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Mark Twain in German-Language Newspapers and Periodicals

Hayes, Lucy Webb | Testimonial album

In 1880, the "Woman's Christian Working Association" of Ottawa, IL decided to compile an album to present to Lucy Hayes, the wife of Rutherford B. Hayes who was then President of the USA. The gift was intended to honour Lucy Hayes commitment to the political cause of temperance.
Reputable personalities were asked to contribute autographs, short inscriptions, letters, and post cards. These thousands of pages were then leather bound and the resulting six volumes were supposed to be presented to Lucy Hayes in February 1881.
Due to some organisational delays during the production of the album and the attempted assassination of the newly elected President James A. Garfield in July 1881, plans for a formal presentation of the gift - accompanied by several speeches - were abandoned. Eventually, the album was sent to Lucy Hayes without any formal proceedings in August 1881.

Sources:
Geer, Emily Apt. "Lucy Webb Hayes and Her Influence Upon Her Era." Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum.
Scott, George Tressler. “Illinois’ Testimonial to Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes.” Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society (1908-1984), vol. 46, no. 1, 1953, pp. 71–78. JSTOR.

This page is referenced by:

[Temperance Movement comments on MT] | 21 June 1881

Luxemburger gazette. [volume] (Dubuque, Iowa), 21 June 1881. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84027101/1881-06-21/ed-1/seq-6/ >

Transcription	English Translation
Die Temperenzlerinnen in Illinois sind wütend auf den Humoristen Mark Twain. Sie hatten ihn eingeladen, in das Autographen-Album, welches sie der Expräsidentin Hayes zum Lohn für ihre im Weißen Hause getriebene Wassersimpelei verehren, auch etwas hineinzuschreiben. Natürlich hatten sie gehofft, er werde nichts schreiben, was irgendwie gegen Zweck, Absicht und Geist des Geschenkes verstoße. Aber jetzt stellt es sich heraus, daß er folgendes hineingeschrieben hat: „Vollständige Enthaltsamkeit ist eine so ausgezeichnete Sache, daß sie nie zu weit getrieben werden kann. In meiner Leidenschaft für sie gehe ich so weit, daß ich mich sogar vollständig enthalte - der Enthaltsamkeit.“	The temperance women of Illinois are furious with the humorist Mark Twain. They had invited him to write something in the autograph album they were presenting to ex-president Hayes as a reward for her White House [activities?]. Of course, they had hoped he would not write anything that would somehow violate the purpose, intent and spirit of the gift. But now it turns out that he wrote the following: “Complete abstinence is such an excellent thing that it can never be carried too far. In my passion for it, I go so far as to abstain even completely - from abstinence.”

Transcription

English Translation

Die Temperenzlerinnen in Illinois sind wütend auf den Humoristen Mark Twain. Sie hatten ihn eingeladen, in das Autographen-Album, welches sie der Expräsidentin Hayes zum Lohn für ihre im Weißen Hause getriebene Wassersimpelei verehren, auch etwas hineinzuschreiben. Natürlich hatten sie gehofft, er werde nichts schreiben, was irgendwie gegen Zweck, Absicht und Geist des Geschenkes verstoße. Aber jetzt stellt es sich heraus, daß er folgendes hineingeschrieben hat: „Vollständige Enthaltsamkeit ist eine so ausgezeichnete Sache, daß sie nie zu weit getrieben werden kann. In meiner Leidenschaft für sie gehe ich so weit, daß ich mich sogar vollständig enthalte - der Enthaltsamkeit.“

The temperance women of Illinois are furious with the humorist Mark Twain. They had invited him to write something in the autograph album they were presenting to ex-president Hayes as a reward for her White House [activities?]. Of course, they had hoped he would not write anything that would somehow violate the purpose, intent and spirit of the gift. But now it turns out that he wrote the following: “Complete abstinence is such an excellent thing that it can never be carried too far. In my passion for it, I go so far as to abstain even completely - from abstinence.”