MARK TWAIN IN THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC CHRONICLE
1865
[EDITOR'S NOTE: These items have not been previously republished elsewhere. They are included in this collection because of their potential to be the work of Clemens and are deserving of further research and consideration.]
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WHO GOT IT?
Gardner, the man who forged some certificates of stock and sold them, says he gave three of the certificates to three reporters of daily newspapers. The Call "don't believe" Gardner; the Bulletin says Gardner has probably "lied;" the Alta says the stock was given to one of two newspapers located in Clay street -- the Bulletin and Flag -- and plainly means the Bulletin; the Flag says the stock was given for a puff, and must have gone to the Alta, because that was the only daily in the city that puffed the great Cocos Island consolidated manure and diamond-hunting expedition. Who got the stock? Or rather, which paper was it that was left out in the cold? Only three certificates were given away, and there are four prominent daily papers -- consequently one of them was shamefully slighted. It couldn't have been the Alta, because the Alta would not take anything -- Oh! certainly not. It couldn't have been the Call, because the Call cannot even "believe" in such a state of things. It couldn't have been the Bulletin, because the Bulletin flatly insinuated that Gardner "lied." And it couldn't have been the virtuous Flag that was left out in cold, because the virtuous Flag would not stand it. Which paper was it that was so cruelly snubbed?
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OFFENSIVE PERSONALITIES
We have always objected to offensive personalities in the newspapers, and we consider them even more reprehensible in the pulpit. We regret to say that in his last Sunday evening's discourse on "The Skeptic," the reverend gentleman made some very objectionable personal allusions to our friend, the "Theologian of the Era" (though without mentioning him by name), which we feel it incumbent upon us to rebuke. According to the Call's report, Dr. Wadsworth said, among other things: "The man who rejects a theological truth, involving God's attribute of omnipotence, or any fact in the economy of the universe, simply because his intellect cannot grasp it, is predestined to be a fool, and he is making his calling and election sure." We think this is going quite too far; and could not blame our friend, the "Amateur," if he should call upon the Doctor for an apology.
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DISRESPECTFUL
We saw a couple of impudent, brazen faced lawyers laughing (in
a most insulting manner) yesterday, in a restaurant on Clay street, at the recent
reversal of a decision of the Supreme Court by the learned gentlemen of the
Alta. These pettifoggers evidently have not been brought up with a proper
respect for the omniscience of the press. Something ought to be done to them.
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[transcribed from microfilm]
