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cold。〃
〃You wait and see；〃 said Jim Wolfe。
He grabbed a pair of yarn stockings for his feet； raised the window； and
crept out on the snowy roof。 There was a crust of ice on the snow； but
Jim jabbed his heels through it and stood up in the moonlight； his legs
bare； his single garment flapping gently in the light winter breeze。
Then he started slowly toward the cats； sinking his heels in the snow
each time for a footing； a piece of lath in his hand。 The cats were on
the corner of the roof above the arbor； and Jim cautiously worked his way
in that direction。 The roof was not very steep。 He was doing well
enough until he came to a place where the snow had melted until it was
nearly solid ice。 He was so intent on the cats that he did not notice
this； and when he struck his heel down to break the crust nothing
yielded。 A second later Jim's feet had shot out from under him； and he
vaulted like an avalanche down the icy roof out on the little vine…clad
arbor； and went crashing through among those candypullers； gathered there
with their pans of cooling taffy。 There were wild shrieks and a general
flight。 Neither Jim nor Sam ever knew how he got back to their room； but
Jim was overcome with the enormity of his offense； while Sam was in an
agony of laughter。
〃You did it splendidly； Jim；〃 he drawled； when he could speak。 〃Nobody
could have done it better； and did you see how those cats got out of
there？ I never had any idea when you started that you meant to do it
that way。 And it was such a surprise to the folks down…stairs。 How did
you ever think of it？〃
It was a fearful ordeal for a boy like Jim Wolfe； but he stuck to his
place in spite of what he must have suffered。 The boys made him one of
them soon after that。 His initiation was thought to be complete。
An account of Jim Wolfe and the cats was the first original story Mark
Twain ever told。 He told it next day； which was Sunday； to Jimmy
McDaniel； the baker's son； as they sat looking out over the river； eating
gingerbread。 His hearer laughed immoderately； and the story…teller was
proud and happy in his success。
XVIII
THE BEGINNING OF A LITERARY LIFE
Orion's paper continued to go downhill。 Following some random counsel；
he changed the name of it and advanced the pricetwo blunders。 Then he
was compelled to reduce the subscription； also the advertising rates。 He
was obliged to adopt a descending scale of charges and expenditures to
keep pace with his declining circulationa fatal sign。 A publisher must
lead his subscription list； not follow it。
〃I was walking backward；〃 he said； 〃not seeing where I stepped。〃
In desperation he broke away and made a trip to Tennessee to see if
something could not be realized on the land； leaving his brother Sam in
charge of the office。 It was a journey without financial results； yet it
bore fruit； for it marked the beginning of Mark Twain's literary career。
Sam； in his brother's absence； concluded to edit the paper in a way that
would liven up the circulation。 He had never done any writingnot for
printbut he had the courage of his inclinations。 His local items were
of a kind known as 〃spicy〃； his personals brought prompt demand for
satisfaction。 The editor of a rival paper had been in love； and was said
to have gone to the river one night to drown himself。 Sam gave a
picturesque account of this； with all the names connected with the
affair。 Then he took a couple of big wooden block letters； turned them
upside down； and engraved illustrations for it； showing the victim wading
out into the river with a stick to test the depth of the water。 When
this issue of the paper came out the demand for it was very large。 The
press had to be kept running steadily to supply copies。 The satirized
editor at first swore that he would thrash the whole journal office； then
he left town and did not come back any more。 The embryo Mark Twain also
wrote a poem。 It was addressed 〃To Mary in Hannibal；〃 but the title was
too long to be set in one column； so he left out all the letters in
Hannibal； except the first and the last； and supplied their place with a
dash； with a startling result。 Such were the early flickerings of a
smoldering genius。 Orion returned； remonstrated； and apologized。 He
reduced Sam to the ranks。 In later years he saw his mistake。
〃I could have distanced all competitors even then；〃 he said； 〃if I had
recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead； merely keeping him from
offending worthy persons。〃
Sam was subdued； but not done for。 He never would be； now。 He had got
his first taste of print； and he liked it。 He promptly wrote two
anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia
Saturday Evening Post。 They were acceptedwithout payment； of course；
in those days； and when the papers containing them appeared he felt
suddenly lifted to a lofty plane of literature。 This was in 1851。
〃Seeing them in print was a joy which rather exceeded anything in that
line I have ever experienced since；〃 he said； nearly sixty years later。
Yet he did not feel inspired to write anything further for the Post。
Twice during the next two years he contributed to the Journal； once
something about Jim Wolfe； though it was not the story of the cats； and
another burlesque on a rival editor whom he pictured as hunting snipe
with a cannon； the explosion of which was said to have blown the snipe
out of the country。 No contributions of this time have been preserved。
High prices have been offered for copies of the Hannibal journal
containing them； but without success。 The Post sketches were unsigned
and have not been identified。 It is likely they were trivial enough。
His earliest work showed no special individuality or merit； being mainly
crude and imitative； as the work of a boyeven a precocious boyis
likely to be。 He was not especially precociousnot in literature。 His
literary career would halt and hesitate and trifle along for many years
yet； gathering impetus and equipment for the fuller； statelier swing
which would bring a greater joy to the world at large； even if not to
himself； than that first； far…off triumph。 ＇In Mark Twain's sketch 〃My
First Literary Venture〃 he has set down with characteristic embroideries
some account of this early authorship。＇
Those were hard financial days。 Orion could pay nothing on his mortgage
barely the interest。 He had promised Sam three dollars and a half a
week； but he could do no more than supply him with board and clothes
〃poor； shabby clothes；〃 he says in his record。
〃My mother and sister did the housekeeping。 My mother was cook。 She
used the provisions I supplied her。 We therefore had a regular diet of
bacon； butter； bread； and coffee。〃
Mrs。 Clemens again took a few boarders； Pamela； who had given up teaching
for a time； organized another music class。 Orion became despondent。 One
night a cow got into the office； upset a typecase； and ate up two
composition rollers。 Orion felt that fate was dealing with a heavy hand。
Another disaster quickly followed。 Fire broke out in the office； and the
loss was considerable。 An insurance company paid one h