Do You Believe in Magic?

Submitted by scott on Sat, 08/30/2014 - 09:52

(I love that song) There has been an interesting and fundamental discussion on the Anthro-L listserv email list recently. Again, it is epistemology. Do you "believe in" evolution? Do you "believe in" gravity? What it comes down to is the willingness to "act as if" [evolution|gravity|etc] is true, just as it seems necessary to act as if you have faith to have faith. A good illustration is the electron. No one has actually seen an electron, you know, with their own eyes except perhaps with the help of some psychoactive substance.

Following the Equator: Chapter II

Submitted by scott on Tue, 08/26/2014 - 18:53
An Awkward Pause

Anecdotes and stories to fill the time at sea. The Boomerang - truth or a lie, A Brahman's memory, U.S. Grant's memory, and a story with no satisfactory conclusion.  About four days out from Victoria we plunged into hot weather, and all the male passengers put on white linen clothes. One or two days later we crossed the 25th parallel of north latitude, and then, by order, the officers of the ship laid away their blue uniforms and came out in white linen ones. All the ladies were in white by this time.

Spokane, Washington

Submitted by scott on Sun, 08/24/2014 - 12:15

Mark Twain's party arrive August 7, 1895 and stayed at the Spokane House. He lectured to a small crowd at the New Opera House. Neither he nor the house owner were pleased with the turn out but Maj. Pond noted "where he expected the people to come from I don't know." (MTDBD)  

Review: http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/onstage/wrldtr10.html The Spokane Spokesman-Review August 8, 1895  

Interview:  Spokane Encounter with an Interviewer  

Tacoma, Washington

Submitted by scott on Sun, 08/24/2014 - 13:06

August 8, 1895. Mark Twain and his party arrived at 5:00pm and stayed at The Tacoma. (MTDBD)  

Returned to Tacoma August 11, 1895. On August 12, lectured at the Tacoma Opera House and attended a reception by the Tacoma Press Club.  

Review:  http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/onstage/wrldtr3.html Tacoma Daily News August 13, 1895  

Interview: http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/onstage/mttalks4.html  Tacoma Encounter with an Interviewer  

Grand Marquam Theater, Portland, Oregon

Submitted by scott on Sun, 08/24/2014 - 13:13

Lectured August 9, 1895. This theater is reported to have been on the north side of Morrison, St between Sixth and Seventh (Broadway). He and Major Pond stayed at Hotel Portland which is reported to have been located at what is now Pioneer Courthouse Square, on the south side of Morrison St. (MTDBD) 

Review:  http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/onstage/wrldtr4.html The (Portland) Oregonian August 10, 1895  

Stillman House, Cleveland, OH

Submitted by scott on Wed, 08/20/2014 - 11:04

The Stillman (1884), located at Euclid Ave. and Erie St., was the first residential hotel east of E. 9th St. Google maps does not identify an Erie St but the Erie St Cemetery is nearby. Twain stayed here July 15 and 16 of 1895, lecturing at the Music Hall both days. I have found no reference to a music hall from this date, only a later one. The party departed July 17, 1895 aboard the Great Lakes steamer "Northland" for Sault Ste Marie. (MTDBD) 

Quarry Farm, Elmira, New York

Submitted by scott on Wed, 08/20/2014 - 00:12

Quarry Farm is located in Elmira, New York. In 1869, Jervis Langdon purchased it as a vacation home for his family. When he died the following year, it was inherited by his eldest daughter, Susan Langdon Crane, Mark Twain's sister-in-law. 

Twain and his family summered there for over twenty years. He wrote much of his work in an octagonal study built expressly for him about 200 yards (180 m) from the main house in 1874.  

Following the Equator: Chapter I

Submitted by scott on Tue, 08/19/2014 - 12:07
Head Piece

A man may have no bad habits and have worse. --Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar. 

The Clemens family leaves Paris for New York and the onset of Twains' most extensive lecture tour ever. He "had grown to hate lecturing" but if he was to settle his debts, it was necessary. Livy and Clara would accompany him on this trip. Suzy and Jean would remain with their aunt at Quarry Farm, near Elmira, New York. He would never see Suzy again.  

Following the Equator

Submitted by scott on Tue, 08/19/2014 - 11:53

Mark Twain was financially broke by 1894.  His publishing house, Charles L. Webster & Co., failed.  His pet project, the Paige typesetting machine, never functioned correctly.  His friend, Henry Huttleston Rogers, a vice president of Standard Oil and a stock market investor, took over control of Twain's finances.  Both Twain and Rogers thought it a good idea to pay off all debts.  Twain, because his honor demanded it and Rogers, because it was a good marketing angle.  A lecture tour around the world was planned.