按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
terrified and covered their heads。 Presently a hand was laid on the
coverlet； first at the foot； then at the head of the bed。 A thought
struck Mrs。 Clemens：
〃Sam！〃 she said。
He answered； but he was sound asleep and fell to the floor。 He had risen
and thrown a sheet around him in his dreams。 He walked in his sleep
several nights in succession after that。 Then he slept more soundly。
Orion returned to St。 Louis。 He was a very good book and job printer by
this time and received a salary of ten dollars a week （high wages in
those frugal days）； of which he sent three dollars weekly to the family。
Pamela； who had acquired a considerable knowledge of the piano and
guitar； went to the town of Paris； in Monroe County； about fifty miles
away； and taught a class of music pupils； contributing whatever remained
after paying for her board and clothing to the family fund。 It was a
hard task for the girl； for she was timid and not over…strong； but she
was resolute and patient； and won success。 Pamela Clemens was a noble
character and deserves a fuller history than can be afforded in this
work。
Mrs。 Clemens and her son Samuel now had a sober talk； and； realizing that
the printing trade offered opportunity for acquiring further education as
well as a livelihood； they agreed that he should be apprenticed to Joseph
P。 Ament； who had lately moved from Palmyra to Hannibal and bought a
weekly Democrat paper； the Missouri Courier。 The apprentice terms were
not over…liberal。 They were the usual thing for that time： board and
clothes〃more board than clothes； and not much of either；〃 Mark Twain
used to say。
〃I was supposed to get two suits of clothes a year； like a nigger； but I
didn't get them。 I got one suit and took the rest out in Ament's old
garments； which didn't fit me in any noticeable way。 I was only about
half as big as he was； and when I had on one of his shirts I felt as if I
had on a circus tent。 I had to turn the trousers up to my ears to make
them short enough。〃
There was another apprentice； a young fellow of about eighteen； named
Wales McCormick； a devilish fellow and a giant。 Ament's clothes were too
small for Wales； but he had to wear them； and Sam Clemens and Wales
McCormick together； fitted out with Ament's clothes； must have been a
picturesque pair。 There was also； for a time； a boy named Ralph； but he
appears to have presented no features of a striking sort； and the memory
of him has become dim。
The apprentices ate in the kitchen at first； served by the old slave…cook
and her handsome mulatto daughter； but those printer's 〃devils〃 made it
so lively there that in due time they were promoted to the family table；
where they sat with Mr。 and Mrs。 Ament and the one journeyman； Pet
McMurrya name that in itself was an inspiration。 What those young
scamps did not already know Pet McMurry could teach them。 Sam Clemens
had promised to be a good boy； and he was； by the standards of boyhood。
He was industrious； regular at his work； quick to learn； kind； and
truthful。 Angels could hardly be more than that in a printing…office；
but when food was scarce even an angela young printer angelcould
hardly resist slipping down the cellar stairs at night for raw potatoes；
onions； and apples which they carried into the office； where the boys
slept on a pallet on the floor； and this forage they cooked on the office
stove。 Wales especially had a way of cooking a potato that his associate
never forgot。
It is unfortunate that no photographic portrait has been preserved of Sam
Clemens at this period。 But we may imagine him from a letter which； long
years after； Pet McMurry wrote to Mark Twain。 He said：
If your memory extends so far back； you will recall a little sandy…
haired boy ＇The color of Mark Twain's hair in early life has been
variously referred to as red； black； and brown。 It was； in fact； as
stated by McMurry； 〃sandy〃 in boyhood； deepening later to that rich；
mahogany tone known as auburn。＇ of nearly a quarter of a century
ago； in the printing…office at Hannibal； over the Brittingham
drugstore； mounted upon a little box at the case； pulling away at a
huge cigar or a diminutive pipe； who used to love to sing so well
the expression of the poor drunken man who was supposed to have
fallen by the wayside： 〃If ever I get up again； I'll stay upif I
kin。〃 。 。 。 Do you recollect any of the serious conflicts that
mirth…loving brain of yours used to get you into with that
diminutive creature Wales McCormickhow you used to call upon me to
hold your cigar or pipe； whilst you went entirely through him？
This is good testimony； without doubt。 When he had been with Ament
little more than a year Sam had become office favorite and chief standby。
Whatever required intelligence and care and imagination was given to Sam
Clemens。 He could set type as accurately and almost as rapidly as Pet
McMurry； he could wash up the forms a good deal better than Pet； and he
could run the job…press to the tune of 〃Annie Laurie〃 or 〃Along the Beach
at Rockaway；〃 without missing a stroke or losing a finger。 Sometimes； at
odd moments； he would 〃set up〃 one of the popular songs or some favorite
poem like 〃The Blackberry Girl；〃 and of these he sent copies printed on
cotton； even on scraps of silk； to favorite girl friends； also to Puss
Quarles； on his uncle's farm； where he seldom went now； because he was
really grown up； associating with men and doing a man's work。 He had
charge of the circulationwhich is to say； he carried the papers。
During the last year of the Mexican War； when a telegraph…wire found its
way across the Mississippi to Hannibala long sagging span； that for
some reason did not break of its own weighthe was given charge of the
extras with news from the front； and the burning importance of his
mission； the bringing of news hot from the field of battle； spurred him
to endeavors that won plaudits and success。
He became a sort of subeditor。 When the forms of the paper were ready to
close and Ament was needed to supply more matter； it was Sam who was
delegated to find that rather uncertain and elusive person and labor with
him until the required copy was produced。 Thus it was he saw literature
in the making。
It is not believed that Sam had any writing ambitions of his own。 His
chief desire was to be an all…round journeyman printer like Pet McMurry；
to drift up and down the world in Pet's untrammeled fashion； to see all
that Pet had seen and a number of things which Pet appeared to have
overlooked。 He varied on occasion from this ambition。 When the first
negro minstrel show visited Hannibal and had gone； he yearned for a brief
period to be a magnificent 〃middle man〃 or even the 〃end… man〃 of that
combination； when the circus came and went； he dreamed of the day when； a
capering frescoed clown； he would set crowded tiers of spectators
guffawing at his humor； when the traveling hypnotist arrived； he
volunteered as a subject； and amazed the audience by the marvel of his
performance。
In later life he claimed that he had not been hypnotized in any degree；
b