Friday, April 10, 2009

The Boys Life Of Mark Twain.

This is a story of a boy, born in the humblest surroundings, reared almost without schooling and amid conditions such as today have no existence, yet who lived to achieve a world-wide fame; to attain honorary degrees from the greatest universities of America and Europe; to be sought by statemen and kings; to be loved and honored by all men in all lands, and mourned by them when he died, It is the story of one of the world's very great men--the story of Mark Twain.

A long time ago in the early years of another century, the year was 1835 and Mark Twain's arrival into the world on the tail of "Halley's Comet", in Florida, Missouri, the fifth surviving child of father John and mother Jane. At this time the children were; Orion, Pamela, Margaret, Henry and Sam (as we know him-Mark Twain), born Samuel Langhorne Clemens.

He made it a habit of running away, usually toward the river. "You gave me more uneasiness than any child I had," his mother once said to him, in her old age. Mark Twain used to say that he had had nine narrow escapes from drowning. His mother started him in school at the age of five. He never liked school he said to be shut up with a Webster spelling book and a cross teacher was more than human nature could bear, he did learn somhow, for he could read, presently, and was a good speller for his age.

His father was a lawyer, a man of education, but a dreamer, full of schemes that usually failed. Now at nine years old "Sam" as his family referred to him, was "grown up" and wise for his years. Not that he was old in spirit or manner-he was never that, even to his death, but learned a great many things, many of them of a kind not taught at school. He had learned a good deal of natural history and botany, his books bear evidence of this early study.

In his home town of Hannibal there was many violent acts of murder, which he witnessed most of them, these early things were evident in his books and formed a large portion of the author's early education. Sam's days were not all disturbed by fierce events, they mostly filled with pleasanter things. He loved to watch the steamers pass by, he reflected once, "to a boy in those day's, shut in as we were, to see those steam boats pass up and down the Mississippi River and never take a trip on them." One day he slipped aboard and crept under one of the boats on deck, he came out to view the river, it started to rain and he slipped back under the boat, but his legs were sticking out, he was caught and set to shore at the next stop.

His adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain says, "most of the adventures recorded in this book really occured," and he tells us that Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, actuall being a composite of three boys whom Mark Twain had known. The three boy's were himself, John Briggs and Will Bowen. Almost all Mark Twain's books are drawn from life, accumulated from his early life on up to his last books.

When Sam decided he woul go out into the world, his mother made him renew his promise to her not to drink and play cards. Sam first worked as a printer and wrote many articles for magazines. His journey would take him back to the river boat, it started when Horace Bixby pilot of the Paul Jones ask him if he would like to lern the river, in those day's pilots were allowed to carry learners. In the early day's, to be a pilot was to be "greater than a king."

War was breaking out among the states and it was not safe to be on the river. He said he was not willing to get up into a glass perch and be shot at by either side, he said, I'll go home and reflect. When he arrived at Hannible he decided , like Lee he would go with his State. Sam was a Lieutenant in the army and he devveloped a very severe boil, he had sprained his ankle and it was swelled badly. He had a high fever and was put to bed, so the army left him there, presently the army disbanded and he did not enlist again.

In 1863 he started writing for a newspaper, at this time he chose Mark Twain, which he took from a Capt. Sellers who had just died and who had signed himself "Mark Twain." This is the name he chose for his articles, it is an old river term, a leadsman's call, signifying two fathoms-twelve feet. The name Mark Twain was first signed to a Carson letter, February 2, 1863, and after that to all of Samuel Clemen's work.

We know of the books he wrote such as; Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, The Gilded Age, The Prince and The Pauper, and many others. He met his wife Olivia Langdon at St Nicholas Hotel in New York, they were engaged February 4, 1869 and they were married in 1870. Olivia's father gave them a home, furnished, in Buffalo, New York, her father dies right after their marriage. Their son Langdon born 1871, second child, Susy in 1872 and son Langdon dies of diphteria and a cold. 1874 a daufhter Clara born, in 1880 another daughter Jean. In 1896 his daughter Susy died of meningitis. Feb. 2. 1903 is 33rd wedding anniversary, Olivia very ill, they sailed for Italy and Olivia dies there. His daughter Clara marries Ossip Gabrilowitsch a pianist. His daughter Jean dies, she had epilepsy, she died from a cold.

On Thursday evening April 14, 1910 we carried him up to his room, he lived a week from that day and hour. We did not know it then, but the mysterious messenger of his birth year, Halley's comet, became visible that night in the sky. Mark Twain died April 21, 1910 in Redding Connecticut of angina pectoris. The noble head turned a little to one side, there was a fluttering sigh, and the breath that had been unceasing for seventy four tumultuous years had stopped forever. The worn out body had reached it's journey's end; but his spirit had never grown old, and today still young it continues to cheer and comfort a tired world.
Wrote By: Albert Bigelow Paine




24 comments:

A New Beginning said...

Hey Margaret, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving those encouraging words, they do mean a lot.
Its a beautiful post, and makes one realise how we humans just crib about our failure, the various mishaps in our life, and about life in general.least do we know that it is the failure in ones life that leads us towards success. The initial days of innumerable great souls were not a bed of roses and they left a great lesson for each one of us to follow..."try, try until u succeed"
Thanks and Best:)

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

What a very interesting blog about Mark twain.
I was most impressed and it made compelling reading.

Yvonne.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Thanks for stopping by, The poems I have written about America happened almost a year ago. I enjoy readding about other nations history and have really enjoyed the last two blogs about chocolate and Mark Twain.
Happy Easter.

Yvonne.

Patty said...

Interesting article about Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) Mark Twain has a lot of good quotes.

Judy said...

I have always loved Mark Twain and his writings. I did not know all this about him. It was very interesting. Happy Easter.

Puss-in-Boots said...

That's a very interesting post on one of my favourite authors. I also love Mark Twain's little comments on life...he was a man who certainly lived and learnt from nature.

Juno said...

Hello Margaret,

We have to say that we always love enjoy reading your post about your family, life and experiences (mom does'nt always help us to leave our comment though!!) but this is also very interesting post since we don't know much about this very famous guy! Oh yes, we LOVE reading the chocolate history as well...

We thought we asked you before but we're not 100% sure.. we'd love to add your name to our friend list and hope it is ok with you.

Momo & pinot

Islay said...

Stopping by to wish you the Happiest of Easters!

love Charlie

Sassy Kat said...

Wanting to wish you, your family, and all of your loved ones a Happy Easter!

The Cat Realm said...

A very happy Easter to you! May you have a wonderful and egg filled Sunday!
The Cat Realm

Kathleen said...

Wow, Margaret! You are a wealth of information! I never knew much about Mark Twain the man, just read Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn...I always figured they were something out of his childhood, but never knew for sure.

Us4 Cats said...

very interesting post.

wanted to say happy easter, as well!

LisaLisa said...

Hi Margaret,

I'm LisaLisa and I just wanted to say what a interesting post. You have such a wonderful blog.

Wishing you a blessed day!!

Gigi Ann said...

Hi Margaret,

I enjoyed reading about Mark Twain. I have always enjoyed his many famous quotes, but now I will have to try and read some of his books. I probably read some when I was young, but forgot all I read. Thanks for all the research and sharing it with us.

Ann

DeniseinVA said...

Well, what a very interesting post on Mark Twain. I knew just a little of his life and now thanks to you I know a whole lot more. Wonderful! Thank you so much, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, as I always do :)

Chubskulit Rose said...

Thaks for sharing ms. Margaret...

Came by to tell you I have awards for you here. Please grab it when you have time, see you, mwah!

Merle said...

Dear Margaret ~~ I have missed reading your posts
so I will come back to read later. I am trying to get my replies to comments done. I am glad you like the pic of my brother and me. I enjoyed having visitors, but they sort of all came at once. I am feeling much better from all the pain
that I had. My back always has a few aches, but
not like this has been. Thank you for your get well wishes. I hope you are keeping well, my
friend. Love, Merle.

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

When I am down I come here and read and feel so much better. Thank-you so much my sweet friend...m.

Jeanette said...

Gday Margaret, Very intersting post on Mark Twain. He had and said very famous quotes."Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen".

Merle said...

Dear Margaret ~~ Well Ii have now read all the posts I missed and enjoyed every one of them. I am glad that you and your husband are well after
all the struggles and ill health. Bless your son for giving you that computer as it has opened up a whole new world for you. I enjoyed your story of your lives, The Candy one was delicious!! And I have always loved Mark Twain. Thank you for sharing his life story with us. Thank you for your comments and I am glad you liked the AAADD one, I think we are all a bit like that.Take great care my friend,Love, Merle.

Kathleen said...

Mark Twain certainly lived a unique life - and worte a few great books!

ancient one said...

Margaret,
Thanks for this post. I loved learning more about Mark Twain. Our teacher read the book about Tom Sawyer to us in grade school. Each day after lunch she would read just one chapter. We always begged for more, but she just gave us one chapter each day until the book was finished. Everyone paid attention when she read Tom Sawyer. Thanks for bringing back this pleasant memory.

Merle said...

Hi again Margaret ~~Thank you for your comments and I am so glad you liked the story of The Auto Air Conditioner. I liked that one also.
I hope your weather has warmed up by now. It is cold here, but with heaters and electric blanket. it is OK.We want more rain though.
Take great care, my friend, Love, Merle.

Margaret Cloud said...

Thank you for coming by, I really enjoyed writing this, and reading your comments.

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