He Forgave Twain

1901

Many years ago the Montana club in Helena entertained Mark Twain after a lecture. He met many old friends there and one old enemy.

The latter had come all the way from Virginia City, Nev., on purpose to settle an old score. When the glasses were filled and Mark's health proposed, this man interrupted the proceedings by saying: "Hold on a minute. Before we go further I want to say to you, Sam Clemens, that you did me a dirty trick over there in Silver City, and I've come here to have a settlement with you."

There was a deathly silence for a moment, when Mark said in his deliberate drawl: "Let's see. That — was - before — I — reformed, wasn't — it?"

Senator Sanders suggested that inasmuch as the other fellow had never reformed Clemens and all the others present forgive him and drink together, which all did.