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Enterprise。
If they want letters from herewho'll run from morning till night
collecting material cheaper？ I'll write a short letter twice a
week； for the present for the 'Age'； for 5 per week。 Now it has
been a long time since I couldn't make my own living； and it shall
be a long time before I loaf another year。
Nothing came of these possibilities； but about this time Barstow； of the
Enterprise； conferred with Joseph T。 Goodman； editor and owner of the
paper； as to the advisability of adding the author of the 〃Josh〃 letters
to their local staff。 Joe Goodman； who had as keen a literary perception
as any man that ever pitched a journalistic tent on the Pacific coast
（and there could be no higher praise than that）； looked over the letters
and agreed with Barstow that the man who wrote them had 〃something in
him。〃 Two of the sketches in particular he thought promising。 One of
them was a burlesque report of an egotistical lecturer who was referred
to as 〃Professor Personal Pronoun。〃 It closed by stating that it was
〃impossible to print his lecture in full； as the type…cases had run out
of capital I's。〃 But it was the other sketch which settled Goodman's
decision。 It was also a burlesque report； this time of a Fourth…of…July
oration。 It opened； 〃I was sired by the Great American Eagle and foaled
by a continental dam。〃 This was followed by a string of stock patriotic
phrases absurdly arranged。 But it was the opening itself that won
Goodman's heart。
〃That is the sort of thing we want；〃 he said。 〃Write to him； Barstow；
and ask him if he wants to come up here。〃
Barstow wrote； offering twenty…five dollars a week； a tempting sum。 This
was at the end of July； 1862。
In 'Roughing It' we are led to believe that the author regarded this as a
gift from heaven and accepted it straightaway。 As a matter of fact； he
fasted and prayed a good while over the 〃call。〃 To Orion he wrote
Barstow has offered me the post as local reporter for the Enterprise at
25 a week； and I have written him that I will let him know next mail； if
possible。
There was no desperate eagerness； you see； to break into literature； even
under those urgent conditions。 It meant the surrender of all hope in the
mines； the confession of another failure。 On August 7th he wrote again
to Orion。 He had written to Barstow； he said； asking when they thought
he might be needed。 He was playing for time to consider。
Now； I shall leave at midnight to…night； alone and on foot； for a walk of
60 or 70 miles through a totally uninhabited country； and it is barely
possible that mail facilities may prove infernally 〃slow。〃 But do you
write Barstow that I have left here for a week or so； and in case he
should want me； he must write me here； or let me know through you。
So he had gone into the wilderness to fight out his battle alone。 But
eight days later； when he had returned； there was still no decision。 In
a letter to Pamela of this date he refers playfully to the discomforts of
his cabin and mentions a hope that he will spend the winter in San
Francisco； but there is no reference in it to any newspaper prospects
nor to the mines； for that matter。 Phillips； Howland； and Higbie would
seem to have given up by this time； and he was camping with Dan Twing and
a dog； a combination amusingly described。 It is a pleasant enough
letter； but the note of discouragement creeps in：
I did think for a while of going home this fallbut when I found
that that was； and had been； the cherished intention and the darling
aspiration every year of these old care…worn Californians for twelve
weary years； I felt a little uncomfortable； so I stole a march on
Disappointment and said I would not go home this fall。 This country
suits me； and it shall suit me whether or no。
He was dying hard； desperately hard； how could he know； to paraphrase the
old form of Christian comfort； that his end as a miner would mean； in
another sphere； 〃a brighter resurrection〃 than even his rainbow
imagination could paint？
XXXVII
THE NEW ESTATE
It was the afternoon of a hot； dusty August day when a worn； travel…
stained pilgrim drifted laggingly into the office of the Virginia City
Enterprise； then in its new building on C Street； and； loosening a heavy
roll of blankets from his shoulders； dropped wearily into a chair。 He
wore a rusty slouch hat； no coat； a faded blue flannel shirt； a Navy
revolver； his trousers were hanging on his boot tops。 A tangle of
reddish…brown hair fell on his shoulders； and a mass of tawny beard；
dingy with alkali dust； dropped half…way to his waist。
Aurora lay one hundred and thirty miles from Virginia。 He had walked
that distance； carrying his heavy load。 Editor Goodman was absent at the
moment； but the other proprietor； Denis E。 McCarthy； signified that the
caller might state his errand。 The wanderer regarded him with a far…away
look and said； absently and with deliberation：
〃My starboard leg seems to be unshipped。 I'd like about one hundred
yards of line； I think I am falling to pieces。〃 Then he added： 〃I want
to see Mr。 Barstow； or Mr。 Goodman。 My name is Clemens； and I've come to
write for the paper。〃
It was the master of the world's widest estate come to claim his kingdom：
William Wright； who had won a wide celebrity on the Coast as Dan de
Quille； was in the editorial chair and took charge of the new arrival。
He was going on a trip to the States soon； it was mainly on this account
that the new man had been engaged。 The 〃Josh〃 letters were very good； in
Dan's opinion； he gave their author a cordial welcome； and took him
around to his boarding…place。 It was the beginning of an association
that continued during Samuel Clemens's stay in Virginia City and of a
friendship that lasted many years。
The Territorial Enterprise was one of the most remarkable frontier papers
ever published。 Its editor…in…chief； Joseph Goodman； was a man with rare
appreciation； wide human understanding； and a comprehensive newspaper
policy。 Being a young man； he had no policy； in fact； beyond the general
purpose that his paper should be a forum for absolutely free speech；
provided any serious statement it contained was based upon knowledge。
His instructions to the new reporter were about as follows：
〃Never say we learn so and so； or it is rumored； or we understand so and
so； but go to headquarters and get the absolute facts； then speak out and
say it is so and so。 In the one case you are likely to be shot； and in
the other you are pretty certain to be； but you will preserve the public
confidence。〃
Goodman was not new to the West。 He had come to California as a boy and
had been a miner； explorer； printer； and contributor by turns。 Early in
'61； when the Comstock Lode ＇Named for its discoverer； Henry T。 P。
Comstock； a half…crazy miner； who realized very little from his
stupendous find。＇ was new and Virginia in the first flush of its
monster boom； he and Denis McCarthy had scraped together a few dollars
and bought the paper。 It had been a hand…to…hand struggle for a while；
but in a brief two years； f