The Paducah evening sun., 1910-04-22

be hanged is surely safe in the
water"
Stricken with a sudden ft OF in
herited wanderlust, young Clemens
disappeared from Hannibal in 1853.
BY this time he was accounted a fit
itinerant typesetter. By dint OF hard
work and the saving OF money for
travelling expenses he saw the
worlds fair at New York and visited
all the eastern cities, but was finally
compelled. by financial stress, to seek
cover near home.
At Keokuk ne apprenticed him
self to Capt. Bixby 10 learn the In
finite mysteries OF steamboat pilot
ing Those were the days when the
wheelmen OF Mississippi river packets
we're accounted princes. Their dress
was at once the Joy and perplexity
of the river towns. They carried
guns and fought their way by a sing.
ular code OF honor up and down the
mystic river, famed Tor its caprlcious
habit OF changing beds over night
In tom Sawyer" "Huckleberry
Finn. {" "Puddin Head Wilson" and
Life on the Mississippi" which
came from his pen in later years
every incident OF this vanishing es-
tate Is dwelt upon lovingly.
The Civil War.
In the midst Of this phase OF his
career the Civil war was declared
and, born of slave-holding parents,
the youth piloted his boat througi'
the blockades to the north and Joined
the Confederate army This army
experience lasted two weeks, when
he resigned, assigning the cause to
'incapacity by fatigue through per-
siStent retreating."
Returning 20 Hannibal he Joined
his brother. Orion, who had accepted
the appointment as first secretary OF
the new territory OF Nevada. Samuel
accepted the private secretaryship.
which his brother explained was "a
good job. with nothing TO do and no
salary"
At Virginia City young Clemens
amused hlmseh by writing letters to
the Virginia City Territorial Enter
prise. and was finally engaged as leg
islative correspondent at Carson
lCIty. To these letters he first signed
the name MARX Twain" which he
adopted from the cid Mississippi
river term for a two-fathom sound
ling.
One OF his barbed literary shafts
struck a vital spot in the emotions
of Editor Laird, OF the Virginia
Union. The latter proposed a duel
as a salve to his honor. Colts re-
volvers being the only available
weapons, Twain sought out the pro
posed dueling grounds for practice.
depending an enormous amount OF
ammunition and hitting everything
but the mark. At the appointed
hour OF the meeting Mark was TAX
ing a last practice shot when a luck
less bird collided with random
bullet. Laird. from afar off. saw
the decapitated bird in its fall to the
ground, and lost no time making the
apologies necessary to the abandon
ment OF the duel.
The authorities. however, were not
satisfied. and determined to make an
example Of those who broke the law
forbidding the acceptance OF a duel
challenge. AS result, Mark Twain
and the conspirators were hustled
across the border into California.
firing OF his berth as city editor
of the San Francisco Call, Mark
Twain penetrated the Sierras in
search Of gold, but being inapt as
prospector, he sailed for Hawaii as
correspondent of the Sacramento
Union. arriving just in time TO re
port the sensational burning OF the
clipper Hornet, which was his hrst
lreal scoop"
After a slx-month stay he re-
turned to California and Joined tne
Quaker City EXCURSION to the Holy