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may choose to call the unaccountablestepped in just then； and laid
before him the means of turning another sharp corner in his career。 One
of those things happened which we refuse to accept in fiction as
possible； but fact has a smaller regard for the credibilities。
As in the case of the Joan of Arc episode （and this adds to its marvel）；
it was the wind that brought the talismanic gift。 It was a day in early
Novemberbleak； bitter； and gusty； with curling snow； most persons were
indoors。 Samuel Clemens； going down Main Street； saw a flying bit of
paper pass him and lodge against the side of a building。 Something about
it attracted him and he captured it。 It was a fifty…dollar bill。 He had
never seen one before； but he recognized it。 He thought he must be
having a pleasant dream。
The temptation came to pocket his good…fortune and say nothing。 His need
of money was urgent； but he had also an urgent and troublesome
conscience； in the end he advertised his find。
〃I didn't describe it very particularly； and I waited in daily fear that
the owner would turn up and take away my fortune。 By and by I couldn't
stand it any longer。 My conscience had gotten all that was coming to it。
I felt that I must take that money out of danger。〃
In the 〃Turning…point〃 article he says： 〃I advertised the find and left
for the Amazon the same day；〃a statement which we may accept with a
literary discount。
As a matter of fact； he remained ample time and nobody ever came for the
money。 It may have been swept out of a bank or caught up by the wind
from some counting…room table。 It may have materialized out of the
unseenwho knows？ At all events it carried him the first stage of a
journey； the end of which he little dreamed。
XXI
SCOTCHMAN NAMED MACFARLANE
He concluded to go to Cincinnati； which would be on the way either to New
York or New Orleans （he expected to sail from one of these points）； but
first paid a brief visit to his mother in St。 Louis； for he had a far
journey and along absence in view。 Jane Clemens made him renew his
promise as to cards and liquor； and gave him her blessing。 He had
expected to go from St。 Louis to Cincinnati； but a new ideaa literary
ideacame to him； and he returned to Keokuk。 The Saturday Post； a
Keokuk weekly； was a prosperous sheet giving itself certain literary
airs。 He was in favor with the management； of which George Rees was the
head； and it had occurred to him that he could send letters of his
travels to the Postfor； a consideration。 He may have had a still
larger ambition； at least； the possibility of a book seems to have been
in his consciousness。 Rees agreed to take letters from him at five
dollars eachgood payment for that time and place。 The young traveler；
jubilant in the prospect of receiving money for literature； now made
another start； this time by way of Quincy； Chicago； and Indianapolis
according to his first letter in the Post。 ＇Supplied by Thomas Rees； of
the Springfield （Illinois） Register； son of George Rees named。＇
This letter is dated Cincinnati； November 14； 1856； and it is not a
promising literary production。 It was written in the exaggerated dialect
then regarded as humorous； and while here and there are flashes of the
undoubted Mark Twain type； they are few and far between。 The genius that
a little more than ten years later would delight the world flickered
feebly enough at twenty…one。 The letter is a burlesque account of the
trip to Cincinnati。 A brief extract from it； as characteristic as any；
will serve。
I went down one night to the railroad office there； purty close onto
the Laclede House； and bought about a quire o' yaller paper； cut up
into ticketsone for each railroad in the United States； I thought；
but I found out afterwards that the Alexandria and Boston Air…Line
was left outand then got a baggage feller to take my trunk down to
the boat； where he spilled it out on the levee； bustin' it open and
shakin' out the contents； consisting of 〃guides〃 to Chicago； and
〃guides〃 to Cincinnati； and travelers' guides； and all kinds of sich
books； not excepting a 〃guide to heaven；〃 which last aint much use
to a Teller in Chicago； I kin tell you。 Finally； that fast packet
quit ringing her bell； and started down the riverbut she hadn't
gone morn a mile； till she ran clean up on top of a sand…bar； whar
she stuck till plum one o'clock； spite of the Captain's swearin'
and they had to set the whole crew to cussin' at last afore they got
her off。
This is humor； we may concede； of that early American type which a little
later would have its flower in Nasby and Artemus Ward。 Only careful
examination reveals in it a hint of the later Mark Twain。 The letters
were signed 〃Snodgrass；〃 and there are but two of them。 The second；
dated exactly four months after the first； is in the same assassinating
dialect； and recounts among other things the scarcity of coal in
Cincinnati and an absurd adventure in which Snodgrass has a baby left on
his hands。
》From the fewness of the letters we may assume that Snodgrass found them
hard work； and it is said he raised on the price。 At all events； the
second concluded the series。 They are mainly important in that they are
the first of his contributions that have been preserved； also the first
for which he received a cash return。
He secured work at his trade in Cincinnati at the printing…office of
Wrightson & Co。； and remained there until April； 1857。 That winter in
Cincinnati was eventless enough； but it was marked by one notable
associationone that beyond doubt forwarded Samuel Clemens's general
interest in books； influenced his taste； and inspired in him certain
views and philosophies which he never forgot。
He lodged at a cheap boarding…house filled with the usual commonplace
people； with one exception。 This exception was a long； lank； unsmiling
Scotchman named Macfarlane； who was twice as old as Clemens and wholly
unlike himwithout humor or any comprehension of it。 Yet meeting on the
common plane of intellect； the two became friends。 Clemens spent his
evenings in Macfarlane's room until the clock struck ten； then Macfarlane
grilled a herring； just as the Englishman Sumner in Philadelphia had done
two years before； and the evening ended。
Macfarlane had books； serious books： histories； philosophies； and
scientific works； also a Bible and a dictionary。 He had studied these
and knew them by heart； he was a direct and diligent talker。 He never
talked of himself； and beyond the statement that he had acquired his
knowledge from reading； and not at school； his personality was a mystery。
He left the house at six in the morning and returned at the same hour in
the evening。 His hands were hardened from some sort of toil…mechanical
labor； his companion thought； but he never knew。 He would have liked to
know； and he watched for some reference to slip out that would betray
Macfarlane's trade； but this never happened。
What he did learn was that Macfarlane was a veritable storehouse of
abstruse knowledge； a living dictionary； and a thinker and phil