Mention has already been made of the political excitement in Vienna.
The trouble between the Hungarian and German legislative bodies
presently became violent. Clemens found himself intensely
interested, and was present in one of the galleries when it was
cleared by the police. All sorts of stories were circulated as to
what happened to him, one of which was cabled to America. A letter
to Twichell sets forth what really happened.
*****
To Rev. J. H. Twichell, in Hartford:
HOTEL METROPOLE,
VIENNA, Dec. 10, '97.
DEAR JOE,--Pond sends me a Cleveland paper with a cablegram from here in
it which says that when the police invaded the parliament and expelled
the 11 members I waved my handkerchief and shouted 'Hoch die Deutschen!'
and got hustled out. Oh dear, what a pity it is that one's adventures
never happen! When the Ordner (sergeant-at-arms) came up to our gallery
and was hurrying the people out, a friend tried to get leave for me to
stay, by saying, “But this gentleman is a foreigner--you don't need to
turn him out--he won't do any harm.”
“Oh, I know him very well--I recognize him by his pictures; and I should
be very glad to let him stay, but I haven't any choice, because of the
strictness of the orders.”
And so we all went out, and no one was hustled. Below, I ran across
the London Times correspondent, and he showed me the way into the
first gallery and I lost none of the show. The first gallery had not
misbehaved, and was not disturbed.
... We cannot persuade Livy to go out in society yet, but all the lovely
people come to see her; and Clara and I go to dinner parties, and around
here and there, and we all have a most hospitable good time. Jean's
woodcarving flourishes, and her other studies.
Good-bye Joe--and we all love all of you.