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now； and once more tooth less； and the rest of us are shadows these
many； many years。 Yes； and your time cometh！
MARK。
It is the ageless story。 He too had written his youthful letters； and
later had climbed the Alps of fame and was still outlined against the
sun。 Happily； the little child was to evade that harsher penaltythe
unwarranted bitterness and affront of a lingering； palsied age。
Mrs。 Clemens； in a letter somewhat later； set down a thought similar to
his：
〃We are all going so fast。 Pretty soon we shall have been dead a hundred
years。〃
Clemens varied his work that summer； writing alternately on 'The Prince
and the Pauper' and on the story about 'Huck Finn'； which he had begun
four years earlier。
He read the latter over and found in it a new interest。 It did not
fascinate him； as did the story of the wandering prince。 He persevered
only as the spirit moved him； piling up pages on both the tales。
He always took a boy's pride in the number of pages he could complete at
a sitting； and if the day had gone well he would count them triumphantly；
and； lighting a fresh cigar； would come tripping down the long stair that
led to the level of the farm…house； and； gathering his audience； would
read to them the result of his industry； that is to say； he proceeded
with the story of the Prince。 Apparently he had not yet acquired
confidence or pride enough in poor Huck to exhibit him； even to friends。
The reference （in the letter to Twichell） to the cats at the farm
introduces one of the most important features of that idyllic resort。
There were always cats at the farm。 Mark Twain himself dearly loved
cats； and the children inherited this passion。 Susy once said：
〃The difference between papa and mama is； that mama loves morals and papa
loves cats。〃
The cats did not always remain the same； but some of the same ones
remained a good while； and were there from season to season； always
welcomed and adored。 They were commendable cats； with such names as
Fraulein； Blatherskite； Sour Mash； Stray Kit； Sin； and Satan； and when；
as happened now and then； a vacancy occurred in the cat census there
followed deep sorrow and elaborate ceremonies。
Naturally； there would be stories about cats： impromptu bedtime stories；
which began anywhere and ended nowhere； and continued indefinitely
through a land inhabited only by cats and dreams。 One of these stories；
as remembered and set down later； began：
Once upon a time there was a noble； big cat whose christian name was
Catasaqua； because she lived in that region； but she didn't have any
surname； because she was a short…tailed cat； being a manx； and
didn't need one。 It is very just and becoming in a long…tailed cat
to have a surname； but it would be very ostentatious； and even
dishonorable； in a manx。 Well； Catasaqua had a beautiful family of
cattings； and they were of different colors； to harmonize with their
characters。 Cattaraugus； the eldest； was white； and he had high
impulses and a pure heart； Catiline； the youngest； was black； and he
had a self…seeking nature； his motives were nearly always base； he
was truculent and insincere。 He was vain and foolish； and often
said that he would rather be what he was； and live like a bandit；
yet have none above him； than be a cat…o'…nine…tails and eat with
the king。
And so on without end； for the audience was asleep presently and the end
could wait。
There was less enthusiasm over dogs at Quarry Farm。
Mark Twain himself had no great love for the canine breed。 To a woman
who wrote； asking for his opinion on dogs； he said； in part：
By what right has the dog come to be regarded as a 〃noble〃 animal？
The more brutal and cruel and unjust you are to him the more your
fawning and adoring slave he becomes； whereas； if you shamefully
misuse a cat once she will always maintain a dignified reserve
toward you afterward you can never get her full confidence again。
He was not harsh to dogs； occasionally he made friends with them。 There
was once at the farm a gentle hound； named Bones； that for some reason
even won his way into his affections。 Bones was always a welcome
companion； and when the end of summer came； and Clemens； as was his
habit； started down the drive ahead of the carriage； Bones； half…way to
the entrance； was waiting for him。 Clemens stooped down； put his arms
around him； and bade him an affectionate good…by。 He always recalled
Bones tenderly； and mentioned him in letters to the farm。
CXXX
COPYRIGHT AND OTHER FANCIES
The continued assault of Canadian pirates on his books kept Mark Twain's
interest sharply alive on the subject of copyright reform。 He invented
one scheme after another； but the public…mind was hazy on the subject；
and legislators were concerned with purposes that interested a larger
number of voters。 There were too few authors to be of much value at the
polls； and even of those few only a small percentage were vitally
concerned。 For the others； foreign publishers rarely paid them the
compliment of piracy； while at home the copyright limit of forty…two
years was about forty…two times as long as they needed protection。 Bliss
suggested a law making the selling of pirated books a penal offense； a
plan with a promising look； but which came to nothing。
Clemens wrote to his old friend Rollin M。 Daggett； who by this time was a
Congressman。 Daggett replied that he would be glad to introduce any bill
that the authors might agree upon； and Clemens made at least one trip to
Washington to discuss the matter； but it came to nothing in the end。 It
was a Presidential year； and it would do just as well to keep the authors
quiet by promising to do something next year。 Any legislative stir is
never a good thing for a campaign。
Clemens's idea for copyright betterment was not a fixed one。 Somewhat
later； when an international treaty which would include protection for
authors was being discussed； his views had undergone a change。 He wrote；
asking Howells：
Will the proposed treaty protect us （and effectually） against
Canadian piracy？ Because； if it doesn't； there is not a single
argument in favor of international copyright which a rational
American Senate could entertain for a moment。 My notions have
mightily changed lately。 I can buy Macaulay's History； three vols。；
bound； for 1。25； Chambers's Cyclopaedia； ten vols。； cloth； for
7。25 （we paid 60）； and other English copyrights in proportion； I
can buy a lot of the great copyright classics； in paper； at from
three cents to thirty cents apiece。 These things must find their
way into the very kitchens and hovels of the country。 A generation
of this sort of thing ought to make this the most intelligent and
the best…read nation in the world。 International copyright must
becloud this sun and bring on the former darkness and dime novel
reading。
Morally this is all wrong； governmentally it is all right。 F