The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-10

One Of the best known and most high
ly respected citizens of this capital of
Audrain county is Capt. ]. w. Bryan, who
resides with his family in a delightful
home on West Monroe street, says the
Mexico (Mo) correspondent of the St.
Louis GIObe-Democrat. The latter part
of the above statement, however, is some
what misleading, for Capt Brown spends
but little Of his time here; the greater
part of it by far is spent upon the Mis-
sissippi river, The seasons passed upon
the river which he best loves to think of
and talk over are those good old days
"befo de wah," when cotton was king
and the Mississippi was the kings high
way. 1t was during this ''gilded age" of
the rivers history that Capt. Bryan met
and formed a warm friendship for his
brother pilot, then known only to the
profession, and to that as young Sam
Clemens" the cub pilot
1T was in 1885 he said, that / first
met Sam Clemens. was pilot upon the
Fl. r. w. Hill. which was then engaged
in the cotton trade between Memphis and
New Orleans. Sam was quite a young
man and had been upon the river but
comparatively short time. He was at this
time learning the river on the Edward ].
Gay, Capt. Bart Bowen, pilot, who had
come from Clemens old home Hannibal.
published article appeared, and il came
about in this wise: Capt. Sellers was the
pilot of the William NJ Morrison, hand
some boat running between ST. Louis and
eW Orleans, named after a prominent
st. Louis merchant, and commanded by
Capt John N. Bofnger. Capt. Sellers was
an elegant old gentleman, possessed of a
vast number of interesting incidents con-
corning early navigation upon the river,
and could relate them well. These quail
ties caused him TO be much sought after
by reporters for ST. Louis and New Or
leans papers, and thus it was that his
name often appeared in print without his
seeking or desire. The frequent appear
ance, however, in the papers of Sellers
name and stories became standing joke
with the river men, and Clemens had been
one of the craft but a short time until he
was made acquainted with it.
''On one of the Gays trips down the riv-
er Clemens showed Capt Bowen an article
scribbled off for his own amusement,
which was take-off on the Sellers inter
views. The piece purported to be the los
of a steamboat Clemens dubbed the Jubi-
lee on a trip made in the sixteenth CEN
fury from st. Louis to New Orleans. 1t
was extremely ludicrous and amusing to
any one, but its humor could best be I'M
derstood and appreciated by one having. an
intimate knowledge of the river, as it prin-
clpally consisted in tremendous exaggera-
tons and impossible statements relative
to well-know facts concerning the navi-
cation of the Mississippi
capt. Bowen was so struck with the
humor of the article that without stop
ping to consider that it might wound Capt.
Sellers feelings if it appeared in print, he
| urged Clemens to allow him to have it
published. This Clemens finally consent
ed to do, and when the Edward j. Gay
reached its destination the article was
handed over 10 a New Orleans Crescent
reporter and duly made it's appearance in
that paper 1t was at once recognized as
a burlesque of the Sellers narratives and
caused much amusement among all IA
miliar with them OF course, Capt. Sellers
saw the article, and, as he was very SEN
sitive, it distressed him greatly. Clemens
| had signed the article 'Sergt. Fathom,
| and so it was not generally known that
he was the author of it. Capt Bowen as
| sumed the full responsibility of it's pubica-
| ton and apologized 20 Capt. Sellers for it.
| At this time Clemens did not know Sellers,
| but later became acquainted with him and
| learned TO admire him greatly.
Long after this, when one day Sam and
! l were discussing the incident, he told me
| that there was no act Of his life that he
regretted more deeply than The allowing
| of the publicatio of this article and the
! consequent wounding of Capt Sellers
! feelings. This is the correct history of
| Mark Twain's first published article, and
| is, think, the first time the story has ever
! appeared in print"