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petitioned to aid this work of internal improvement。 So confident was
the company of success that the hamlet was thrown into a fever of
excitement by the establishment of a boatyard and； the actual
construction of a bateau； but a Democratic Congress turned its back on
the proposed improvement。 No boat bigger than a skiff ever ascended Salt
River； though there was a wild report； evidently a hoax； that a party of
picnickers had seen one night a ghostly steamer； loaded and manned；
puffing up the stream。 An old Scotchman； Hugh Robinson； when he heard of
it； said：
〃I don't doubt a word they say。 In Scotland； it often happens that when
people have been killed； or are troubled； they send their spirits abroad
and they are seen as much like themselves as a reflection in a looking…
glass。 That was a ghost of some wrecked steamboat。〃
But John Quarles； who was present； laughed：
〃If ever anybody was in trouble； the men on that steamboat were；〃 he
said。 〃They were the Democratic candidates at the last election。 They
killed Salt River improvements； and Salt River has killed them。 Their
ghosts went up the river on a ghostly steamboat。〃
It is possible that this comment； which was widely repeated and traveled
far； was the origin of the term 〃Going up Salt River；〃 as applied to
defeated political candidates。 ＇The dictionaries give this phrase as
probably traceable to a small； difficult stream in Kentucky； but it seems
more reasonable to believe that it originated in Quarles's witty
comment。＇
No other attempt was ever made to establish navigation on Salt River。
Rumors of railroads already running in the East put an end to any such
thought。 Railroads could run anywhere and were probably cheaper and
easier to maintain than the difficult navigation requiring locks and
dams。 Salt River lost its prestige as a possible water highway and
became mere scenery。 Railroads have ruined greater rivers than the
Little Salt； and greater villages than Florida； though neither Florida
nor Salt River has been touched by a railroad to this day。 Perhaps such
close detail of early history may be thought unnecessary in a work of
this kind； but all these things were definite influences in the career of
the little lad whom the world would one day know as Mark Twain。
VI
A NEW HOME
The death of little Margaret was the final misfortune that came to the
Clemens family in Florida。 Doubtless it hastened their departure。
There was a superstition in those days that to refer to health as good
luck； rather than to ascribe it to the kindness of Providence； was to
bring about a judgment。 Jane Clemens one day spoke to a neighbor of
their good luck in thus far having lost no member of their family。 That
same day； when the sisters； Pamela and Margaret； returned from school；
Margaret laid her books on the table； looked in the glass at her flushed
cheeks； pulled out the trundle…bed； and lay down。
She was never in her right mind again。 The doctor was sent for and
diagnosed the case 〃bilious fever。〃 One evening； about nine o'clock；
Orion was sitting on the edge of the trundle…bed by the patient； when the
door opened and Little Sam； then about four years old； walked in from his
bedroom； fast asleep。 He came to the side of the trundle…bed and pulled
at the bedding near Margaret's shoulder for some time before he woke。
Next day the little girl was 〃picking at the coverlet；〃 and it was known
that she could not live。 About a week later she died。 She was nine
years old； a beautiful child； plump in form； with rosy cheeks； black
hair； and bright eyes。 This was in August； 1839。 It was Little Sam's
first sight of deaththe first break in the Clemens family： it left a
sad household。 The shoemaker who lived next door claimed to have seen
several weeks previous； in a vision； the coffin and the funeral…
procession pass the gate by the winding road； to the cemetery； exactly as
it happened。
Matters were now going badly enough with John Clemens。 Yet he never was
without one great comforting thoughtthe future of the Tennessee land。
It underlaid every plan； it was an anodyne for every ill。
〃When we sell the Tennessee land everything will be all right；〃 was the
refrain that brought solace in the darkest hours。 A blessing for him
that this was so； for he had little else to brighten his days。
Negotiations looking to the sale of the land were usually in progress。
When the pressure became very hard and finances were at their lowest ebb；
it was offered at any priceat five cents an acre； sometimes。 When
conditions improved； however little； the price suddenly advanced even to
its maximum of one thousand dollars an acre。 Now and then a genuine
offer came along； but； though eagerly welcomed at the moment； it was
always refused after a little consideration。
〃We will struggle along somehow； Jane；〃 he would say。 〃We will not throw
away the children's fortune。〃
There was one other who believed in the Tennessee landJane Clemens's
favorite cousin； James Lampton； the courtliest； gentlest； most prodigal
optimist of all that guileless race。 To James Lampton the land always
had 〃millions in it〃everything had。 He made stupendous fortunes daily；
in new ways。 The bare mention of the Tennessee land sent him off into
figures that ended with the purchase of estates in England adjoining
those of the Durham Lamptons； whom he always referred to as 〃our
kindred；〃 casually mentioning the whereabouts and health of the 〃present
earl。〃 Mark Twain merely put James Lampton on paper when he created
Colonel Sellers； and the story of the Hawkins family as told in The
Gilded Age reflects clearly the struggle of those days。 The words
〃Tennessee land；〃 with their golden promise； became his earliest
remembered syllables。 He grew to detest them in time； for they came to
mean mockery。
One of the offers received was the trifling sum of two hundred and fifty
dollars； and such was the moment's need that even this was considered。
Then； of course； it was scornfully refused。 In some autobiographical
chapters which Orion Clemens left behind he said：
〃If we had received that two hundred and fifty dollars； it would have
been more than we ever made； clear of expenses； out of the whole of the
Tennessee land； after forty years of worry to three generations。〃
What a less speculative and more logical reasoner would have done in the
beginning； John Clemens did now； he selected a place which； though little
more than a village； was on a river already navigablea steamboat town
with at least the beginnings of manufacturing and trade already
establishedthat is to say； Hannibal； Missouria point well chosen； as
shown by its prosperity to…day。
He did not delay matters。 When he came to a decision； he acted quickly。
He disposed of a portion of his goods and shipped the remainder overland；
then； with his family and chattels loaded in a wagon； he was ready to set
out for the new home。 Orion records that； for some reason； his father
did not invite him to get into the wagon； and how； being always sensitive
to slight； he had regarded this in the light of deliberate desertion。
〃The sense of abandonment