LETTERS 1856-61.KEOKUK, AND THE RIVER.END OF PILOTINGThere comes a period now of nearly four years, when Samuel Clemens was either a poor correspondent or his letters have not been preserved.Only two from this time have survived--happily of intimate biographical importance.
Young Clemens had not remained in Muscatine.His brother had no inducements to offer, and he presently returned to St.Louis, where he worked as a compositor on the Evening News until the following spring, rooming with a young man named Burrough, a journeyman chair-maker with a taste for the English classics.Orion Clemens, meantime, on a trip to Keokuk, had casually married there, and a little later removed his office to that city.He did not move the paper; perhaps it did not seem worth while, and in Keokuk he confined himself to commercial printing.The Ben Franklin Book and Job Office started with fair prospects.Henry Clemens and a boy named Dick Hingham were the assistants, and somewhat later, when brother Sam came up from St.Louis on a visit, an offer of five dollars a week and board induced him to remain.Later, when it became increasingly difficult to pay the five dollars, Orion took his brother into partnership, which perhaps relieved the financial stress, though the office methods would seem to have left something to be desired.It is about at this point that the first of the two letters mentioned was written.The writer addressed it to his mother and sister--Jane Clemens having by this time taken up her home with her daughter, Mrs.Moffett.
To Mrs.Clemens and Mrs.Moffett, in St.Louis:
KEOKUK, Iowa, June 10th, 1856.
MY DEAR MOTHER & SISTER,--I have nothing to write.Everything is going on well.The Directory is coming on finely.I have to work on it occasionally, which I don't like a particle I don't like to work at too many things at once.They take Henry and Dick away from me too.Before we commenced the Directory, I could tell before breakfast just how much work could be done during the day, and manage accordingly--but now, they throw all my plans into disorder by taking my hands away from their work.
I have nothing to do with the book--if I did I would have the two book hands do more work than they do, or else I would drop it.It is not a mere supposition that they do not work fast enough--I know it; for yesterday the two book hands were at work all day, Henry and Dick all the afternoon, on the advertisements, and they set up five pages and a half-and I set up two pages and a quarter of the same matter after supper, night before last, and I don't work fast on such things.They are either excessively slow motioned or very lazy.I am not getting along well with the job work.I can't work blindly--without system.I gave Dick a job yesterday, which I calculated he would set in two hours and I could work off in three, and therefore just finish it by supper time, but he was transferred to the Directory, and the job, promised this morning, remains untouched.Through all the great pressure of job work lately, I never before failed in a promise of the kind.
Your Son SAM
Excuse brevity this is my 3rd letter to-night.
Samuel Clemens was never celebrated for his patience; we may imagine that the disorder of the office tried his nerves.He seems, on the whole, however, to have been rather happy in Keokuk.There were plenty of young people there, and he was a favorite among them.But he had grown dissatisfied, and when one day some weeks later there fell into His hands an account of the riches of the newly explored regions of the upper Amazon, he promptly decided to find his fortune at the headwaters of the great South-American river.The second letter reports this momentous decision.It was written to Henry Clemens, who was temporarily absent-probably in Hannibal.
To Henry Clemens:
KEOKUK, August 5th, '56.
MY DEAR BROTHER,--.....Ward and I held a long consultation, Sunday morning, and the result was that we two have determined to start to Brazil, if possible, in six weeks from now, in order to look carefully into matters there and report to Dr.Martin in time for him to follow on the first of March.We propose going via New York.Now, between you and I and the fence you must say nothing about this to Orion, for he thinks that Ward is to go clear through alone, and that I am to stop at New York or New Orleans until he reports.But that don't suit me.My confidence in human nature does not extend quite that far.I won't depend upon Ward's judgment, or anybody's else--I want to see with my own eyes, and form my own opinion.But you know what Orion is.When he gets a notion into his head, and more especially if it is an erroneous one, the Devil can't get it out again.So I know better than to combat his arguments long, but apparently yielded, inwardly determined to go clear through.
Ma knows my determination, but even she counsels me to keep it from Orion.She says I can treat him as I did her when I started to St.Louis and went to New York--I can start to New York and go to South America!
Although Orion talks grandly about furnishing me with fifty or a hundred dollars in six weeks, I could not depend upon him for ten dollars, so Ihave "feelers" out in several directions, and have already asked for a hundred dollars from one source (keep it to yourself.) I will lay on my oars for awhile, and see how the wind sets, when I may probably try to get more.Mrs.Creel is a great friend of mine, and has some influence with Ma and Orion, though I reckon they would not acknowledge it.I am going up there tomorrow, to press her into my service.I shall take care that Ma and Orion are plentifully supplied with South American books.
They have Herndon's Report now.Ward and the Dr.and myself will hold a grand consultation tonight at the office.We have agreed that no more shall be admitted into our company.
I believe the Guards went down to Quincy today to escort our first locomotive home.
Write soon.
Your Brother, SAM.