Mark Twain As A Reporter

When Mark Twain arrived in this city from the Sagebrush state, says The San Francisco Post, he was in his, at that time, chronic state of impecuniosity. He had furnished sorae corrcspondenee to The Cal!, and at once made a raid on that office for funds for immediate use and for a position on the local staff. He wore a ragged feit nat, a blue soldier's overcoat, pants which had formed a passing acquaintance with the tops of nis boots, and the latter were guiltless ot a knowledge of even the name of a blacking brush. George Barnes, who was at that time city editor of 77; Cali, tolii him to come to work the next day, and gave him an order on the business office for money enough to niake himself look respectable. The next day Twain took posses.?ion of his chair, and for six weary months Barnes tried to get some work out of li i m. At the end of that time, in his goodnatured way, he tried to let Mark down and out easily and politely, by saying to him: "Mark, don't ycu think jou are wasting your time and talents in doin'g local work?" "AVhat do you mean?' said Mark. "Why, I think with your style and talent you could uiake more money writing for first-class magazines thau in such work as you are do'ng now. " "That mean that you don't want me any more, I suppose;" and he put his feet on the desk and smiled blandly at lxirncs. "Well, I think you are better litted for that dass of work." The fact is, you have come to the conclusión that I am not the kind of a man you want." "Woll, if you will have it," said Barnes. "You are not. You are the lazlest, most shiftless, good-for-nothing specimen lever sawaround a newspaper offiue. I have tried for six monihs to get s(jino work out of you and failed, j and I have come lo the conclusión that it is useless to ke:'p you any Jonger." "Barnes," replied Twain in his most plaekl manner, "yon aro not as mart a man as I thought you were. You havo been six months in linding that out, and I knew it the day I caine to work. üive us an order on the oflico for three days' pay and I git." Col. Curtis, of New York, state that alsike or Swedlsh dover introdnoed on ! his farm twenty years ago still holdí possession of the soil. Ho regards it as preferablo te eithor red or white dover for pasturaje oí hay. i