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Once when he was delivering a political harangue in the street； at night；
a parade of the opposition （he had but just abandoned them） marched by
carrying certain flaming transparencies； which he himself had made for
them the day before。 Finally； after delivering a series of infidel
lectures； he had been excommunicated and condemned to eternal flames by
the Presbyterian Church。 He was therefore ripe for any new diversion；
and the Autobiography appealed to him。 He set about it with splendid
enthusiasm； wrote a hundred pages or so of his childhood with a startling
minutia of detail and frankness； and mailed them to his brother for
inspection。
They were all that Mark Twain had expected； more than he had expected。
He forwarded them to Howells with great satisfaction； suggesting； with
certain excisions； they be offered anonymously to the Atlantic readers。
But Howells's taste for realism had its limitations。 He found the story
interestingindeed； torturingly； heart…wringingly soand； advising
strongly against its publication； returned it。
Onion was steaming along at the rate of ten to twenty pages a day now；
forwarding them as fast as written； while his courage was good and the
fires warm。 Clemens； receiving a package by every morning mail； soon
lost interest； then developed a hunted feeling； becoming finally
desperate。 He wrote wildly to shut Orion off； urging him to let his
manuscript accumulate； and to send it in one large consignment at the
end。 This Orion did； and it is fair to say that in this instance at
least he stuck to his work faithfully to the bitter； disheartening end。
And it would have been all that Mark Twain had dreamed it would be； had
Orion maintained the simple narrative spirit of its early pages。 But he
drifted off into theological byways； into discussions of his
excommunication and infidelities； which were frank enough； but lacked
human interest。
In old age Mark Twain once referred to Orion's autobiography in print and
his own disappointment in it； which he attributed to Orion's having
departed from the idea of frank and unrestricted confession to exalt
himself as a hero…a statement altogether unwarranted； and due to one of
those curious confusions of memory and imagination that more than once
resulted in a complete reversal of the facts。 A quantity of Orion's
manuscript has been lost and destroyed； but enough fragments of it remain
to show its fidelity to the original plan。 It is just one long record of
fleeting hope； futile effort； and humiliation。 It is the story of a life
of disappointment； of a man who has been defeated and beaten down and
crushed by the world until he has nothing but confession left to
surrender。 ＇Howells； in his letter concerning the opening chapters；
said that they would some day make good material。 Fortunately the
earliest of these chapters were preserved； and； as the reader may
remember； furnished much of the childhood details for this biography。＇
Whatever may have been Mark Twain's later impression of his brother's
manuscript； its story of failure and disappointment moved him to definite
action at the time。
Several years before； in Hartford； Orion had urged him to make his
publishing contracts on a basis of half profits； instead of on the
royalty plan。 Clemens； remembering this； had insisted on such an
arrangement for the publication of 'A Tramp Abroad'； and when his first
statement came in he realized that the new contract was very largely to
his advantage。 He remembered Orion's anxiety in the matter； and made it
now a valid excuse for placing his brother on a firm financial footing。
Out of the suspicions which you bred in me years ago has grown this
result； to wit： that I shall within the twelve months get 40；000 out of
this Tramp； instead of 20；000。 20；000； after taxes and other expenses
are stripped away； is worth to the investor about 75 a month； so I shall
tell Mr。 Perkins ＇his lawyer and financial agent＇ to make your check that
amount per month hereafter。。。。 This ends the loan business； and
hereafter you can reflect that you are living not on borrowed money； but
on money which you have squarely earned； and which has no taint or savor
of charity about it； and you can also reflect that the money which you
have been receiving of me is charged against the heavy bill which the
next publisher will have to stand who gets a book of mine。
》From that time forward Orion Clemens was worth substantially twenty
thousand dollarstill the day of his death； and； after him； his widow。
Far better was it for him that the endowment be conferred in the form of
an income； than had the capital amount been placed in his hands。
CXXVIII
MARK TWAIN's ABSENT…MINDEDNESS
A number of amusing incidents have been more or less accurately reported
concerning Mark Twain's dim perception of certain physical surroundings；
and his vague resulting memorieshis absent…mindedness； as we say。
It was not that he was inattentiveno man was ever less so if the
subject interested himbut only that the casual； incidental thing seemed
not to find a fixed place in his deeper consciousness。
By no means was Mark Twain's absent…mindedness a development of old age。
On the two occasions following he was in the very heyday of his mental
strength。 Especially was it； when he was engaged upon some absorbing or
difficult piece of literature； that his mind seemed to fold up and shut
most of the world away。 Soon after his return from Europe； when he was
still struggling with 'A Tramp Abroad'； he wearily put the manuscript
aside； one day； and set out to invite F。 G。 Whitmore over for a game of
billiards。 Whitmore lived only a little way down the street； and Clemens
had been there time and again。 It was such a brief distance that he
started out in his slippers and with no hat。 But when he reached the
corner where the house； a stone's…throw away； was in plain view he
stopped。 He did not recognize it。 It was unchanged； but its outlines
had left no impress upon his mind。 He stood there uncertainly a little
while； then returned and got the coachman； Patrick McAleer； to show him
the way。
The second； and still more picturesque instance； belongs also to this
period。 One day； when he was playing billiards with Whitmore； George；
the butler； came up with a card。
〃Who is he； George？〃 Clemens asked； without looking at the card。
〃I don't know； suh； but he's a gentleman； Mr。 Clemens。〃
〃Now； George； how many times have I told you I don't want to see
strangers when I'm playing billiards！ This is just some book agent； or
insurance man； or somebody with something to sell。 I don't want to see
him； and I'm not going to。〃
〃Oh； but this is a gentleman； I'm sure； Mr。 Clemens。 Just look at his
card； suh。〃
〃Yes； of course； I seenice engraved cardbut I don't know him； and if
it was St。 Peter himself I wouldn't buy the key of salvation！ You tell
him sotell himoh； well； I suppose I've got to go and get rid of him
myself。 I'll be back in a minute； Whitmore。〃
He ran down the stairs； and as he got near the parlor door； which stood
open； he saw a man sitting on a couch with what seemed to be some