The Detroit times., 1910-04-22


loyertools the parents on the wagon
I mad 10 Hannibal and reminded them
ia no IunVertaln terms OF theN conse-
louences OF such carelessness 10
Knows but this incident was I nc tu, ,n
ftnEuence that Nset In motion That re-
morseiess pendulum OF Fate?
| The father served Tor some years as
masistrate in Hannibal. was elected
cotIntv fudge but died in lS4s without
assuming Office His death marked the
end of the youths systematic educa-
ton which had previously been indf-
! ferent owing 10 his uncertain health.
4 A brothers print shop became his
= high school Al intervals. shortly az
tef he was ~ years old. he edited tile
little newspaper 10 the amazement OF
the subscribers and the discontinue OF
the elder. brother whose responslblilty
complaints against the personal jour
nalism" OF the juvenile.
Time and again in leisure hours the
boy was fished out OF the river almost
drowned. but the fond mother, out or
her utter confidence in his future.
would remark each time. 1T is no mat
| ter. One who Is born 10 be hanged Is
| surely safe In the water.
Stricken with a sudden nj or inherit
ed wandeTlust. young Clemens disap-
peared from Hannibal I'm 1883. by
this time he was ACCOUNTED M timer
ant tvpesetter. BY dint OF hard work
and the saving OF money Tor travehng
EXPENSES he saw the worlds fair al
New York and visited all the eastern
cities. but was finally compelled. by
I financial stress, to seek eeNtf-AeAf
home. .
AT Keokuk he spprenticed himself
10 Capt. Bixby 10 learn the Infinite
mysteries OF steamboat plotting Those
were the days when the wltelmen or
ed princes. Their dress was at once the
Joy and perpieXity OF the river towns.
They carried guns and f u, Sono rhs np
and down the mystic river. famed Tor
it's capricious habit OF changinItEf 9 ,sin
over night In ,rom SsTIy eai wi qS,s
and Life on the Mississippi. whlen
came from his pen In later years, every
incident 81 this vanishing estate Is
In the midst OF this phase OF his ca
reer the civil war was declared. and,
born of slave, holding paISn,sS Inc Inc
blockades 10 the north and Joined the
confederate army. TINS army SApera
cnce lasted two weeks when ne re
sigad assigning the cause TO lncapa-
city by fatigue through persistent re-
treating. , -.
brother Orion. who had accepted the
| appoIntment as first secretary OF the
new territory Of Nevada. samuel ac-
cepted the private secretaryshlp, WIZ ~,
his brother explained was a goou Jop'
| with nothing to do and no salary.
At Virginia city young Clemens
amused himself by writing letters 10
and was finally engaged as iegislatiVe
correspondent at Carson City. To these
letters he first signed the name marx
| Twain" which he adopted from the
old Mississippi; river term for a two
| fathom sounding,
one OF his barbed literary shafts
I struck a "A vital SPOT in the emotions
| OF Editor Laird. OF the Virginia Union
| The latter proposed duel as a salVe
| 10 his honor. colts receivers being me
| only available weapons. twain souEht
out he proposed dueling grounds Tor
! practice expending an enormous
amount OF ammunition and hitting
everything but the mark. Al the APP
pointed hour OF the meeting Mark was
taking last practice shot when
luckIess bird collided with random
decapitated bird in it's fan TO the
ground, and lost no time making the
apologies necessary TO the abandon
The authorities. however were not
satisfied and determined TO make an
example OF those who broke the law
forbiddng the acceptance OF a duel
and the conspirators were hustIeu
across the border into California
the san Francisco CaIl. Mark Twain
penetrated the Sierras In search or soid.
put being inapt as prospector' ne
sailed for Hawaii as correspondent %
in time TO report the sensational BURN
ing OF the clipper Hornet, which was
his first real scoop.
After six-months' stay he returned
20 California and Joined the Quaker
CITY excursion 20 the Holy Land as
REPRESENTATIVE OF Alta. California on
this. one of the first personally-coh-
Quoted world tours. Mark Twain oo-
tanned the material which FOUND IT,
way into "Innocents Abroad his hrst
real introduction to the world OF iiLe,;
ature Another fateful influence upon
his life was furnished by the quaker
CITY excursion through his meeting
Miss olivia l.. Langdon. OF Elmira, y;
Y In 1870 they were married ana
throughout one of the most ideai ni hai
tai relationships recorded in history
four children were born TO them Lang
don "A son. came in 1870 and dieu IN
'1S72 Susan olivia. born in the latter
year. lived to be 2i-long enouen 70 10
develop extraordinary mental powers
and strength or character. TWO other
daughters. Clara and Jean. were born
i'm 1874 and 1880 respectively: jean
died Of epilepsy In her BAN os oss, ge Ga.
brilowitsch the Russian pianist.
At the outset of his career as a man
Of family. Mark Twain acquired an IN
terest In the Buffalo Express, but soon
retired to the more remuneratiNe neld
OF free lance literary efforts
Henceforth Mark Twain added stead
ily 10 his international literary fame:
His important works and their date OF
ap !tRoushing IT," in 1871; "Glided Age"
i'm is7S: tom SAWYER" In 1876;
sketches" in 1877: Tramp. Abroad
in 1880; Prince and Pauper,' in 1899
Life on the Mississippi" in lsSs
Of Humor in 1888: "A Yankee in
Kirg Arthur's Court" in 1899.
He founded the publishing hrm OF
Chas l. Webster & Co. In 1884: which
was disastrous undertaking. Through
The business depression OF 1894 the