And on the first Founder’s Night, the 31st of December, 1888, he transferred it all to the association, a munificent gift; absolutely without parallel in its way.  The pleasure it gave to Booth during the few remaining years of his life was very great.  He made it his home.  Next to his own immediate family it was his chief interest, care, and consolation.  He nursed and petted it, as it nursed and petted and honored him.  He died in it.  And it is certainly his greatest monument.

There is no other club quite like The Players.  The personality of Edwin Booth pervades it, and there is a spirit in its atmosphere not found in other large clubs—­a spirit of unity, and ancient friendship, and mellowness which usually come only of small membership and long establishment.  Mark Twain was always fond of The Players, and more than once made it his home.  It is a true home, and its members are a genuine brotherhood.

It was in June, 1888, that Yale College conferred upon Samuel Clemens the degree of Master of Arts.  It was his first honor of this kind, and he was proud of it.  To Charles Hopkins ("Charley”) Clark, who had been appointed to apprise him of the honor, he wrote: 

I felt mighty proud of that degree; in fact I could squeeze the truth a little closer and say vain of it.  And why shouldn’t I be?  I am the only literary animal of my particular subspecies who has ever been given a degree by any college in any age of the world as far as I know.

To which Clark answered: 

    My dear friend, You are “the only literary animal of your particular
    subspecies” in existence, and you’ve no cause for humility in the
    fact.  Yale has done herself at least as much credit as she has done
    you, and “don’t you forget it.” 
                                C. H. C.

Clemens could not attend the alumni dinner, being at Elmira and unable to get away, but in an address he made at Yale College later in the year he thus freely expressed himself: 

I was sincerely proud and grateful to be made a Master of Arts by this great and venerable University, and I would have come last June to testify this feeling, as I do now testify it, but that the sudden and unexpected notice of the honor done me found me at a distance from home and unable to discharge that duty and enjoy that privilege.

Along at first, say for the first month or so, I, did not quite know hove to proceed because of my not knowing just what authorities and privileges belonged to the title which had been granted me, but after that I consulted some students of Trinity—­in Hartford—­and they made everything clear to me.  It was through them that I found out that my title made me head of the Governing Body of the University, and lodged in me very broad and severely responsible powers.

I was told that it would be necessary