mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第30部分

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was　far　from　well；　but　when　the　burning　hay　descended　he　forgot　his
disabilities。　　Literally　and　figuratively　this　was　the　final　straw。　　With
a　voice　and　vigor　suited　to　the　urgencies　of　the　case；　he　made　a　spring
from　under　the　burning　stuff；　flung　off　the　remnants；　and　with　them　his
last　vestige　of　interest　in　the　war。　　The　others；　now　that　the　fire　was；
out；　seemed　to　think　the　incident　boisterously　amusing。　　Whereupon　the
lieutenant　rose　up　and　told　them；　collectively　and　individually；　what　he
thought　of　them；　also　he　spoke　of　the　war　and　the　Confederacy；　and　of　the
human　race　at　large。　　They　helped　him　in；　then；　for　his　ankle　was
swelling　badly。　　Next　morning；　when　Colonel　Splawn　had　given　them　a　good
breakfast；　the　army　set　out　for　New　London。

But　Lieutenant　Clemens　never　got　any　farther　than　Nuck　Matson's　farm…
house。　　His　ankle　was　so　painful　by　that　time　that　Mrs。　Matson　had　him
put　to　bed；　where　he　stayed　for　several　weeks；　recovering　from　the　injury
and　stress　of　war。　　A　little　negro　boy　was　kept　on　watch　for　Union
detachmentsthey　were　passing　pretty　frequently　nowand　when　one　came
in　sight　the　lieutenant　was　secluded　until　the　danger　passed。　　When　he
was　able　to　travel；　he　had　had　enough　of　war　and　the　Confederacy。　　He
decided　to　visit　Orion　in　Keokuk。　　Orion　was　a　Union　abolitionist　and
might　lead　him　to　mend　his　doctrines。

As　for　the　rest　of　the　army；　it　was　no　longer　a　unit　in　the　field。　　Its
members　had　drifted　this　way　and　that；　some　to　return　to　their
occupations；　some　to　continue　in　the　trade　of　war。　　Sam　Bowen　is　said　to
have　been　caught　by　the　Federal　troops　and　put　to　sawing　wood　in　the
stockade　at　Hannibal。　　Ab　（A。　C。）　Grimes　became　a　noted　Confederate　spy
and　is　still　among　those　who　have　lived　to　furnish　the　details　here　set
down。　　Properly　officered　and　disciplined；　that　detachment　would　have
made　as　brave　soldiers　as　any。　　Military　effectiveness　is　a　matter　of
leaders　and　tactics。

Mark　Twain's　own　Private　History　of　a　'Campaign　that　Failed'　is；　of
course；　built　on　this　episode。　　He　gives　us　a　delicious　account；　even　if
it　does　not　strikingly　resemble　the　occurrence。　　The　story　might　have
been　still　better　if　he　had　not　introduced　the　shooting　of　the　soldier　in
the　dark。　　The　incident　was　invented；　of　course；　to　present　the　real
horror　of　war；　but　it　seems　incongruous　in　this　burlesque　campaign；　and；
to　some　extent　at　least；　it　missed　fire　in　its　intention。

＇In　a　book　recently　published；　Mark　Twain's　〃nephew〃　is　quoted　as
authority　for　the　statement　that　Mark　Twain　was　detailed　for　river　duty；
captured；　and　paroled；　captured　again；　and　confined　in　a　tobacco…
warehouse　in　St。　Louis；　etc。　　Mark　Twain　had　but　one　nephew：　Samuel　E。
Moffett；　whose　Biographical　Sketch　（vol。　xxii；　Mark　Twain's　Works）
contains　no　such　statement；　and　nothing　of　the　sort　occurred。＇




XXXI

OVER　THE　HILLS　AND　FAR　AWAY

When　Madame　Caprell　prophesied　that　Orion　Clemens　would　hold　office　under
government；　she　must　have　seen　with　true　clairvoyant　vision。　　The
inauguration　of　Abraham　Lincoln　brought　Edward　Bates　into　his　Cabinet；
and　Bates　was　Orion's　friend。　　Orion　applied　for　something；　and　got　it。
James　W。　Nye　had　been　appointed　Territorial　governor　of　Nevada；　and　Orion
was　made　Territorial　secretary。　　You　could　strain　a　point　and　refer　to
the　office　as　〃secretary　of　state；〃　which　was　an　imposing　title。
Furthermore；　the　secretary　would　be　acting　governor　in　the　governor's
absence；　and　there　would　be　various　subsidiary　honors。　　When　Lieutenant
Clemens　arrived　in　Keokuk；　Orion　was　in　the　first　flush　of　his　triumph
and　needed　only　money　to　carry　him　to　the　scene　of　new　endeavor。　　The
late　lieutenant　C。　S。　A。　　had　accumulated　money　out　of　his　pilot　salary；
and　there　was　no　comfortable　place　just　then　in　the　active　Middle　West
for　an　officer　of　either　army　who　had　voluntarily　retired　from　the
service。　　He　agreed　that　if　Orion　would　overlook　his　recent　brief
defection　from　the　Union　and　appoint　him　now　as　his　（Orion's）　secretary；
he　would　supply　the　funds　for　both　overland　passages；　and　they　would
start　with　no　unnecessary　delay　for　a　country　so　new　that　all　human
beings；　regardless　of　previous　affiliations　and　convictions；　were　flung
into　the　common　fusing…pot　and　recast　in　the　general　mold　of　pioneer。

The　offer　was　a　boon　to　Orion。　　He　was　always　eager　to　forgive；　and　the
money　was　vitally　necessary。　　In　the　briefest　possible　time　he　had　packed
his　belongings；　which　included　a　large　unabridged　dictionary；　and　the
brothers　were　on　their　way　to　St。　Louis　for　final　leave…taking　before
setting　out　for　the　great　mysterious　land　of　promisethe　Pacific　West。
》From　St。　Louis　they　took　the　boat　for　St。　Jo；　whence　the　Overland　stage
started；　and　for　six　days　〃plodded〃　up　the　shallow；　muddy；　snaggy
Missouri；　a　new　experience　for　the　pilot　of　the　Father　of　Waters。

　　　　　In　fact；　the　boat　might　almost　as　well　have　gone　to　St。　Jo　by　land；
　　　　　for　she　was　walking　most　of　the　time；　anyhowclimbing　over　reefs
　　　　　and　clambering　over　snags　patiently　and　laboriously　all　day　long。
　　　　　The　captain　said　she　was　a　〃bully〃　boat；　and　all　she　wanted　was　some
　　　　　〃shear〃　and　a　bigger　wheel。　　I　thought　she　wanted　a　pair　of　stilts；
　　　　　but　I　had　the　deep　sagacity　not　to　say　so。'　　＇'Roughing　It'。＇

At　St。　Jo　they　paid　one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　apiece　for　their　stage
fare　（with　something　extra　for　the　dictionary）；　and　on　the　twenty…sixth
of　July；　1861；　set　out　on　that　long；　delightful　trip　behind　sixteen
galloping　horsesor　mulesnever　stopping　except　for　meals　or　to　change
teams；　heading　steadily　into　the　sunset；　following　it　from　horizon　to
horizon　over　the　billowy　plains；　across　the　snow…clad　Rockies；　covering
the　seventeen　hundred　miles　between　St。　Jo　and　Carson　City　（including　a
two…day　halt　in　Salt　Lake　City）　in　nineteen　glorious　days。　　What　an
inspiration　in　such　a　trip！　　In　'Roughing　It'　he　tells　it　all；　and　says：
〃Even　at　this　day　it　thrills　me　through　and　through　to　think　of　the　life；
the　gladness；　and　the　wild　sense　of　freedom　that　used　to　make　the　blood
dance　in　my　face　on　those　fine　Overland　mornings。〃

The　nights；　with　the　uneven　mail…bags　for　a　bed　and　the　bounding
dictionary　for　company；　were　less　exhilarating；　but　then　youth　does　not
mind。

　　　　　All　things　being　now　ready；　stowed　the　uneasy　dictionary　where　it
　　　　　would　lie　as　quiet　as　possible；　and　placed　the　water…canteen　and
　　　　　pistols　where　we　could　find　them　in　the　dark。　　Then　we　smoked　a
　　　　　final　pipe　and　swapped　a　final　yarn；　after　which　we　put　the　pipes；
　　　　　tobacco；　and　bag　of　coin　in　snug　holes　and　caves　among　the　mail…
　　　　　bags；　and　made　the　place　as　dark　as　the　inside　of　a　cow；　as　the
　　　　　conductor　phrased　it　in　his　picturesque　way。　　It　was　certainly　as
　　　　　dark　as　any　place　could　benothing　was　even　dimly　visible　in　it。
　　　　　And　finally　we　rolled　ourselves　up　like　silkworms；　each　person　in
　　　　　his　own　blanket；　and　sank　peacefully　to　sleep。

Youth　loves　that　sort　of　thing；　despite　its　inconvenience。　　And　sometimes
the　clatter　of　the　pony…rider　swept　by　in　the　night；　carrying　letters　at
five　dollars　apiece　and　making　the　Overland　trip　in　eight　days；　just　a
quick　beat　of　hoofs　in　the　distance；　a　dash；　and　a　hail　from　the
darkness；　the　beat　of　hoofs　again；　then　only　the　rumble　of　the　stage　and
the　even；　swinging　gallop　of　the　mules。　　Sometimes　they　got　a　glimpse　of
the　ponyrider　by　daya　flash；　as　it　were；　as　he　sped　by。　　And　every
morning　brought　new　scenery；　new　phases　of　frontier　life；　including；　at
last；　what　was　to　them　the　strangest　phase　of　all；　Mormonism。

They　spent　two　wonderful　days　at　Salt　Lake　City；　that　mysterious　and
remote　capital　of　the　great　American　monarchy；　who　still　flaunts　her
lawless；　orthodox　creed　the　religion　of　David　and　Solomonand　thrives。
An　obliging　official　made　it　his　business　to　show　them　the　city　and　the
life　there；　the　result　of　which　would　be　those　amusing　chapters　in
'Roughing　It'　by　and　by。　　The　Overland　travelers　set　out　refreshed　from
Salt　Lake　City；　and　with　a　new　supply　of　delicaciesham；　eggs；　and
tobaccothings　that　make　such　a　trip　worth　while。　　The　author　of
'Roughing　It'　assures　us　of　this：

　　　　　Nothing　helps　scenery　like　ham　and　eggs。　　Ham　and　eggs；　and　after
　　　　　these　a　pipean　old；　rank；　delicious　pipeham　and　eggs　and
　　　　　scenery；　a　〃down…grade；〃　a　flying　coach；　a　fragrant　pipe；　and　a
　　　　　contented　heartthese　make　happiness。　　It　is　what　all　the　ages　have
　　　　　struggled　for。

But　one　must　read　all　the　story　of　that　long…ago　trip。　　It　was　a　trip　so
well　worth　taking；　so　well　worth　recording；　so　well　worth　reading　and
rereading　to…day。　　We　can　only　read　of　it　now。　　The　Overland　stage　long
ago　made　its　last　trip；　and　will　not　start　any　more。　　Even　if　it　did；　the
life　and　conditions；　the　very　scenery　itself；　would　not　be　the　same。




XXXII

THE　PIONEER

It　was　a　hot；　dusty　August　14th　that　the　stage　reached　Carson　City　and
drew　up　before　the　Ormsby　Hotel。　　It　was　known　that　the　Territorial
secretary　was　due　to　arrive；　and　something　in　the　nature　of　a　reception；
with　refreshments　and　frontier　hospitality；　had　been　planned。　　Governor
Nye；　formerly　police　commissioner　in　New　York　City；　had　arrived　a　short
time　before；　and　with　his　party　of　retainers　（〃　heelers　〃　we　would　call
them　now）；　had　made　an　imposing　entrance。　　Perhaps　something　of　the　sort
was　expected　with　the　advent　of　the　secretary　of　state。　　Instead；　the
committee　saw　two　way…worn　individuals　climb　down　from　the　stage；
unkempt；　unshornclothed　in　the　roughest　of　frontier　costume；　the　same
they　had　put　on　at　St。　Jodusty；　grimy；　slouchy；　and　weather…beaten　with
long　days　of　sun　and　storm　and　alkali　desert　dust。　　It　is　not　likely
there　were　two　more　unprepossessing　officials　on　the　Pacific　coast　at
that　moment　than　the　newly　arrived　Territorial　secretary　and　his　brother：
Somebody　identified　them；　and　the　committee　melted　away；　the　half…formed
plan　of　a　banquet　faded　out　and　was　not　heard　of　again。　　Soap　and　water
and　fresh　garments　worked　a　transformation；　but　that　first　impression　had
been　fatal　to　festivities　of　welcome。

Carson　City；　the　capital　of　Nevada；　was　a　〃wooden　town；〃　with　a
population　of　two　tho