The Boys' Life of Mark Twain

uis, borrowed the money and bought it. Sam's two years' apprenticeship with Ament had been completed, and Orion felt that togeth

ily, he was a visionary, gentle and credulous, ready to follow any

ers. The paper was their hope of success. Sam, especially, was driven. There were no m

as a good journeyman. I gave him 'takes,' and, if he got thr

truggle against opposition and debt wa

d and tried too many schemes. His enthusiasm waned and most of his schemes t

hey still held there. He left Sam in charge of the paper, and, though its proprietor returned empty-handed, his journey w

editor of a rival paper had been crossed in love, and was said to have tried to drown himself. Sam wrote an article telling all the history of the affair, giving names and details.

usy. The injured editor sent word that he was coming over to thrash the wh

eaders. Then Orion returned and reduced him to

wrote, "if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go

phia Saturday Evening Post. Both were accepted -without payment, of course, in those days-a

ch rather exceeded anything in that

rnal," which was the extent of his efforts at this time. None of this early work has been prese

Henry got no wages, of course. Then real disaster came. A cow got into the office one night, upset a type-case, and ate up two composition rollers. Somewhat later a fire broke out and did considerable damage.

e to do and no reward. Orion, made irritable by his misfortunes, was not always kind. Pamela, who, meantime, had married well, was settl

han St. Louis, but he

ghed as she put togethe

had been a good boy of

was not strong. Presen

tam

e other end of this, Sam," she

solute, faced the fair-cheeked youth of seventeen, his eyes a

Sam, these words: I do solemnly swear that I will not

vow after her, a

Sam, and write t

those rewards of industry, which he had failed to find where I was-gloomy, taciturn, and