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and from that time was attached to all Samuel Clemens's work。 The work
was neither better nor worse than before； but it had suddenly acquired
identification and special interest。 Members of the legislature and
friends in Virginia and Carson immediately began to address him as
〃Mark。〃 The papers of the Coast took it up； and within a period to be
measured by weeks he was no longer 〃Sam〃 or 〃Clemens〃 or 〃that bright
chap on the Enterprise；〃 but 〃Mark〃〃Mark Twain。〃 No 'nom de plume' was
ever so quickly and generally accepted as that。 De Quille； returning
from the East after an absence of several months； found his room and
deskmate with the distinction of a new name and fame。
It is curious that in the letters to the home folks preserved from that
period there is no mention of his new title and its success。 In fact；
the writer rarely speaks of his work at all； and is more inclined to tell
of the mining shares he has accumulated； their present and prospective
values。 However； many of the letters are undoubtedly missing。 Such as
have been preserved are rather airy epistles full of his abounding joy of
life and good nature。 Also they bear evidence of the renewal of his old
river habit of sending money hometwenty dollars in each letter； with
intervals of a week or so between。
XLI
THE CREAM OF COMSTOCK HUMOR
With the adjournment of the legislature； Samuel Clemens returned to
Virginia City distinctly a notabilityMark Twain。 He was regarded as
leading man on the Enterprisewhich in itself was high distinction on
the Comstockwhile his improved dress and increased prosperity commanded
additional respect。 When visitors of note came alongwell…known actors；
lecturers； politicianshe was introduced as one of the Comstock features
which it was proper to see； along with the Ophir and Gould and Curry
mines； and the new hundred…stamp quartz…mill。
He was rather grieved and hurt； therefore； when； after several
collections had been taken up in the Enterprise office to present various
members of the staff with meerschaum pipes； none had come to him。 He
mentioned this apparent slight to Steve Gillis：
〃Nobody ever gives me a meerschaum pipe；〃 he said； plaintively。 〃Don't I
deserve one yet？〃
Unhappy day！ To that remorseless creature； Steve Gillis； this was a
golden opportunity for deviltry of a kind that delighted his soul。 This
is the story； precisely as Gillis himself told it to the writer of these
annals more than a generation later：
〃There was a German kept a cigar store in Virginia City and always had a
fine assortment of meerschaum pipes。 These pipes usually cost anywhere
from forty to seventy…five dollars。
〃One day Denis McCarthy and I were walking by the old German's place； and
stopped to look in at the display in the window。 Among other things
there was one large imitation meerschaum with a high bowl and a long
stem； marked a dollar and a half。
〃I decided that that would be just the pipe for Sam。 We went in and
bought it； also a very much longer stem。 I think the stem alone cost
three dollars。 Then we had a little German…silver plate engraved with
Mark's name on it and by whom presented； and made preparations for the
presentation。 Charlie Pope ＇afterward proprietor of Pope's Theater；
St。 Louis＇ was playing at the Opera House at the time； and we engaged
him to make the presentation speech。
〃Then we let in Dan de Quille； Mark's closest friend； to act the part of
Judasto tell Mark privately that he； was going to be presented with a
fine pipe； so that he could have a speech prepared in reply to Pope's。
It was awful low…down in Dan。 We arranged to have the affair come off in
the saloon beneath the Opera House after the play was over。
〃Everything went off handsomely； but it was a pretty remorseful occasion；
and some of us had a hang…dog look； for Sam took it in such sincerity；
and had prepared one of the most beautiful speeches I ever heard him
make。 Pope's presentation； too； was beautifully done。 He told Sam how
his friends all loved him； and that this pipe； purchased at so great an
expense； was but a small token of their affection。 But Sam's reply；
which was supposed to be impromptu； actually brought the tears to the
eyes of some of us； and he was interrupted every other minute with
applause。 I never felt so sorry for anybody。
〃Still； we were bent on seeing the thing through。 After Sam's speech was
finished； he ordered expensive wineschampagne and sparkling Moselle。
Then we went out to do the town； and kept things going until morning to
drown our sorrow。
〃Well； next day； of course； he started in to color the pipe。 It wouldn't
color any more than a piece of chalk； which was about all it was。 Sam
would smoke and smoke； and complain that it didn't seem to taste right；
and that it wouldn't color。 Finally Denis said to him one day：
〃'Oh； Sam； don't you know that's just a damned old egg…shell； and that
the boys bought it for a dollar and a half and presented you with it for
a joke？'
〃Then Sam was furious； and we laid the whole thing on Dan de Quille。 He
had a thunder…cloud on his face when he started up for the Local Room；
where Dan was。 He went in and closed the door behind him； and locked it；
and put the key in his pocketan awful sign。 Dan was there alone；
writing at his table。
〃Sam said； 'Dan； did you know； when you invited me to make that speech；
that those fellows were going to give me a bogus pipe？'
〃There was no way for Dan to escape； and he confessed。 Sam walked up and
down the floor； as if trying to decide which way to slay Dan。 Finally he
said：
〃'Oh； Dan； to think that you； my dearest friend； who knew how little
money I had； and how hard I would work to prepare a speech that would
show my gratitude to my friends； should be the traitor； the Judas； to
betray me with a kiss！ Dan； I never want to look on your face again。
You knew I would spend every dollar I had on those pirates when I
couldn't afford to spend anything； and yet you let me do it； you aided
and abetted their diabolical plan； and you even got me to get up that
damned speech to make the thing still more ridiculous。'
〃Of course Dan felt terribly； and tried to defend himself by saying that
they were really going to present him with a fine pipea genuine one；
this time。 But Sam at first refused to be comforted； and when； a few
days later； I went in with the pipe and said； 'Sam； here's the pipe the
boys meant to give you all the time；' and tried to apologize； he looked
around a little coldly； and said：
〃'Is that another of those bogus old pipes？'
〃He accepted it； though； and general peace was restored。 One day； soon
after； he said to me：
〃'Steve； do you know that I think that that bogus pipe smokes about as
well as the good one？'〃
Many years later （this was in his home at Hartford； and Joe Goodman was
present） Mark Twain one day came upon the old imitation pipe。
〃Joe；〃 he said； 〃that was a cruel； cruel trick the boys played on me；
but； for the feeling I had during the moment when they presented me with
that pipe and when Charlie Pope was making his speech and I was making my
reply to itfor the mem