On this day in 1859, Samuel Clemens was granted his
steamboat pilot license. He was 23 at the time, and had been an apprentice for
a few years. He was on the water with the task of writing travel letters for a
newspaper. Along the way, he decided he’s
rather be a pilot than a writer.
A pilot, in those days, was the only unfettered and entirely
independent human being that lived in the earth. - Life
on the Mississippi
He piloted boats for several years, until the Civil War
stopped the River. He then returned to writing, outputting Tom Sawyer, Life on the
Mississippi, and eventually Huckleberry
Finn (which every child should read and lucky boys should be named after).
Fun fact: Mark Twain is a river term. Boatmen would call out
to each other “Mark Twain” to let each other know if the river depth was shallow.
Samuel decided the term suited his fancy, and when he began writing again, took
the name Mark Twain. He used it for nearly 50 years.
My great-great-great grandfather was a Mississippi river
boat captain. His name was Rob Roy Freeman.
I sometimes fancy that Mark Twain
stirs my blood because we were both born of the River. It could just be his wit
– he is incredibly witty.
I am a voracious reader, and haven’t really expounded
on any favorite authors yet. Mark Twain is an American icon.
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