April – Vol. 1, No.1 , p.6-7 of The Globe, a literary magazine in Buffalo, N.Y. published by E.L. Cornwell, ran an article just short of two pages, “Mark Twain as a Buffalo Editor” that was rather critical of Sam’s time in that city, some three years before.
Mr. Clemens, as an Editor of the Express, ever maintained the most rigid views of the power and importance of the Press and was scrupulous of its purity and dignity. He seldom put a word into an article without first knowing and meaning just what that word expressed. And the readers were also certain of getting his honest convictions most plainly worded. In his spicy saluatory which appeared in the Express on the morning of the 21st of August, 1869, was the following, which when divested of its careless jesting, indicates as clearly as possible Mark Twain’s journalistic platform. We quote: [Here the Globe inserted Sam’s “Saluatory” from the date given—see entry for an excerpt.]
The first two months of Mr. Clemens editorial career in Buffalo were indeed busy ones. From eight o’clock in the morning until ten, eleven and sometimes twelve o’clock at night he sat at his desk poring over exchanges, penning witty paragraphs, exchanging frequent remarks with his associate and writing brief editorials. This was in the summer, be it remembered, and the humorist editor was a picture and a study in himself. Coatless, sometimes vestless, he lolled in his chair with one shoeless foot on the table and the other in the wastebasket. His collar, cuffs and tie were strewn on the floor with the papers, and his hat lay just where it happened to fall when brushed off the back of his head. But he was a worker, and doubtless at the present time the subscribers of the Express bear in delightful remembrance the fresh, agreeable editorial paragraphs that bore, so unmistakably, the stamp of Twain’s matchless sarcasm and humor.
No man detested loafers more than Mr. Clemens, and assuredly no man could be more pitiless in his treatment of bores. He was vigorous in his denunciation of that class of people who aimlessly and impudently intrude their constant presence in the editorial room. One incident will, perhaps, bear relating, showing how he once rebuked a party of undesired visitors. Arriving at his office one evening about half past eight he found it full of men—all strangers to him. They had apparently taken full possession of the room. Some were smoking and some had their feet upon the table and every chair in the room was occupied. With a look of disgust Mr. Clemens hesitated for a moment in the doorway and then in his peculiar drawling way, said:
“Is this the editorial room of the Express?”
“Yes sir!” promptly chorused the assemblage.
“H—m! Is it customary for the editors to sit down?” questioned the humorist.
“Yes,” “certainly,” “to be sure,” were the replies returned by the puzzled smokers. “Why do you ask?” said one of them.
“Because,” slowly enunciated Mr. Clemens, “I am one of the editors of the Express, and it occurred to me that I ought to have a seat!!”
In an instant every chair was vacated and the men, somewhat abashed, attempted to laugh the matter off by saying “Ah! Mr. Clemens, that was neat,” “witty as ever.” Etc., etc., but there was something in the joker’s eye that quickly told them he was in no joking frame of mind at that moment. After that, loungers were rather shy of Mark Twain [eBay item 200338937023 purchased on May 11, 2009; not in Tenney].
Note: this obscure source should be compared with the account of the same event by Express reporter Earl D. Berry in McCullough’s Mark Twain at the Buffalo Express, p. xx. In Berry’s account this all took place on the day Sam first arrived for work, or Aug. 15, 1869. See also Reigstadt’s recent work, Scribblin’ For a Livin’ 30-31.