hat would be just the pipe for Sam. We went in and
bought it, also a very much longer stem. I think the stem alone cost
three dollars. Then we had a little German-silver plate engraved with
Mark's name on it and by whom presented, and made preparations for the
presentation. Charlie Pope--[afterward proprietor of Pope's Theater, St.
Louis]--was playing at the Opera House at the time, and we engaged him
to make the presentation speech.

"Then we let in Dan de Quille, Mark's closest friend, to act the part of
Judas--to tell Mark privately that he, was going to be presented with a
fine pipe, so that he could have a speech prepared in reply to Pope's.
It was awful low-down in Dan. We arranged to have the affair come off in
the saloon beneath the Opera House after the play was over.

"Everything went off handsomely; but it was a pretty remorseful
occasion, and some of us had a hang-dog look; for Sam took it in such
sincerity, and had prepared one of the most beautiful speeches I ever
heard him make. Pope's presentation, too, was beautifully done. He told
Sam how his friends all loved him, and that this pipe, purchased at so
great an expense, was but a small token of their affection. But Sam's
reply, which was supposed to be impromptu, actually brought the tears to
the eyes of some of us, and he was interrupted every other minute with
applause. I never felt so sorry for anybody.

"Still, we were bent on seeing the thing through. After Sam's speech was
finished, he ordered expensive wines--champagne and sparkling Moselle.
Then we went out to do the town, and kept things going until morning to
drown our sorrow.

"Well, next day, of course, he started in to color the pipe. It wouldn't
color any more than a piece of chalk, which was about all it was. Sam
would smoke and smoke, and complain that it didn't seem to taste right,
and that it wouldn't color. Finally Denis said to him one day:

"'Oh, Sam, don't you know that's just a damned old egg-shell, and that
the boys bought it for a dollar and a half and presented you with it for
a joke?'

"Then Sam was furious, and we laid the whole thing on Dan de Quille. He
had a thunder-cloud on his face when he started up for the Local Room,
where Dan was. He went in and closed the door behind him, and locked
it, and put the key in his pocket--an awful sign. Dan was there alone,
writing at his table.

"Sam said, 'Dan, did you know, when you invited me to make that speech,
that those fe