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grieved。 Curiously enough； Mrs Clemens herself； in arranging and casting
the play； had not considered the possibility of this effect。 The parts
were all daintily played。 The children wore their assumed personalities
as if native to them。 Daisy Warner played the part of Tom Canty； Clara
Clemens was Lady Jane Grey。
It was only the beginning of The Prince and the Pauper productions。 The
play was repeated； Clemens assisting； adding to the parts； and himself
playing the role of Miles Hendon。 In her childish biography Susy says：
Papa had only three days to learn the part in； but still we were all
sure that he could do it。 The scene that he acted in was the scene
between Miles Hendon and the Prince； the 〃Prithee； pour the water〃
scene。 I was the Prince and papa and I rehearsed together two or
three times a day for the three days before the appointed evening。
Papa acted his part beautifully； and he added to the scene； making
it a good deal longer。 He was inexpressibly funny； with his great
slouch hat and gaitoh such a gait！ Papa made the Miles Hendon
scene a splendid success and every one was delighted with the scene；
and papa too。 We had great fun with our 〃Prince and Pauper；〃 and I
think we none of us shall forget how immensely funny papa was in it。
He certainly could have been an actor as well as an author。
The holidays over； Cable and Clemens were off on the circuit again。 At
Rochester an incident happened which led to the writing of one of Mark
Twain's important books； 'A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court'。
Clemens and Cable had wandered into a book…store for the purpose of
finding something to read。 Pulling over some volumes on one of the
tables； Clemens happened to pick up a little green； cloth…bound book； and
after looking at the title turned the pages rather curiously and with
increasing interest。
〃Cable；〃 he said； 〃do you know anything about this book； the Arthurian
legends of Sir Thomas Malory； Morte Arthure？〃
Cable answered： 〃Mark； that is one of the most beautiful books in the
world。 Let me buy it for you。 You will love it more than any book you
ever read。〃
So Clemens came to know the old chronicler's version of the rare Round
Table legends； and from that first acquaintance with them to the last
days of his life seldom let the book go far from him。 He read and reread
those quaint； stately tales and reverenced their beauty； while fairly
reveling in the absurdities of that ancient day。 Sir Ector's lament he
regarded as one of the most simply beautiful pieces of writing in the
English tongue； and some of the combats and quests as the most ridiculous
absurdities in romance。 Presently he conceived the idea of linking that
day； with its customs； costumes； and abuses； with the progress of the
present； or carrying back into that age of magicians and armor and
superstition and cruelties a brisk American of progressive ideas who
would institute reforms。 His note…book began to be filled with memoranda
of situations and possibilities for the tale he had in mind。 These were
vague； unformed fancies as yet； and it would be a long time before the
story would become a fact。 This was the first entry：
Dream of being a knight…errant in armor in the Middle Ages。 Have
the notions and habits； though； of the present day mixed with the
necessities of that。 No pockets in the armor。 No way to manage
certain requirements of nature。 Can't scratch。 Cold in the head
and can't blow。 Can't get a handkerchief； can't use iron sleeve；
iron gets red…hot in the sun； leaks in the rain； gets white with
frost and freezes me solid in winter； makes disagreeable clatter
when I enter church。 Can't dress or undress myself。 Always getting
struck by lightning。 Fall down and can't get up。
Twenty…one years later； discussing the genesis of the story； he said：
〃As I read those quaint and curious old legends I suppose I naturally
contrasted those days with ours； and it made me curious to fancy what
might be the picturesque result if we could dump the nineteenth century
down into the sixth century and observe the consequences。〃
The reading tour continued during the first two months of the new year
and carried them as far west as Chicago。 They read in Hannibal and
Keokuk； and Clemens spent a day in the latter place with his mother； now
living with Orion； brisk and active for her years and with her old…time
force of character。 Mark Twain； arranging for her Keokuk residence； had
written：
Ma wants to board with you； and pay her board。 She will pay you 20
a month （she wouldn't pay a cent more in heaven； she is obstinate on
this point）； and as long as she remains with you and is content I
will add 25 a month to the sum Perkins already sends you。
Jane Clemens attended the Keokuk reading； and later； at home； when her
children asked her if she could still dance； she rose； and at eighty…one
tripped as lightly as a girl。 It was the last time that Mark Twain ever
saw his mother in the health and vigor which had been always so much a
part of her personality。
Clemens saw another relative on that trip； in St。 Louis； James Lampton；
the original of Colonel Sellers； called。
He was become old and white…headed； but he entered to me in the same old
breezy way of his earlier life； and he was all there； yetnot a detail
wanting： the happy light in his eye； the abounding hope in his heart； the
persuasive tongue； the miracle…breeding imaginationthey were all there；
and before I could turn around he was polishing up his Aladdin's lamp and
flashing the secret riches of the world before me。 I said to myself：
〃I did not overdraw him by a shade； I set him down as he was； and he is
the same man to…day。 Cable will recognize him。〃
Clemens opened the door into Cable's room and allowed the golden dream…
talk to float in。 It was of a 〃small venture〃 which the caller had
undertaken through his son。
〃Only a little thinga； mere triflea bagatelle。 I suppose there's a
couple of millions in it； possibly three； but not more； I think； still；
for a boy； you know〃
It was the same old Cousin Jim。 Later； when he had royally accepted some
tickets for the reading and bowed his exit； Cable put his head in at the
door。
〃That was Colonel Sellers；〃 he said。
CLIII
HUCK FINN COMES INTO HIS OWN
In the December Century （1884） appeared a chapter from 'The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn'； 〃The Grangerford…Shepherdson Feud；〃 a piece of writing
which Edmund Clarence Stederian； Brander Matthews； and others promptly
ranked as among Mark Twain's very best； when this was followed； in the
January number； by 〃King Sollermun；〃 a chapter which in its way delighted
quite as many readers； the success of the new book was accounted certain。
＇Stedman； writing to Clemens of this instalment； said： 〃To my mind it
is not only the most finished and condensed thing you have done。 but as
dramatic and powerful an episode as I know in modern literature。＇
'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' was officially published in England
and A