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had in preparation a work showing the unity of all languages。 Goodman
and Clemens agreed that Ruloff's death would be a great loss to mankind；
even though he was clearly a villain and deserved his sentence。 They
decided that justice would be served just as well if some stupid person
were hung in his place； and following out this fancy Clemens one morning
put aside his regular work and wrote an article to the Tribune； offering
to supply a substitute for Ruloff。 He signed it simply 〃Samuel
Langhorne；〃 and it was published as a serious communication； without
comment； so far as the Tribune was concerned。 Other papers； however；
took it up and it was widely copied and commented upon。 Apparently no
one ever identified； Mark Twain with the authorship of the letter； which；
by the way； does not appear to have prolonged Ruloff's earthly
usefulness。 ＇The reader will find the Ruloff letter in full under
Appendix K； at the end of last volume。＇
Life at the farm may have furnished agricultural inspiration； for Clemens
wrote something about Horace Greeley's farming； also a skit concerning
Henry Ward Beecher's efforts in that direction。 Of Mr。 Beecher's farming
he said：
〃His strawberries would be a comfortable success if robins would eat
turnips。〃
The article amused Beecher； and perhaps Greeley was amused too； for he
wrote：
MARK； You are mistaken as to my criticisms on your farming。 I
never publicly made any； while you have undertaken to tell the exact
cost per pint of my potatoes and cabbages； truly enough the
inspiration of genius。 If you will really betake yourself to
farming； or even to telling what you know about it； rather than what
you don't know about mine； I will not only refrain from disparaging
criticism； but will give you my blessing。
Yours； HORACE GREELEY。
The letter is in Mr。 Greeley's characteristic scrawl； and no doubt
furnished inspiration for the turnip story in 'Roughing It'； also the
model for the pretended facsimile of Greeley's writing。
Altogether that was a busy； enterprising summer at Quarry Farm。 By the
middle of May； Clemens wrote to Bliss that he had twelve hundred
manuscript pages of the new book already written； and that he was turning
out the remainder at the rate of from thirty to sixty…five per day。 He
was in high spirits by this time。 The family health had improved； and
prospects were bright。
I have enough manuscript on hand now to make （allowing for engravings）
about four hundred pages of the book； consequently am two…thirds done。
I intended to run up to Hartford about the middle of the week and take it
along； but I find myself so thoroughly interested in my work now （a thing
I have not experienced for months） that I can't bear to lose a single
moment of the inspiration。 So I will stay here and peg away as long as
it lasts。 My present idea is to write as much more as I have already
written； and then collect from the mass the very best chapters and
discard the rest。 When I get it done I want to see the man who will
begin to read it and not finish it。 Nothing grieves me now； nothing
troubles me； nothing bothers me or gets my attention。 I don't think of
anything but the book； and don't have an hour's unhappiness about
anything； and don't care two cents whether school keeps or not。 The book
will be done soon now。 It will be a starchy book； the dedication will be
worth the price of the volume。 Thus：
TO THE LATE CAIN
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED
not on account of respect for his memory； for it merits little
respect； not on account of sympathy for him； for his bloody deed
places him without the pale of sympathy； strictly speaking； but out
of a mere humane commiseration for him； in that it was his
misfortune to live in a dark age that knew not the beneficent
insanity plea。
Probably Mrs。 Clemens diverted this picturesque dedication in favor of
the Higbie inscription； or perhaps the author never really intended the
literary tribute to Cain。 The impulse that inspired it； however； was
characteristic。
In a postscript to this letter he adds：
My stock is looking up。 I am getting the bulliest offers for books
and almanacs； am flooded with lecture invitations； and one
periodical offers me 6；000 cash for twelve articles of any length；
and on any subject； treated humorously or otherwise。
He set in to make hay while the sun was shining。 In addition to the
California book； which was now fast nearing completion； he discussed a
scheme with Goodman for a six…hundred…page work which they were to do
jointly； he planned and wrote one or two scenes from a Western play； to
be built from episodes in the new book （one of them was the 〃Arkansas〃
incident； related in Chapter XXXI）； he perfected one of his several
inventionsan automatically adjusting vest…strap； he wrote a number of
sketches； made an occasional business trip to New York and Hartford；
prospected the latter place for a new home。 The shadow which had hung
over the sojourn in Buffalo seemed to have lifted。
He had promised Bliss some contributions for his new paper； and in June
he sent three sketches。 In an accompanying letter he says：
Here are three articles which you may have if you will pay 125 for
the lot。 If you don't want them I'll sell them to the Galaxy； but
not for a cent less than three times the money。。。。 If you take them
pay one…tenth of the 125 in weekly instalments to Orion till he has
received it all。
He reconsidered his resolution not to lecture again； and closed with
Redpath for the coming season。 He found himself in a lecture…writing
fever。 He wrote three of them in succession： one on Artemus Ward；
another on 〃Reminiscences of Some Pleasant Characters I Have Met；〃 and a
third one based on chapters from the new book。 Of the 〃Reminiscence〃
lecture he wrote Redpath：
〃It covers my whole acquaintance； kings； lunatics； idiots； and all。〃
Immediately afterward he wrote that he had prepared still another
lecture； 〃title to be announced later。〃
〃During July I'll decide which one I like best；〃 he said。 He instructed
Redpath not to make engagements for him to lecture in churches。 〃I never
made a success of a lecture in a church yet。 People are afraid to laugh
in a church。〃
Redpath was having difficulties in arranging a circuit to suit him。
Clemens had prejudices against certain towns and localities； prejudices
that were likely to change overnight。 In August he wrote：
DEAR RED；I am different from other women； my mind changes oftener。
People who have no mind can easily be stead fast and firm； but when
a man is loaded down to the guards with it； as I am； every heavy sea
of foreboding or inclination； maybe of indolence； shifts the cargo。
See？ Therefore； if you will notice； one week I am likely to give
rigid instructions to confine me to New England； the next week send
me to Arizona； the next week withdraw my name； the next week give
you full； untrammeled swing； and the week following modify it。 You
must try to keep the run of my mind； Redpath that is your business；
being the agent； and it always was too many for me。。。。 Now about
the West this week； I am willing that you shall retain all the
Western engagements。 But what I shall want next week is still with
God。
Yours； MARK。
He was in Hartford when this letter was written； arranging for residence
there and the removal of his belongings。 He finally leased the fine
Hooker house on Ford Street； in that pleasant seclusion known as Nook
Farmthe literary part of Hartford； which included the residence of
Charles Dudley Warner and Harriet Beecher Stowe。 He arranged for
possession of the premises October 1st。 So the new home was settled
upon； then learning that Nasby was to be in Boston； he ran over to that
city for a few days of recreation after his season's labors。
Preparations for removal to Hartford were not delayed。 The Buffalo
property was disposed of； the furnishings were packed and shipped away。
The house which as bride and groom they had entered so happily was left
empty and deserted； never to be entered by them again。 In the year and a
half of their occupancy it had seen well…nigh all the human round； all
that goes to make up the happiness and the sorrow of life。
LXXXIII
LECTURING DAYS
Life in Hartford； in the autumn of 1871； began in the letter； rather than
in the spirit。 The newcomers were received with a wide； neighborly
welcome； but the disorder of establishment and the almost immediate
departure of the head of the household on a protracted lecturing tour
were disquieting things； the atmosphere of the Clemens home during those
early Hartford days gave only a faint promise of its future loveliness。
As in a far later period； Mark Twain had resorted to lecturing to pay off
debt。 He still owed a portion of his share in the Express； also he had
been obliged to obtain an advance from the lecture bureau。 He dr