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of Brown was welcome。
He had been on the river nearly a year now； and； though universally liked
and accounted a fine steersman； he was receiving no wages。 There had
been small need of money for a while； for he had no board to pay； but
clothes wear out at last； and there were certain incidentals。 The
Pennsylvania made a round trip in about thirty…five days； with a day or
two of idle time at either end。 The young pilot found that he could get
night employment； watching freight on the New Orleans levee； and thus
earn from two and a half to three dollars for each night's watch。
Sometimes there would be two nights； and with a capital of five or six
dollars he accounted himself rich。
〃It was a desolate experience；〃 he said； long afterward； 〃watching there
in the dark among those piles of freight； not a sound； not a living
creature astir。 But it was not a profitless one： I used to have
inspirations as I sat there alone those nights。 I used to imagine all
sorts of situations and possibilities。 Those things got into my books by
and by and furnished me with many a chapter。 I can trace the effect of
those nights through most of my books in one way and another。〃
Many of the curious tales in the latter half of the Mississippi book came
out of those long night…watches。 It was a good time to think of such
things。
XXV
LOVE…MAKING AND ADVENTURE
Of course； life with Brown was not all sorrow。 At either end of the trip
there was respite and recreation。 In St。 Louis； at Pamela's there was
likely to be company： Hannibal friends mostly； schoolmatesgirls； of
course。 At New Orleans he visited friendly boats； especially the John J。
Roe； where he was generously welcomed。 One such visit on the Roe he
never forgot。 A young girl was among the boat's guests that trip
another Laura； fifteen； winning； delightful。 They met； and were mutually
attracted； in the life of each it was one of those bright spots which are
likely to come in youth： one of those sudden； brief periods of romance；
lovecall it what you will the thing that leads to marriage； if pursued。
〃I was not four inches from that girl's elbow during our waking hours for
the next three days。〃
Then came a sudden interruption： Zeb Leavenworth came flying aft
shouting：
〃The Pennsylvania is backing out。〃
A flutter of emotion； a fleeting good…by； a flight across the decks； a
flying leap from romance back to reality； and it was all over。 He wrote
her； but received no reply。 He never saw her again； never heard from her
for forty…eight years； when both were married； widowed； and old。 She had
not received his letter。
Even on the Pennsylvania life had its interests。 A letter dated March 9；
1858； recounts a delightfully dangerous night…adventure in the steamer's
yawl； hunting for soundings in the running ice。
Then the fun commenced。 We made fast a line 20 fathoms long； to the
bow of the yawl； and put the men （both crews） to it like horses on
the shore。 Brown； the pilot； stood in the bow； with an oar； to keep
her head out； and I took the tiller。 We would start the men； and
all would go well till the yawl would bring up on a heavy cake of
ice； and then the men would drop like so many tenpins； while Brown
assumed the horizontal in the bottom of the boat。 After an hour's
hard work we got back； with ice half an inch thick on the oars。
Sent back and warped up the other yawl； and then George （George
Ealer； the other pilot） and myself took a double crew of fresh men
and tried it again。 This time we found the channel in less than
half an hour； and landed on an island till the Pennsylvania came
along and took us off。 The next day was colder still。 I was out in
the yawl twice； and then we got through； but the infernal steamboat
came near running over us。。。。 We sounded Hat Island； warped up
around a bar； and sounded againbut in order to understand our
situation you will have to read Dr。 Kane。 It would have been
impossible to get back to the boat。 But the Maria Denning was
aground at the head of the islandthey hailed uswe ran alongside；
and they hoisted us in and thawed us out。 We had then been out in
the yawl from four o'clock in the morning till half past nine
without being near a fire。 There was a thick coating of ice over
men； and yawl； ropes and everything else； and we looked like rock…
candy statuary。
This was the sort of thing he loved in those days。 We feel the writer's
evident joy and pride in it。 In the same letter he says： 〃I can't
correspond with the paper； because when one is learning the river he is
not allowed to do or think about anything else。〃 Then he mentions his
brother Henry； and we get the beginning of that tragic episode for which；
though blameless； Samuel Clemens always held himself responsible。
Henry was doing little or nothing here （St。 Louis）； and I sent him
to our clerk to work his way for a trip； measuring wood…piles；
counting coal…boxes； and doing other clerkly duties； which he
performed satisfactorily。 He may go down with us again。
Henry Clemens was about twenty at this time； a handsome； attractive boy
of whom his brother was lavishly fond and proud。 He did go on the next
trip and continued to go regularly after that； as third clerk in line of
promotion。 It was a bright spot in those hard days with Brown to have
Henry along。 The boys spent a good deal of their leisure with the other
pilot； George Ealer； who 〃was as kindhearted as Brown wasn't；〃 and quoted
Shakespeare and Goldsmith； and played the flute to his fascinated and
inspiring audience。 These were things worth while。 The young steersman
could not guess that the shadow of a long sorrow was even then stretching
across the path ahead。
Yet in due time he received a warning； a remarkable and impressive
warning； though of a kind seldom heeded。 One night； when the
Pennsylvania lay in St。 Louis； he slept at his sister's house and had
this vivid dream：
He saw Henry； a corpse； lying in a metallic burial case in the sitting…
room； supported on two chairs。 On his breast lay a bouquet of flowers；
white； with a single crimson bloom in the center。
When he awoke； it was morning； but the dream was so vivid that he
believed it real。 Perhaps something of the old hypnotic condition was
upon him； for he rose and dressed； thinking he would go in and look at
his dead brother。 Instead； he went out on the street in the early
morning and had walked to the middle of the block before it suddenly
flashed upon him that it was only a dream。 He bounded back； rushed to
the sitting…room； and felt a great trembling revulsion of joy when he
found it really empty。 He told Pamela the dream； then put it out of his
mind as quickly as he could。 The Pennsylvania sailed from St。 Louis as
usual； and made a safe trip to New Orleans。
A safe trip； but an eventful one； on it occurred that last interview with
Brown； already mentioned。 It is recorded in the Mississippi book； but
cannot be omitted here。 Somewhere down the river （it was in Eagle Bend）
Henry a