Authors, American -- 19th century -- Biography; Humorists, American -- 19th century -- Biography; Twain, Mark, 1835-1910
She was too much surprised, (and pleased privately, too) to say
much at first, but as we all expected publicly, (or rather when she
remembered that this article was to be read by every one that took
the Christian Union) she was rather shocked and a little
displeased.
Clara and I had great fun the night papa gave it to us to read and
then hide, so mamma couldn't see it, for just as we were in the
midst of reading it mamma appeared, papa following anxiously and
asked why we were not in bed? then a scuffle ensued for we told her
it was a secret and tried to hide it; but she chased us wherever we
went, till she thought it was time for us to go to bed, then she
surendered and left us to tuck it under Clara's matress.
A little while after the article was published letters began to
come in to papa crittisizing it, there were some very pleasant ones
but a few very disagreable. One of these, the very worst, mamma got
hold of and read, to papa's great regret, it was full of the most
disagreble things, and so very enoying to papa that he for a time
felt he must do something to show the author of it his great
displeasure at being so insulted. But he finally decided not to,
because he felt the man had some cause for feeling enoyed at, for
papa had spoken of him, (he was the baby's father) rather
slightingly in his Christian Union Article.
After all this, papa and mamma both wished I think they might never
hear or be spoken to on the subject of the Christian Union article,
and whenever any has spoken to me and told me "How much they did
enjoy my father's article in the Christian Union" I almost laughed
in their faces when I remembered what a great variety of oppinions
had been expressed upon the subject of the Christian Union article
of papa's.
The article was written in July or August and just the other day
papa received quite a bright letter from a gentleman who has read
the C. U. article and gave his opinion of it in these words.
It is missing. She probably put the letter between the leaves of the
Biography and it got lost out. She threw away the hostile letters, but
tried to keep the pleasantest one for her book; surely there has been no
kindlier biographer than this one. Yet to a quite creditable degree she
is loyal to the responsibilities of her position as historian--not
eulogist--and honorably gives me a quiet prod now and then. But how
many, many, many she has withheld that I deserved! I could prize them
now; there would be no acid in her words, and it is loss to me that she
did not set them all down. Oh, Susy, you sweet little biographer, you
break my old heart with your gentle charities!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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