Perhaps the paper thought that Mark Twain was entitled—­as he himself once humorously suggested-to the “thanks of Congress” for having come home alive and out of debt, but it is just as well that nothing of the sort was ever seriously considered.  The thanks of the public at large contained more substance, and was a tribute much more to his mind.  The paper above quoted ended by suggesting a very large dinner and memorial of welcome as being more in keeping with the republican idea and the American expression of good-will.

But this was an unneeded suggestion.  If he had eaten all the dinners proposed he would not have lived to enjoy his public honors a month.  As it was, he accepted many more dinners than he could eat, and presently fell into the habit of arriving when the banqueting was about over and the after-dinner speaking about to begin.  Even so the strain told on him.

“His friends saw that he was wearing himself out,” says Howells, and perhaps this was true, for he grew thin and pale and contracted a hacking cough.  He did not spare himself as often as he should have done.  Once to Richard Watson Gilder he sent this line of regrets: 

In bed with a chest cold and other company—­Wednesday.  Dear Gilder,—­I can’t.  If I were a well man I could explain with this pencil, but in the cir—–­ces I will leave it all to your imagination.

    Was it Grady who killed himself trying to do all the dining and
    speeching?

    No, old man, no, no!  Ever yours, mark.

He became again the guest of honor at the Lotos Club, which had dined him so lavishly seven years before, just previous to his financial collapse.  That former dinner had been a distinguished occasion, but never before had the Lotos Club been so brimming with eager hospitality as on the second great occasion.  In closing his introductory speech President Frank Lawrence said, “We hail him as one who has borne great burdens with manliness and courage, who has emerged from great struggles victorious,” and the assembled diners roared out their applause.  Clemens in his reply said: 

Your president has referred to certain burdens which I was weighted with.  I am glad he did, as it gives me an opportunity which I wanted—­to speak of those debts.  You all knew what he meant when he referred to it, & of the poor bankrupt firm of C. L. Webster & Co.  No one has said a word about those creditors.  There were ninety-six creditors in all, & not by a finger’s weight did ninety-five out of the ninety-six add to the burden of that time.  They treated me well; they treated me handsomely.  I never knew I owed them anything; not a sign came from them.

It was like him to make that public acknowledgment.  He could not let an unfair impression remain that any man or any set of men had laid an unnecessary burden upon him-his sense of justice would not consent to it.  He also spoke on that occasion of certain national changes.