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to it now； though； and it is no trouble。 Where is it Orion's going
to？ Tell Ma my promises are faithfully kept； and if I have my
health I will take her to Ky。 in the springI shall save money for
this。 Tell Jim （Wolfe） and all the rest of them to write； and give
me all the news 。。。。
（It has just struck 2 A。M。； and I always get up at 6； and am at work
at 7。） You ask where I spend my evenings。 Where would you suppose；
with a free printer's library containing more than 4；000 volumes
within a quarter of a mile of me； and nobody at home to talk to？
Write soon。
Truly your brother； SAM
P。S。…I have written this by a light so dim that you nor Ma could not
read by it。 Write； and let me know how Henry is。
It is a good letter； it is direct and clear in its descriptive quality；
and it gives us a scale of things。 Double the population of Hannibal
visited the Crystal Palace in one day！ and the water to supply the city
came a distance of thirty…eight miles！ Doubtless these were amazing
statistics。
Then there was the interest in family affairsalways stronghis concern
for Henry； whom he loved tenderly； his memory of the promise to his
mother； his understanding of her craving to visit her old home。 He did
not write to her direct； for the reason that Orion's plans were then
uncertain； and it was not unlikely that he had already found a new
location。 From this letter； too； we learn that the boy who detested
school was reveling in a library of four thousand booksmore than he had
ever seen together before。 We have somehow the feeling that he had all
at once stepped from boyhood to manhood； and that the separation was
marked by a very definite line。
The work he had secured was in Cliff Street in the printing establishment
of John A。 Gray & Green； who agreed to pay him four dollars a week； and
did pay that amount in wildcat money； which saved them about twenty…five
per cent。 of the sum。 He lodged at a mechanics' boarding…house in Duane
Street； and when he had paid his board and washing he sometimes had as
much as fifty cents to lay away。
He did not like the board。 He had been accustomed to the Southern mode
of cooking； and wrote home complaining that New…Yorkers did not have
〃hot…bread〃 or biscuits； but ate 〃light…bread；〃 which they allowed to get
stale； seeming to prefer it in that way。 On the whole； there was not
much inducement to remain in New York after he had satisfied himself with
its wonders。 He lingered； however； through the hot months of 1853； and
found it not easy to go。 In October he wrote to Pamela； suggesting plans
for Orion； also for Henry and Jim Wolfe； whom he seems never to have
overlooked。 Among other things he says：
I have not written to any of the family for some time； from the
fact； firstly； that I didn't know where they were； and； secondly；
because I have been fooling myself with the idea that I was going to
leave New York every day for the last two weeks。 I have taken a
liking to the abominable place； and every time I get ready to leave
I put it off a day or so； from some unaccountable cause。 I think I
shall get off Tuesday； though。
Edwin Forrest has been playing for the last sixteen days at the
Broadway Theater； but I never went to see him till last night。 The
play was the 〃Gladiator。〃 I did not like parts of it much； but
other portions were really splendid。 In the latter part of the last
act； where the 〃Gladiator〃 （Forrest） dies at his brother's feet （in
all the fierce pleasure of gratified revenge）； the man's whole soul
seems absorbed in the part he is playing； and it is really startling
to see him。 I am sorry I did not see him play 〃Damon and Pythias〃
the former character being the greatest。 He appears in Philadelphia
on Monday night。
I have not received a letter from home lately； but got a 〃Journal〃
the other day； in which I see the office has been sold 。 。 。 。
If my letters do not come often； you need not bother yourself about
me； for if you have a brother nearly eighteen years of age who is
not able to take care of himself a few miles from home； such a
brother is not worth one's thoughts； and if I don't manage to take
care of No。 1； be assured you will never know it。 I am not afraid；
however； I shall ask favors of no one and endeavor to be （and shall
be） as 〃independent as a wood…sawyer's clerk。〃。 。 。
Passage to Albany （160 miles） on the finest steamers that ply the
Hudson is now 25 centscheap enough； but is generally cheaper than
that in the summer。
〃I have been fooling myself with the idea that I was going to leave New
York〃 is distinctly a Mark Twain phrase。 He might have said that fifty
years later。
He did go to Philadelphia presently and found work 〃subbing〃 on a daily
paper；'The Inquirer。' He was a fairly swift compositor。 He could set
ten thousand ems a day； and he received pay according to the amount of
work done。 Days or evenings when there was no vacant place for him to
fill he visited historic sites； the art…galleries； and the libraries。
He was still acquiring education； you see。 Sometimes at night when he
returned to his boardinghouse his room…mate； an Englishman named Sumner；
grilled a herring； and this was regarded as a feast。 He tried his hand
at writing in Philadelphia； though this time without success。 For some
reason he did not again attempt to get into the Post； but offered his
contributions to the Philadelphia 'Ledger'mainly poetry of an obituary
kind。 Perhaps it was burlesque； he never confessed that； but it seems
unlikely that any other obituary poetry would have failed of print。
〃My efforts were not received with approval；〃 was all he ever said of it
afterward。
There were two or three characters in the 'Inquirer' office whom he did
not forget。 One of these was an old compositor who had 〃held a case〃 in
that office for many years。 His name was Frog； and sometimes when he
went away the 〃office devils〃 would hang a line over his case； with a
hook on it baited with a piece of red flannel。 They never got tired of
this joke； and Frog was always able to get as mad over it as he had been
in the beginning。 Another old fellow there furnished amusement。 He
owned a house in the distant part of the city and had an abnormal fear of
fire。 Now and then； when everything was quiet except the clicking of the
types； some one would step to the window and say with a concerned air：
〃Doesn't that smoke ＇or that light； if it was evening＇ seem to be in
the northwestern part of the city？〃 or 〃There go the fire…bells again！〃
and away the old man would tramp up to the roof to investigate。 It was
not the most considerate sport； and it is to be feared that Sam Clemens
had his share in it。
He found that he liked Philadelphia。 He could save a little money there；
for one thing； and now and then sent something to his mothersmall
amounts； but welcome and gratifying； no doubt。 In a letter to Orion
whom he seems to have f