but I was not able to find it in any other newspaper.)
>
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