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the Mission； asking only that I would prepare him some notes； giving him
points to go by。 Thus we succeeded easily beyond our expectations；
thanks； very largely； to Clemens's assistance。
Clemens wrote Howells of the interview； detailing at some length
Twichell's comical mixture of delight and chagrin at not being given time
to air the fund of prepared statistics with which he had come loaded。
It was as if he had come to borrow a dollar and had been offered a
thousand before he could unfold his case。〃
CXXXII
A NEW PUBLISHER
It was near the end of the year that Clemens wrote to his mother：
I have two stories； and by the verbal agreement they are both going
into the same book； but Livy says they're not； and by George！ she
ought to know。 She says they're going into separate books； and that
one of them is going to be elegantly gotten up； even if the elegance
of it eats up the publisher's profits and mine too。
I anticipate that publisher's melancholy surprise when he calls here
Tuesday。 However； let him suffer； it is his own fault。 People who
fix up agreements with me without first finding out what Livy's
plans are take their fate into their own hands。
I said two stories； but one of them is only half done； two or three
months' work on it yet。 I shall tackle it Wednesday or Thursday；
that is； if Livy yields and allows both stories to go in one book；
which I hope she won't。
The reader may surmise that the finished storythe highly regarded
storywas 'The Prince and the Pauper'。 The other talethe unfinished
and less considered one was 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'。 Nobody
appears to have been especially concerned about Huck； except； possibly；
the publisher。
The publisher was not the American Company。 Elisha Bliss； after long ill
health； had died that fall； and this fact； in connection with a growing
dissatisfaction over the earlier contracts； had induced Clemens to listen
to offers from other makers of books。 The revelation made by the 〃half…
profit〃 returns from A Tramp Abroad meant to him； simply that the profits
had not been fairly apportioned； and he was accordingly hostile。 To
Orion he wrote that； had Bliss lived； he would have remained with the
company and made it reimburse him for his losses； but that as matters
stood he would sever the long connection。 It seemed a pity； later； that
he did this； but the break was bound to come。 Clemens was not a business
man； and Bliss was not a philanthropist。 He was； in fact； a shrewd；
capable publisher； who made as good a contract as he could； yet he was
square in his dealings； and the contract which Clemens held most bitterly
against himthat of 'Roughing It'had been made in good faith and in
accordance with the conditions； of that period。 In most of the later
contracts Clemens himself had named his royalties； and it was not in
human naturebusiness human naturefor Bliss to encourage the size of
these percentages。 If one wished to draw a strictly moral conclusion
from the situation； one might say that it would have been better for the
American Publishing Company； knowing Mark Twain； voluntarily to have
allowed him half profits； which was the spirit of his old understanding
even if not the letter of it； rather than to have waited till he demanded
it and then to lose him by the result。 Perhaps that would be also a
proper business deduction； only； as a rule； business morals are regulated
by the contract； and the contract is regulated by the necessities and the
urgency of demand。
Never mind。 Mark Twain revised 'The Prince and the Pauper'； sent it to
Howells； who approved of it mightily （though with reservations as to
certain chapters）； and gave it to James R。 Osgood； who was grateful and
agreed to make it into a book upon which no expense for illustration or
manufacture should be spared。 It was to be a sort of partnership
arrangement as between author and publisher； and large returns were
anticipated。
Among the many letters which Clemens was just then writing to Howells one
was dated 〃Xmas Eve。〃 It closes with the customary pleasantries and the
final line：
〃But it is growing dark。 Merry Christmas to all of you！〃
That last was a line of large significance。 It meant that the air was
filled with the whisper of hovering events and that he must mingle with
the mystery of preparation。 Christmas was an important season in the
Clemens home。 Almost the entire day before； Patrick was out with the
sleigh； delivering food and other gifts in baskets to the poor； and the
home preparations were no less busy。 There was always a treea large
oneand when all the gifts had been gathered inwhen Elmira and
Fredonia had delivered their contributions； and Orion and his wife in
Keokuk had sent the annual sack of hickory…nuts （the big river…bottom
nuts； big as a silver dollar almost； such nuts as few children of this
later generation ever see） when all this happy revenue had been gathered；
and the dusk of Christmas Eve had hurried the children off to bed； it was
Mrs。 Clemens who superintended the dressing of the tree； her husband
assisting； with a willingness that was greater than his skill； and with a
boy's anticipation in the surprise of it next morning。
Then followed the holidays； with parties and dances and charades； and
little plays； with the Warner and Twichell children。 To the Clemens home
the Christmas season brought all the old round of juvenile happinessthe
spirit of kindly giving； the brightness and the merrymaking； the gladness
and tenderness and mystery that belong to no other season； and have been
handed down through all the ages since shepherds watched on the plains of
Bethlehem。
CXXXIII
THE THREE FIRESSOME BENEFACTIONS
The tradition that fires occur in groups of three was justified in the
Clemens household that winter。 On each of three successive days flames
started that might have led to ghastly results。
The children were croupy； and one morning an alcohol lamp near little
Clara's bed； blown by the draught； set fire to the canopy。 Rosa； the
nurse； entered just as the blaze was well started。 She did not lose her
presence of mind； ＇Rosa was not the kind to lose her head。 Once； in
Europe； when Bay had crept between the uprights of a high balustrade； and
was hanging out over destruction； Rosa； discovering her； did not scream
but spoke to her playfully and lifted her over into safety。＇ but
snatched the little girl out of danger； then opened the window and threw
the burning bedding on the lawn。 The child was only slightly scorched；
but the escape was narrow enough。
Next day little Jean was lying asleep in her crib； in front of an open
wood fire； carefully protected by a firescreen； when a spark； by some
ingenuity； managed to get through the mesh of the screen and land on the
crib's lace covering。 Jean's nurse； Julia； arrived to find the lace a
gust of flame and the fire spreading。 She grabbed the sleeping Jean and
screamed。 Rosa； again at hand； heard the scream； and rushing in once
more opened a window and flung out the blazing bedclothes。 Clemens
himself