Aldrich wrote, now, violently declaring
the perpetrator of the outrage to be known to
the police; that a sprawling yellow figure against
a green background had been recognized as an admirable
likeness of Mark Twain, alias the jumping Frog,
a well-known Californian desperado, formerly
the chief of Henry Plummer’s band of road
agents in Montana. The letter was signed, “T.
Bayleigh, Chief of Police.” On the
back of the envelope “T. Bayleigh”
had also written that it was “no use for
the person to send any more letters, as the post-office
at that point was to be blown up. Forty-eight
hogs-head of nitroglycerine had been syrupticiously
introduced into the cellar of the building, and
more was expected. R.W.E. H.W.L.
O.W.H., and other conspirators in masks have been
seen flitting about the town for some days past.
The greatest excitement combined with the most
intense quietness reigns at Ponkapog.”
LETTERS FROM HARTFORD, 1875. MUCH CORRESPONDENCE WITH HOWELLS
Orion Clemens had kept his job with Bliss only a short
time. His mental make-up was such that it was
difficult for him to hold any position long.
He meant to do well, but he was unfortunate in his
efforts. His ideas were seldom practical, his
nature was yielding and fickle. He had returned
to Keokuk presently, and being convinced there was
a fortune in chickens, had prevailed upon his brother
to purchase for him a little farm not far from the
town. But the chicken business was not lively
and Orion kept the mail hot with manuscripts and propositions
of every sort, which he wanted his brother to take
under advisement.
Certainly, to Mark Twain Orion Clemens was a trial.
The letters of the latter show that scarcely one
of them but contains the outline of some rainbow-chasing
scheme, full of wild optimism, and the certainty that
somewhere just ahead lies the pot of gold. Only,
now and then, there is a letter of abject humiliation
and complete surrender, when some golden vision, some
iridescent soap-bubble, had vanished at his touch.
Such depression did not last; by sunrise he was ready
with a new dream, new enthusiasm, and with a new letter
inviting his “brother Sam’s” interest
and investment. Yet, his fear of incurring his
brother’s displeasure was pitiful, regardless
of the fact that he constantly employed the very means
to insure that result. At one time Clemens made
him sign a sworn agreement that he would not suggest
any plan or scheme of investment for the period of
twelve months. Orion must have kept this agreement.
He would have gone to the stake before he would have
violated an oath, but the stake would have probably
been no greater punishment than his sufferings that
year.
On the whole, Samuel Clemens was surprisingly patient
and considerate with Orion, and there was never a
time that he was not willing to help. Yet there
were bound to be moments of exasperation; and once,
when his mother, or sister, had written, suggesting
that he encourage his brother’s efforts, he
felt moved to write at considerable freedom.
