the long session； that was followed by a hot campaign to take Uncle
Joe's rules away from him； on the heels of that 〃Campaign that
Failed〃 came the tariff fight in the House。 I am now getting time
to breathe regularly and I am writing to ask you if the copyright
law is acceptable to you。 If it is not acceptable to you I want to
ask you to write and tell me how it should be changed and I will
give my best endeavors to the work。 I believe that your ideas and
wishes in the matter constitute the best guide we have as to what
should be done in the case。
Your friend；
CHAMP CLARK。
To this Clemens replied：
STORMFIELD； REDDING； CONN； June 5； 1909。
DEAR CHAMP CLARK；Is the new copyright law acceptable to me？
Emphatically yes！ Clark； it is the only sane & clearly defined &
just & righteous copyright law that has ever existed in the United
States。 Whosoever will compare it with its predecessors will have
no trouble in arriving at that decision。
The bill which was before the committee two years ago when I was
down there was the most stupefying jumble of conflicting &
apparently irreconcilable interests that was ever seen； and we all
said 〃the case is hopeless； absolutely hopelessout of this chaos
nothing can be built。〃 But we were in error； out of that chaotic
mass this excellent bill has been constructed； the warring interests
have been reconciled； and the result is as comely and substantial a
legislative edifice as lifts its domes and towers and protective
lightning…rods out of the statute book I think。 When I think of
that other bill； which even the Deity couldn't understand； and of
this one； which even I can understand； I take off my hat to the man
or men who devised this one。 Was it R。 U。 Johnson？ Was it the
Authors' League？ Was it both together？ I don't know； but I take
off my hat； anyway。 Johnson has written a valuable article about
the new lawI inclose it。
At lastat last and for the first time in copyright historywe are
ahead of England！ Ahead of her in two ways： by length of time and
by fairness to all interests concerned。 Does this sound like
shouting？ Then I must modify it： all we possessed of copyright
justice before the 4th of last March we owed to England's
initiative。
Truly yours；
S。 L。 CLEMENS。
Clemens had prepared what was the final word an the subject of copyright
just before this bill was passeda petition for a law which he believed
would regulate the whole matter。 It was a generous； even if a somewhat
Utopian； plan； eminently characteristic of its author。 The new fourteen…
year extension； with the prospect of more； made this or any other
compromise seem inadvisable。 ＇The reader may consider this last
copyright document by Mark Twain under Appendix N； at the end of this
volume。＇
CCLXXX
A WARNING
Clemens had promised to go to Baltimore for the graduation of 〃Francesca〃
of his London visit in 1907and to make a short address to her class。
It was the eighth of June when we set out on this journey；＇The reader
may remember that it was the 8th of June； 1867； that Mark Twain sailed
for the Holy Land。 It was the 8th of June； 1907； that he sailed for
England to take his Oxford degree。 This 8th of June； 1909； was at least
slightly connected with both events； for he was keeping an engagement
made with Francesca in London； and my notes show that he discussed； on
the way to the station； some incidents of his Holy Land trip and his
attitude at that time toward Christian traditions。 As he rarely
mentioned the Quaker City trip； the coincidence seems rather curious。
It is most unlikely that Clemens himself in any way associated the two
dates。＇ but the day was rather bleak and there was a chilly rain。
Clemens had a number of errands to do in New York； and we drove from one
place to another； attending to them。 Finally； in the afternoon； the rain
ceased； and while I was arranging some matters for him he concluded to
take a ride on the top of a Fifth Avenue stage。 It was fine and pleasant
when he started； but the weather thickened again and when he returned he
complained that he had felt a little chilly。 He seemed in fine
condition； however； next morning and was in good spirits all the way to
Baltimore。 Chauncey Depew was on the train and they met in the dining…
carthe last time； I think； they ever saw each other。 He was tired when
we reached the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore and did not wish to see the
newspaper men。 It happened that the reporters had a special purpose in
coming just at this time； for it had suddenly developed that in his
Shakespeare book； through an oversight； due to haste in publication； full
credit had not been given to Mr。 Greenwood for the long extracts quoted
from his work。 The sensational head…lines in a morning paper； 〃Is Mark
Twain a Plagiarist？〃 had naturally prompted the newspaper men to see what
he would have to say on the subject。 It was a simple matter； easily
explained； and Clemens himself was less disturbed about it than anybody。
He felt no sense of guilt； he said； and the fact that he had been
stealing and caught at it would give Mr。 Greenwood's book far more
advertising than if he had given him the full credit which he had
intended。 He found a good deal of amusement in the situation； his only
worry being that Clara and Jean would see the paper and be troubled。
He had taken off his clothes and was lying down； reading。 After a little
he got up and began walking up and down the room。 Presently he stopped
and； facing me； placed his hand upon his breast。 He said：
〃I think I must have caught a little cold yesterday on that Fifth Avenue
stage。 I have a curious pain in my breast。〃
I suggested that he lie down again and I would fill his hot…water bag。
The pain passed away presently； and he seemed to be dozing。 I stepped
into the next room and busied myself with some writing。 By and by I
heard him stirring again and went in where he was。 He was walking up and
down and began talking of some recent ethnological discoveries
something relating to prehistoric man。
〃What a fine boy that prehistoric man must have been；〃 he said〃 the
very first one！ Think of the gaudy style of him； how he must have lorded
it over those other creatures； walking on his hind legs； waving his arms；
practising and getting ready for the pulpit。〃
The fancy amused him； but presently he paused in his walk and again put
his hand on his breast； saying：
〃That pain has come back。 It's a curious； sickening； deadly kind of
pain。 I never had anything just like it。〃
It seemed to me that his face had become rather gray。 I said：
〃Where is it； exactly； Mr。 Clemens？〃
He laid his hand in the center of his breast and said：
〃It is here； and it is very peculiar indeed。〃
Remotely in my mind occurred the thought that he had located his heart；
and the 〃peculiar deadly pain〃 he had mentioned seemed ominous。 I
suggested； however； that it was probably some rheumatic touch； and this
opinion seemed warranted when； a few moments later； the hot water had
again relieved it。 This time the pain had apparently gone to stay； for
it did not return while we were in Baltimore。 It was the first positive
manifestation of the angina which eventually would take him from us。
The weather was pleasant in Baltimore； and his visit to St。 Timothy's
School and his address there were the kind of diversions that meant most
to him。 The flock of girls； all in their pretty commencement dresses；
assembled and rejoicing at his playfully given advice： not to smoketo
excess； not to drinkto excess； not to marryto excess； he standing
there in a garb as white as their ownit made a rare picturea sweet
memoryand it was the last time he ever gave advice from the platform to
any one。
Edward S。 Martin also spoke to the school； and then there was a great
feasting in the big assembly…hall。
It was on the lawn that a reporter approached him with the news of the
death of Edward Everett Haleanother of the old group。 Clemens said
thoughtfully； after a moment：
〃I had the greatest respect and esteem for Edward Everett Hale； the
greatest admiration for his work。 I am as grieved to hear of his death
as I can ever be to hear of the death of any friend； though my grief is
always tempered with the satisfaction of knowing that for the one that
goes； the hard； bitter struggle of life is ended。〃
We were leaving the Belvedere next morning； and when the subject of
breakfast came up for discussion he said：
〃That was the most delicious Baltimore fried chicken we had yesterday
morning。 I think we'll just repeat that order。 It reminds me of John
Quarles's farm。〃
We had been having our meals served in the rooms； but we had breakfast
that morning down in the diningroom； and 〃Francesca〃 and her mother were
there。
As he stood on the railway platform waiting for t