The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-06-20
HE WAS -sMoKnp our.
True story Of why Marx Twain oui,
the River.


True story Of why Mark Twain Quit
the River
what Car5ed Mark Twain to Leave
tle River. or Why a Great Humorist
( Did Not Become a Second Jim Bludso."
| Is one OF the books that has never been
written by Samuel l.. Clemens or any
one else. So far as known the story
has never appeared in print, although
/ It is vouched for by several Of the old
river men who have the yarn-spinnlng
habit.
/ According to these authorities Mark
Twain never became a full-fedged pilot
and never stood a night watch alone.
In other words, while ne had a pilots
/ license, his mastery OF the great river
craft on which he rode was almost al
ways limited by the understanding that
an older and more experienced head
was within easy call Ihis was no dis
credit to the young pilot.
On the occasion in question. Il mat
ters not what the year or boat. the
steamer to which young Clemens was
attached as cub pilot was bound up
stream with heavy cargo of cotton.
At the officers table the first day out
from Natchez. Miss. the talk turned
upon what to do In sudden emergencies
and especially in case of fire on a
steamer loaded with cotton. The mat
ter was discussed In all its bearings,
each of these present giving his ideas
upon the subject Mark Twain, like
most of the Others held to the notion
that It was the pilots duty in such an
emergency to emulate the now famous
Jim Bludso and hold her nozzle to the
bank till the last galoots ashore
Among those at the Ia ae was the
assistant engineer a young man whose
experience Of life had taught him TO
doubt the ability of human nature 10
carry out the projects of it's more
boastful moments. He went below at
the same time Mark Twain went aloft,
but the two Continued 70 think OF the
I conversation Just closed. The more
the engineer thought about II the less
credit he was disposed TO give TO the
cub pilots scheme.
As every one knows. the pilot house
and engine room of steamboat are
connected, not only with bells for
signaling, but with a speaking tube
through which the important function
aries who operate above and below can
discuss the weather and politics In
their spare moments. The mouth Of
the tube at the upper end is but little
larger than the human mouth, but In
the engine room II has the shape of a
/ funnel as big as half-bushel measure.
While the assistant engineer was pom
dering the emergency question he was
also wiping off a portion OF the ma
chinery with bunch of cottCl waste
and as he reached the mouth of the
speaking tube Il was the work of but a
moment to touch match TO the in
4 flammable material in his hand and
thrust it far into the tube.
/ No one saw the act but everybody
4 on board heard from IL in about a
mir a. Mark Twain, alone In the pilot
4 house and still pondering the dire
( things he had heard from the older
/ hands about the horrors of burning
/ steamboats, especially when they hap
/ pened to be loaded with cotton, was
/ horrified to see smoke pouring from his
end of the speaking tube. There was
\ but one thought in his mind. The boat
WAS on fire. Dropping the wheel,
which spun around and around as II
left his hand, he grasped the rope by
which the big bell was sounded and be-
gan pulling like a sexton, at the same
I time raising his voice in cry OF
Fire" Fire. "The boats afire!"
Here the officers OF the boat and the
passengers are said to have found him
after hurriedly ascertaining that the
alarm was false, still valorously deter
mined TO save the ship" The boat,
relieved OF the rudders guidance, had
in the meanwhile swung around In the
current and dashed full speed on a
sand bar, from which II required half a
day to drag ner. Ana Mark Twain,
having lost his nerve left the river
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.