that； none of which agree with His so…called book。 As to a hereafter； we
have not the slightest evidence that there is anyno evidence that
appeals to logic and reason。 I have never seen what to me seemed an atom
of proof that there is a future life。〃
Then； after a long pause； he added：
〃And yetI am strongly inclined to expect one。〃
CCLXV
LOTOS CLUB HONORS
It was on January 11； 1908； that Mark Twain was given his last great
banquet by the Lotos Club。 The club was about to move again； into
splendid new quarters； and it wished to entertain him once more in its
old rooms。
He wore white； and amid the throng of black…clad men was like a white
moth among a horde of beetles。 The room fairly swarmed with them； and
they seemed likely to overwhelm him。
President Lawrence was toast…master of the evening； and he ended his
customary address by introducing Robert Porter； who had been Mark Twain's
host at Oxford。 Porter told something of the great Oxford week； and
ended by introducing Mark Twain。 It had been expected that Clemens would
tell of his London experiences。 Instead of doing this； he said he had
started a new kind of collection； a collection of compliments。 He had
picked up a number of valuable ones abroad and some at home。 He read
selections from them； and kept the company going with cheers and
merriment until just before the close of his speech。 Then he repeated；
in his most impressive manner； that stately conclusion of his Liverpool
speech； and the room became still and the eyes of his hearers grew dim。
It may have been even more moving than when originally given； for now the
closing words； 〃homeward bound；〃 had only the deeper meaning。
Dr。 John MacArthur followed with a speech that was as good a sermon as
any he ever delivered； and closed it by saying：
〃I do not want men to prepare for heaven； but to prepare to remain on
earth； and it is such men as Mark Twain who make other men not fit to
die； but fit to live。〃
Andrew Carnegie also spoke； and Colonel Harvey； and as the speaking ended
Robert Porter stepped up behind Clemens and threw over his shoulders the
scarlet Oxford robe which had been surreptitiously brought； and placed
the mortar…board cap upon his head； while the diners vociferated their
approval。 Clemens was quite calm。
〃I like this；〃 he said； when the noise had subsided。 〃I like its
splendid color。 I would dress that way all the time； if I dared。〃
In the cab going home I mentioned the success of his speech； how well it
had been received。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃but then I have the advantage of knowing now that I am
likely to be favorably received； whatever I say。 I know that my
audiences are warm and responseful。 It is an immense advantage to feel
that。 There are cold places in almost every speech； and if your audience
notices them and becomes cool； you get a chill yourself in those zones；
and it is hard to warm up again。 Perhaps there haven't been so many
lately； but I have been acquainted with them more than once。〃 And then I
could not help remembering that deadly Whittier birthday speech of more
than thirty years beforethat bleak； arctic experience from beginning to
end。
〃We have just time for four games；〃 he said； as we reached the billiard…
room； but there was no sign of stopping when the four games were over。
We were winning alternately； and neither noted the time。 I was leaving
by an early train； and was willing to play all night。 The milk…wagons
were rattling outside when he said：
〃Well； perhaps we'd better quit now。 It seems pretty early； though。〃 I
looked at my watch。 It was quarter to four； and we said good night。
CCLXVI
A WINTER IN BERMUDA
Edmund Clarence Stedman died suddenly at his desk； January 18； 1908； and
Clemens； in response to telegrams； sent this message：
I do not wish to talk about it。 He was a valued friend from days that
date back thirty…five years。 His loss stuns me and unfits me to speak。
He recalled the New England dinners which he used to attend； and where he
had often met Stedman。
〃Those were great affairs；〃 he said。 〃They began early； and they ended
early。 I used to go down from Hartford with the feeling that it wasn't
an all…night supper； and that it was going to be an enjoyable time。
Choate and Depew and Stedman were in their prime thenwe were all young
men together。 Their speeches were always worth listening to。 Stedman
was a prominent figure there。 There don't seem to be any such men now
or any such occasions。〃
Stedman was one of the last of the old literary group。 Aldrich had died
the year before。 Howells and Clemens were the lingering 〃last leaves。〃
Clemens gave some further luncheon entertainments to his friends； and
added the feature of 〃doe〃 luncheonspretty affairs where； with Clara
Clemens as hostess； were entertained a group of brilliant women； such as
Mrs。 Kate Douglas Riggs； Geraldine Farrax； Mrs。 Robert Collier； Mrs。
Frank Doubleday； and others。 I cannot report those luncheons； for I was
not present； and the drift of the proceedings came to me later in too
fragmentary a form to be used as history； but I gathered from Clemens
himself that he had done all of the talking； and I think they must have
been very pleasant afternoons。 Among the acknowledgments that followed
one of these affairs is this characteristic word…play from Mrs。 Riggs：
N。 B。A lady who is invited to and attends a doe luncheon is； of
course； a doe。 The question is； if she attends two doe luncheons in
succession is she a doe…doe？ If so is she extinct and can never
attend a third？
Luncheons and billiards； however； failed to give sufficient brightness to
the dull winter days； or to insure him against an impending bronchial
attack； and toward the end of January he sailed away to Bermuda； where
skies were bluer and roadsides gay with bloom。 His sojourn was brief
this time； but long enough to cure him； he said； and he came back full of
happiness。 He had been driving about over the island with a newly
adopted granddaughter； little Margaret Blackmer； whom he had met one
morning in the hotel dining…room。 A part of his dictated story will
convey here this pretty experience。
My first day in Bermuda paid a dividendin fact a double dividend：
it broke the back of my cold and it added a jewel to my collection。
As I entered the breakfast…room the first object I saw in that
spacious and far…reaching place was a little girl seated solitary at
a table for two。 I bent down over her and patted her cheek and
said：
〃I don't seem to remember your name； what is it？〃
By the sparkle in her brown eyes it amused her。 She said：
〃Why； you've never known it； Mr。 Clemens； because you've never seen
me before。〃
〃Why； that is true； now that I come to think； it certainly is true；
and it must be one of the reasons why I have forgotten your name。
But I remember it now perfectlyit's Mary。〃
She was amused again； amused beyond smiling； amused to a chuckle；
and she said：
〃Oh no； it isn't； it's Margaret。〃
I feigned to be ashamed of my mistake and said：
〃Ah； well； I couldn't have made that mistake a few years ago； but I
am old； and one of age's earliest infirmities is a damaged memory；
but I am clearer nowclearer…headedit all comes back to me just
as if it were yesterday。 It's Margaret Holcomb。〃
She was surprised into a laugh this time； the rippling laugh that a
happy brook makes when it breaks out of the shade into the sunshine；
and she said：
〃Oh； you are wrong again； you don't get anything right。 It isn't
Holcomb； it's Blackmer。〃
I was ashamed again； and confessed it； then：
〃How old are you； dear？〃
〃Twelve； New…Year's。 Twelve and a month。〃
We were close comrades…inseparables； in fact…for eight days。 Every
day we made pedestrian excursionscalled them that anyway； and
honestly they were intended for that； and that is what they would
have been but for the persistent intrusion of a gray and grave and
rough…coated donkey by the name of Maud。 Maud was four feet long；
she was mounted on four slender little stilts； and had ears that
doubled her altitude when she stood them up straight。 Her tender
was a little bit of a cart with seat room for two in it； and you
could fall out of it without knowing it； it was so close to the
ground。 This battery was in command of a nice； grave； dignified；
gentlefaced little black boy whose age was about twelve； and whose
name； for some reason or other； was Reginald。 Reginald and MaudI
shall not easily forget those names； nor the combination they stood
for。 The trips going and coming were five or six miles； and it
generally took us three hours to make it。 This was because Maud set
the pace。 Whenever she detected an ascending grade she respected
it； she stopped and said with her ears：
〃This is getting unsatisfactory。 We will camp here。〃
The whole idea of these excursions was that Margaret and I should