Tag Archives: Mark Twain

“After” Jenkins, by Mark Twain

Mark Twain portraitI always enjoy Mark Twain’s short stories. He seems to have a thing about glass eyes, and I think it’s hilarious.

Today, I give you the piece “After” Jenkins, which recounts the dress of ladies at a ball, parodying newspaper society columns:

A grand affair of a ball–the Pioneers’–came off at the Occidental some time ago. The following notes of the costumes worn by the belles of the occasion may not be uninteresting to the general reader, and Jerkins may get an idea therefrom:

Mrs. W. M. was attired in an elegant ‘pate de foie gras,’ made expressly for her, and was greatly admired. Miss S. had her hair done up. She was the center of attraction for the envy of all the ladies. Mrs. G. W. was tastefully dressed in a ‘tout ensemble,’ and was greeted with deafening applause wherever she went. Mrs. C. N. was superbly arrayed in white kid gloves. Her modest and engaging manner accorded well with the unpretending simplicity of her costume and caused her to be regarded with absorbing interest by every one.

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