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Around Adair: It must have happened in Columbia Big thanks to Jacob Cowan for transcribing this Around Adair, which includes one of Dad's favorite topics, Columbia's claim to famed writer Mark Twain. His theory was based almost entirely on a single sentence in an out of print Jane Clemens biography, which he spun into a bit of local mythology over the years. Mention of the Dogwood Project would date this column in Fall 1977 or Spring 1978. --Pen By Ed Waggener Billy Beer hit Columbia over the weekend, from at least two directions. Real Democrats drank it, sang "Happy Days Are Here Again," and threatened to throw the cans on big Republicans' doorsteps. This is one area where Republicans just don't compete. Looks like they'd at least get a good pop wine. Another one for the Dogwood Project We now have pledges to buy at least 327 dogwoods. The latest to be added to the list is Don Moss of State Form Insurance, who is pledging not dogwoods, but money to buy dogwoods. He's putting up $50, and I'm counting that as 25 trees, but it could be as high as 100. And Mayrine Rogers' is committing to buy 50 trees. Others donating or buying trees so far are Mary Sullivan, Delaval, Fay McKinley, Dr. George Webb, Ed Waggener, Cora Young, and James Brock. Master chart in Statesman office The master chart of those joining the Dogwood Project is in Mrs. Marie Finn's office at the Statesman. Those wishing to join the Dogwood Project should call Mrs. Finn, or Ralph Waggener, the project coordinator, and have their names added. The dogwoods will make a fine tribute to a living friend or memorial to those who are gone. A good place to give tickets It happened some time ago, and I won't say whether the officer is still on the force or not, but it is true that a newly-appointed, at the time, police officer ticketed every car in the lot that is now the new Farm Bureau building. The lot is private property and was then leased by Firestone. It caused quite a few embarrassing moments for the police force before the matter was straightened out. A line I'm interested in expands Dennis Womack, an artistic young man, has joined forces with Bobby Morrison Sign Company. Morrison, plant manager at Oshkosh, and a local civic and church leader, said that the growing sign company was just taking too much of his time. I'm always happy to see growth in the graphic arts field in Columbia, and especially to see talented people such as Womack get a change like this. Sigh graphics are very important to a community. I think we owe a great deal to the legacy left by the late Charles Garnett in this sector. Garnett's signs were all professional and tasteful. Nothing detracts more from a community than garish or poorly lettered signs. On the other hand, simple raised letter sighs, such as the ones on Dr. Loy's clinic or the Lany Bray shop, and tastefully lettered painted sighs, distinguish communities where the aesthetic is appreciated. I've been told the truth on Mark Twain's conception I have long advocated an outdoor drama for Columbia. Edith Walker did write a skit, "Affair at Tucker's Station," which had plenty of action with Indian and early settlers battling, and it might could be expanded to compete with "The Stephen Foster Story" at Bardstown. But the most significant historical event here would probably center around Mark Twain. For a long time, I have believed that Mark Twain was conceived here. No one has stepped forward, among the historical groups to point out the facts to me; and so far, no budding playwright has ventured to produce a play based on this fact, It was written in 1964 My wife Linda found the proof in the book, Jane CLEMENS, the Story of Mark Twain's Mother, By Rachel M. Varble, (Douubleday, 1964 374 pp.) The book tells about a separation of Jane and John Clemens in Tennessee and a subsequent reunion in Columbia in the year 1835. The little boy was born later that year, in Missouri, and was named "Samuel Langhorne Clemens." But in the book, on page 120, when Jane is first confiding the fact that she was expecting a child, she told Patsy Quarles, in answer to the delicate question, "Do you mean----?", said, "Yes, I think so. It must have happened in Columbia." I had read the book, but hadn't noticed it I had read the book before but hadn't noticed this. In fact, I believe there may be one person in Columbia historical circles who denies that the facts are straight in the book. I will accept what Rachel Varble said. The book she wrote about Jane Clemens is the closest thing we now have to a history of Columbia. I hope that when N.M. Berley's histories are published this won't be so, but for now, the Varble book tells more about Columbia past than any previously published book. Its out of print, I'm told Bill Walker of Walker's Florist says that he does not have any more of the books and that they are out of print. That is regrettable, because there is now a renewed interest in things of Columbia past. No details given about it There's not a great deal of detail about the facts surrounding the conception of Mark Twain, but in this community, we would never be too explicit about such matters. It just says, "One night they slipped away alone and walked the uneven streets of the mellow village by moonlight, pausing at their first home (the John Field House, at the corner of Fortune and Reed Streets, Columbia, now owned by Edith Walker-my note, Ed.) and noting the lilac tree where they had kissed on becoming engaged." Now this is enough. We can leave the rest to imagination. There could be a curtain fall, and appropriate music, but nothing so vulgar as the stuff played on some out-of-town radio stations today. The drama could be named, "It happened in Columbia, "unless the great Columbia titlist, Dr. W.S. Aaron, could come up with a better one. And he always does. The house has many ghosts Edith's house has many ghosts. Linda says that she first read that it happened in Columbia in the book, but we've been staying in the Walker house a great deal while Edith is in Lexington going to school, and I always suspect that the roots of the old lilac tree had a bigger story to tell and told Linda. However, that is their secret. I wish they hadn't left town I wish the Clemens' could have seen it to stay in Columbia. Not because I'm jealous of Missouri because Mark Twain is most usually associated with the state. But I think that Jane Clemens would have sparked a spunkier line of stand-up-for-themselves women. On page 114 of the book, she is described as her own person. "Mrs. Clemens had her own status," Rachel Varble writes. "Though yoked to the impressive young squire, she was not his adjunct." I had to think about the election day. A county full of the prettiest and brightest women on earth here, and not a one of them standing for office. What a shame. This story was posted on 2019-08-04 08:32:14
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