A PUBLISHER'S JOKE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12481, 6 March 1909, Page 1

A PUBLISHER'S JOKE.

Reading where Mr Clemens (Mark Twain) lives in idyllic retirement, is laughing to-day at a practical joke at the expense of the celebrated humourist perpetrated by Mr Robert Collier, the publisher.' • . " Mr Collier wrote , the week before Christmas, offering to give Mark Twain an elephant. : Aghast at the prospect, but unwilling to offend the great publisher, Jie ordered his garage to be converted into quarters suitable for the great beast. A few days after came a load of nay, with the compliments of Mr Collier, who said that it was for the elephant. This was followed by a man who, introduced himself as irofessor May, a' professional elephant trainer, who ordered the garage floor to be'strengthened, so. as to bear the weight of the enormous peti The elephant arrived at night time. When Mark Twain the following morning, excitedly visited the garage he found it filled with a life-sized papier mache elephant. He declares the joke beats any he ever perpetrated himself. '