The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-04-22

Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Ameri-
cas- foremost humorist and known the
world over as Mark Twain. was born
in the little town of Hannibal. Mo-. on
November 80. 1888.
His father. John Marshall Clemens,
came from an old Virginia family and
with his young wife. Elizabeth Lamp
ton, descendant of the early settlers
OF Kentucky, he joined the sturdy
band of pioneers. who pushed west
over the Alleghanies in the early part
of the last century and settled along
the banks OF the Mississippi river.
In the uncouth environment OF the
then little frontier town, Hannibal. the
famous author spent his boyhood
days. Here he fished. hunted and
lounged along the river banks with
his sturdy companions. living q
healthy outdoor existence. which UNI
doubtedly accounted for his long life.
in the face OF his many Affections.
He attended the little school. but
not being of very arldious disposi-
ton, he learned far more from con-
tact with the rough companions whom
he immortalized in later years as
"Huckleberry Finn" and Tom Sawy-
err and others OF their type.
Brief Schooling Ends.
At the age OF twelve his meager
school education was brought to a
sudden close by the death Of his faith
err.
His older brother, Orion 8. Clemens,
was the proprietor of printing shop
in the village. and young Sam Glen.
ems began his journalistic career
there as a printers devil" In the
course of few years he learned the
trade as a compositor. and in 1853. he
left his native town and began q wan
dering existence. He journeyed from
place to place, working at his trade
in New York and the principal cities
of the Middle West.
But while he gained vast amount
OF experience during his travels
which proved of the greatest value in
the preparation OF some of his works
in later years. this period was rather
| Improbable, from financial stand
point, and he was finally compelled tt
return to his home along the banks
of the great river. in rather straiteneC
circumstances.
| Desired to be Pilot.
| The life as . steamboat pilot hai
always appealed to his youthful imag
nation and now that he had grown
to manhood, he resolved to realize hi.
ambition. He was fortunate enough
to become a pupil Of Horace Bixby
and he was soon guiding the awk
ward river craft along the tortuou'
channel of the muddy stream.
The idea Of his becoming an autho
had never entered his mind at tina
time, but he absorbed enough OF tn,
pilot life to enable him to describ'
the difficulties encountered in guild
ing boat along the great river II
his Life Along the Mississippi River
which he wrote many years ago.
At the outbreak OF the Civil wal
steamboating came to a standstill. an
young Clemens enlisted in the Cor
federate army. A soldiers life. how
ever. was not to his liking and ate
i a few weeks service he Joined hi
brother Orion. who had, received a
appointment as secretary OF the terri
tory OF Nevada. He acted as secre
tary to his brother. but as his dutie
we're almost nothing and his salar
even less. he spent most of his tim
in the mining camps. His experience
in this section are depicted hi
:. ''Roughing It" and The Jumpin
Frog"
Becomes Reporter.
In 1862 he began his first regula
literary work on the staff Of the vi
ginia City Enterprise. He wrote
column daily, dealing with the polit
cal situation in the state. that attrac
ed wide attention. These articles b
signed with the nom de plume MAR
Twain" which he heard sung out Q
the Mississippi steamers to let til
} pilot know that the. sounding Shove
two fathoms of water.
" He resigned his position at Virgin
! City and went to California where /
{ worked on the Sacramento Union; b,
after a brief period. he left his des
and went to Hawaii to write up tt
sugar interests. His work was vel
successful, and on his return to Ca.
! fornia he delivered a number of lie
lures. which netted him considerab
!. money.
y !