Albert Bigelow Paine

“ When the great ones of the world came to visit America's most picturesque literary figure, she gave welcome to them, and filled her place at his side with such sweet grace that those who came to pay their dues to him often returned to pay still greater devotion to his companion. ”

“ No distinguished person came to America that did not pay a visit to Hartford and Mark Twain. Generally it was not merely a call, but a stay of days. The welcome was always genuine, the entertainment unstinted. ”

“ There were always visitors in the Clemens home. Above the mantel in the library was written: "The ornament of a house is the friends that frequent it" and the Clemens home never lacked of those ornaments, and they were of the world's best. ”