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DAYS OF EDUCATION
The Clemens family had made one or two moves since its arrival in
Hannibal； but the identity of these temporary residences and the period
of occupation of each can no longer be established。 Mark Twain once
said：
〃In 1843 my father caught me in a lie。 It is not this fact that gives me
the date； but the house we lived in。 We were there only a year。〃
We may believe it was the active result of that lie that fixed his memory
of the place； for his father seldom punished him。 When he did； it was a
thorough and satisfactory performance。
It was about the period of moving into the new house （1844） that the Tom
Sawyer daysthat is to say； the boyhood of Samuel Clemensmay be said
to have begun。 Up to that time he was just Little Sam； a childwild；
and mischievous； often exasperating； but still a childa delicate little
lad to be worried over； mothered； or spanked and put to bed。 Now； at
nine； he had acquired health； with a sturdy ability to look out for
himself； as boys will； in a community like that； especially where the
family is rather larger than the income and there is still a younger
child to claim a mother's protecting care。 So 〃Sam；〃 as they now called
him； 〃grew up〃 at nine； and was full of knowledge for his years。 Not
that he was old in spirit or mannerhe was never that； even to his
deathbut he had learned a great number of things； mostly of a kind not
acquired at school。
They were not always of a pleasant kind； they were likely to be of a kind
startling to a boy； even terrifying。 Once Little Samhe was still
Little Sam； thensaw an old man shot down on the main street； at
noonday。 He saw them carry him home； lay him on the bed； and spread on
his breast an open family Bible which looked as heavy as an anvil。 He
though； if he could only drag that great burden away； the poor； old dying
man would not breathe so heavily。 He saw a young emigrant stabbed with a
bowie…knife by a drunken comrade； and noted the spurt of life…blood that
followed； he saw two young men try to kill their uncle； one holding him
while the other snapped repeatedly an Allen revolver which failed to go
off。 Then there was the drunken rowdy who proposed to raid the
〃Welshman's〃 house one dark threatening nighthe saw that； too。 A widow
and her one daughter lived there； and the ruffian woke the whole village
with his coarse challenges and obscenities。 Sam Clemens and a boon
companion； John Briggs； went up there to look and listen。 The man was at
the gate； and the warren were invisible in the shadow of the dark porch。
The boys heard the elder woman's voice warning the man that she had a
loaded gun； and that she would kill him if he stayed where he was。 He
replied with a ribald tirade； and she warned that she would count ten…
that if he remained a second longer she would fire。 She began slowly and
counted up to five； with him laughing and jeering。 At six he grew
silent； but he did not go。 She counted on： seveneightnine The boys
watching from the dark roadside felt their hearts stop。 There was a long
pause； then the final count； followed a second later by a gush of flame。
The man dropped； his breast riddled。 At the same instant the
thunderstorm that had been gathering broke loose。 The boys fled wildly；
believing that Satan himself had arrived to claim the lost soul。
Many such instances happened in a town like that in those days。 And
there were events incident to slavery。 He saw a slave struck down and
killed with a piece of slag for a trifling offense。 He saw an
abolitionist attacked by a mob； and they would have lynched him had not a
Methodist minister defended him on a plea that he must be crazy。 He did
not remember； in later years； that he had ever seen a slave auction； but
he added：
〃I am suspicious that it is because the thing was a commonplace
spectacle； and not an uncommon or impressive one。 I do vividly remember
seeing a dozen black men and women chained together lying in a group on
the pavement； waiting shipment to a Southern slave…market。 They had the
saddest faces I ever saw。〃
It is not surprising that a boy would gather a store of human knowledge
amid such happenings as these。 They were wild； disturbing things。 They
got into his dreams and made him fearful when he woke in the middle of
the night。 He did not then regard them as an education。 In some vague
way he set them down as warnings； or punishments； designed to give him a
taste for a better life。 He felt that it was his own conscience that
made these things torture him。 That was his mother's idea； and he had a
high respect for her moral opinions； also for her courage。 Among other
things； he had seen her one day defy a vicious devil of a Corsicana
common terror in the town…who was chasing his grown daughter with a heavy
rope in his hand； declaring he would wear it out on her。 Cautious
citizens got out of her way； but Jane Clemens opened her door wide to the
refugee； and then； instead of rushing in and closing it； spread her arms
across it； barring the way。 The man swore and threatened her with the
rope； but she did not flinch or show any sign of fear。 She stood there
and shamed him and derided him and defied him until he gave up the rope
and slunk off； crestfallen and conquered。 Any one who could do that must
have a perfect conscience； Sam thought。 In the fearsome darkness he
would say his prayers； especially when a thunderstorm was coming； and vow
to begin a better life in the morning。 He detested Sunday…school as much
as day…school； and once Orion； who was moral and religious； had
threatened to drag him there by the collar； but as the thunder got louder
Sam decided that he loved Sunday…school and would go the next Sunday
without being invited。
Fortunately there were pleasanter things than these。 There were picnics
sometimes； and ferry…boat excursions。 Once there was a great Fourth…of…
July celebration at which it was said a real Revolutionary soldier was to
be present。 Some one had discovered him living alone seven or eight
miles in the country。 But this feature proved a disappointment； for when
the day came and he was triumphantly brought in he turned out to be a
Hessian； and was allowed to walk home。
The hills and woods around Hannibal where； with his playmates； he roamed
almost at will were never disappointing。 There was the cave with its
marvels； there was Bear Creek； where； after repeated accidents； he had
learned to swim。 It had cost him heavily to learn to swim。 He had seen
two playmates drown； also； time and again he had； himself； been dragged
ashore more dead than alive； once by a slave…girl； another time by a
slavemanNeal Champ； of the Pavey Hotel。 In the end he had conquered；
he could swim better than any boy in town of his age。
It was the river that meant more to him than all the rest。 Its charm was
permanent。 It was the path of adventure； the gateway to the world。 The
river with its islands； its great slow…moving rafts； its marvelous
steamboats that were like fairyland； its stately current swinging to the
sea！ He would sit by it for hours and dream。 He would venture out on it
in a surreptitiously bo