| |
When
Samuel Clemens met U. S. Grant
or
Whoever the Twain Shall Meet From
Mark Twain’s Autobiography |
| Editor’s
Note: This anecdote recalls Bill
Cherry’s recollection of his two meetings with Stanley
Marcus and Harold
Bell’s reciting of James H. Farley’s
legendary memory. Both Farley and Marcus could recall with ease the names of people
they had met years earlier – despite the insignificance of the occasion. Perhaps
society would be wise to pay attention to young people with excellent memories
– and remember their names for “they” are most likely to become the future’s Twains
and Grants. |
Although
several of Mark Twain’s works are semi-autobiographical, his actual autobiography
wasn’t published until after his death. He spent the last months of his life dictating
the book from his deathbed. Indeed, the reader is advised by an entry in Twin’s
own script: “I am writing from the grave. On these terms only can a man be approximately
frank. He cannot be straightly and unqualifiedly frank either in the grave or
out of it.”
As an autobiography, it’s most unusual in that it doesn’t follow
chronological order. There is hardly any of the traditional “I was born at an
early age…” Twain’s concept – and a good one – is that events should be recorded
when they are best remembered – not put on a mental shelf (and forgotten) for
the sake of chronological order. |
| Mark
Twain "thoroughly notorious." |
Mostly dictated in
the morning hours of the winter of 1906, the book does contain earlier entries.
The event described in the title was actually recorded in 1885.
Twain describes
seeing Grant for the first time in 1866 when Grant was still General of the Army
and was considered by the world to be the man who preserved the Union. But the
role Twain played here was merely that of observer. Hands were shaken but no words
were exchanged. |
| U.S.
Grant in Vicksburg, site of his greatest victory. TE photo |
The second meeting
between the two men was in the White House when Grant was serving his first term
as president. Twain was introduced by Senator Bill Stewart of Nevada, a friend
of both men. By that time Twain had “acquired some trifle of notoriety” but was
far from being what is now known as a “celebrity.”
After this, their second
handshake, there was an awkward silence. As Twain put it: “I couldn’t think of
anything to say. So I merely looked into the general’s grim, immovable countenance
a moment or two, in silence, and then I said: “Mr. President, I am embarrassed.
Are you?”
Twain continued: “He smiled a smile which would have done no
discredit to a cast-iron image, and I got away under the smoke of my volley.”
|
 |
Ten years passed
and Twain admits that “In the meantime I had become thoroughly notorious.” Finally,
in 1879 the two men were both speakers at a Chicago reunion of the Army of the
Tennessee – Grant’s first command of troops.
Again, both men were introduced
by a mutual friend (this time it was the Mayor of Chicago). The mayor said: “General,
let me introduce Mr. Clemons.”
Twain recalls: “We shook hands. There was
the usual momentary pause and then the general said: “I am not embarrassed. Are
you?”
"15 Minutes
of Separation"
- September
17, 2009 Column
Copyright John Troesser | |
|
