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shall fill the children's heads with dates without study。 I give
each king's reign one foot of space to the year and drive one stake
in the ground to mark the beginning of each reign； and I make the
children call the stake by the king's name。 You can stand in the
door and take a bird's…eye view of English monarchy； from the
Conqueror to Edward IV。； then you can turn and follow the road up
the hill to the study and beyond with an opera…glass； and bird's…eye
view the rest of it to 1883。
You can mark the sharp difference in the length of reigns by the
varying distances of the stakes apart。 You can see Richard II。； two
feet； Oliver Cromwell； two feet； James II。； three feet； and so on
and then big skips； pegs standing forty…five； forty…six； fifty；
fifty…six； and sixty feet apart （Elizabeth； Victoria； Edward III。；
Henry III。； and George III。）。 By the way； third's a lucky number
for length of days； isn't it？ Yes； sir； by my scheme you get a
realizing notion of the time occupied by reigns。
The reason it took me eight hours was because； with little Jean's
interrupting assistance； I had to measure from the Conquest to the
end of Henry VI。 three times over； and besides I had to whittle out
all those pegs。
I did a full day's work and a third over； yesterday； but was full of
my game after I went to bed trying to fit it for indoors。 So I
didn't get to sleep till pretty late； but when I did go off I had
contrived a new way to play my history game with cards and a board。
We may be sure the idea of the game would possess him； once it got a fair
start like that。 He decided to save the human race that year with a
history game。 When he had got the children fairly going and interested
in playing it； he adapted it to a cribbage…board； and spent his days and
nights working it out and perfecting it to a degree where the world at
large might learn all the facts of all the histories； not only without
effort； but with an actual hunger for chronology。 He would have a game
not only of the English kings； but of the kings of every other nation；
likewise of great statesmen； vice…chancellors； churchmen； of celebrities
in every line。 He would prepare a book to accompany these games。 Each
game would contain one thousand facts； while the book would contain eight
thousand； it would be a veritable encyclopedia。 He would organize clubs
throughout the United States for playing the game； prizes were to be
given。 Experts would take it up。 He foresaw a department in every
newspaper devoted to the game and its problems； instead of to chess and
whist and other useless diversions。 He wrote to Orion； and set him to
work gathering facts and dates by the bushel。 He wrote to Webster； sent
him a plan； and ordered him to apply for the patent without delay。
Patents must also be applied for abroad。 With all nations playing this
great game； very likely it would produce millions in royalties； and so；
in the true Sellers fashion； the iridescent bubble was blown larger and
larger； until finally it blew up。 The game on paper had become so large；
so elaborate； so intricate； that no one could play it。 Yet the first
idea was a good one： the king stakes driven along the driveway and up the
hillside of Quarry Farm。 The children enjoyed it； and played it through
many sweet summer afternoons。 Once； in the days when he had grown old；
he wrote； remembering：
Among the principal merits of the games which we played by help of
the pegs were these： that they had to be played in the open air； and
that they compelled brisk exercise。 The peg of William the
Conqueror stood in front of the house； one could stand near the
Conqueror and have all English history skeletonized and landmarked
and mile…posted under his eye 。 。 。 。 The eye has a good memory。
Many years have gone by and the pegs have disappeared； but I still
see them and each in its place； and no king's name falls upon my ear
without my seeing his pegs at once； and noticing just how many feet
of space he takes up along the road。
It turned out an important literary year after all。 In the Mississippi
book he had used a chapter from the story he had been working at from
time to time for a number of years； 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'。
Reading over the manuscript now he found his interest in it sharp and
fresh； his inspiration renewed。 The trip down the river had revived it。
The interest in the game became quiescent； and he set to work to finish
the story at a dead heat。
To Howells； August 22 （1883）； he wrote：
I have written eight or nine hundred manuscript pages in such a
brief space of time that I mustn't name the number of days； I
shouldn't believe it myself； and of course couldn't expect you to。
I used to restrict myself to four and five hours a day and five days
in the week； but this time I have wrought from breakfast till 5。15
P。M。 six days in the week； and once or twice I smouched a Sunday
when the boss wasn't looking。 Nothing is half so good as literature
hooked on Sunday； on the sly。
He refers to the game； though rather indifferently。
When I wrote you I thought I had it； whereas I was merely entering
upon the initiatory difficulties of it。 I might have known it
wouldn't be an easy job or somebody would have invented a decent
historical game long agoa thing which nobody has done。
Notwithstanding the fact that he was working at Huck with enthusiasm； he
seems to have been in no hurry to revise it for publication； either as a
serial or as a book。 But the fact that he persevered until Huck Finn at
last found complete utterance was of itself a sufficient matter for
congratulation。
CXLV
HOWELLS AND CLEMENS WRITE A PLAY
Before Howells went abroad Clemens had written：
Now I think that the play for you to write would be one entitled；
〃Colonel Mulberry Sellers in Age〃 （75）； with Lafayette Hawkins （at
50） still sticking to him and believing in him and calling him 〃My
lord。〃 He ＇Sellers＇ is a specialist and a scientist in various
ways。 Your refined people and purity of speech would make the best
possible background； and when you are done； I could take your
manuscript and rewrite the Colonel's speeches； and make him properly
extravagant； and I would let the play go to Raymond； and bind him up
with a contract that would give him the bellyache every time he read
it。 Shall we think this over； or drop it as being nonsense？
Howells； returned and settled in Boston once more； had revived an
interest in the play idea；。 He corresponded with Clemens concerning it
and agreed that the American Claimant； Leathers； should furnish the
initial impulse of the drama。
They decided to revive Colonel Sellers and make him the heir； Colonel
Sellers in old age； more wildly extravagant than ever； with new schemes；
new patents； new methods of ameliorating the ills of mankind。
Howells came down to Hartford from Bost