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    Mark Twain: Young Writer
    Mark Twain: Young Writer
    Mark Twain: Young Writer
    Ebook120 pages2 hours

    Mark Twain: Young Writer

    By Miriam E. Mason and Henry S. Gillette

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    About this ebook

    Samuel Langhorne Clemens is perhaps best known by his pen name Mark Twain. He was a writer of such classic American novels as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, served as an apprentice printer, and wrote newspaper articles. Later he was a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River before heading west to work as a miner. Eventually he settled on writing as a career.

    Mark Twain was born shortly after a visit by Halley's Comet, and he predicted that he would "go out with it", too. He died the day following the comet's return.

    Now readers can explore how his childhood influenced his life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAladdin
    Release dateJun 30, 2008
    ISBN9781439113219
    Mark Twain: Young Writer
    Author

    Miriam E. Mason

    Miriam E. Mason is the author of Mark Twain, a Simon & Schuster book.

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      Book preview

      Mark Twain - Miriam E. Mason

      Dear Reader:

      The Childhood of Famous Americans series, seventy years old in 2002, chronicles the early years of famous American men and women in an accessible manner. Each book is faithful in spirit to the values and experiences that influenced the person’s development. History is fleshed out with fictionalized details, and conversations have been added to make the stories come alive to today’s reader, but every reasonable effort has been made to make the stories consistent with the events, ethics, and character of their subjects.

      These books reaffirm the importance of our American heritage. We hope you learn to love the heroes and heroines who helped shape this great country. And by doing so, we hope you also develop a lasting love for the nation that gave them the opportunity to make their dreams come true. It will do the same for you.

      Happy Reading!

      The Editors

      Mark Twain

      Young Writer

      Illustrated by Henry S. Gillette

      Mark Twain

      Young Writer

      By Miriam E. Mason

      Aladdin Paperbacks

      If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

      Aladdin Paperbacks

      An imprint of Simon & Schuster

      Children’s Publishing Division

      1230 Avenue of the Americas

      New York, NY 10020

      www.SimonandSchuster.com

      Copyright © 1942, 1962 by the Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc.

      All rights reserved including the right of reproduction

      in whole or in part in any form.

      First Aladdin Paperbacks edition, 1991

      Printed in the United States of America

       13  15  17  19  20  18  16  14

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Mason, Miriam Evangeline, 1899-

      Mark Twain, boy of old Missouri / by Miriam E. Mason ; illustrated by Henry S. Gillette.—1st Aladdin Books ed.

        p.   cm.—(The Childhood of famous Americans series)

      Summary: Describes the boyhood of Samuel Clemens in Missouri and how he came to begin a writing career under the pen name Mark Twain.

      ISBN 0-689-71480-7

      ISBN-13: 978-0-689-71480-1

      eISBN-13: 978-1-439-11321-9

      1. Twain, Mark, 1835-1910—Biography—Youth—Juvenile literature.

      2. Authors, American—19th century—Biography—Juvenile literature.

      3. Missouri—Social life and customs—Juvenile literature.

      [1. Twain, Mark, 1835-1910—Childhood and youth.

      2. Authors. American.]

      I. Gillette, Henry S., ill.

      II. Title.

      III. Series.

      PS1332.M37  1991

      818′.409—dc20

      [92]

      [B]  90-23768  CIP  AC

      For my three special boys

      Alan, Andy, and Jimmy

      Illustrations

      Full pages

      Sammy began to cry.

      I want to run a boat like that!

      He looked like a little ghost.

      We’ve come to take you home!

      We made it, Ike, he whispered.

      What’s the matter? asked Tom.

      The island would be fine for bandits.

      The title looked like profane language.

      I’ve always loved the river, said Sam.

      Hannibal is a reminder of Mark Twain.

      Numerous smaller illustrations

      Contents

      Where Is Sammy?

      A New Dress for Mother

      Hannibal

      Helpful Sammy

      Schoolboy

      Summer with Uncle John

      Home Again

      The New Neighbor

      The Club

      Cross Mr. Cross

      Melons by Moonlight

      Pirate’s Island

      Cub Printer

      A Wish Comes True

      Into the Wide World

      The Famous Mark Twain

      Mark Twain

      Young Writer

      Where Is Sammy?

      SAMMY, oh Sammy! called Pamela Clemens. Where are you? We’re going home now!

      Pamela stood on tiptoe and put her hands to her mouth to make her voice louder. Margaret and Benjamin added their voices to their big sister’s. Baby Henry, waking from his nap, did his share.

      Sam-m-m-y. Come on, Sammy! they chimed.

      Only a lazy river bird answered with his loud cry. No little brother appeared through the willow trees. Pamela sighed.

      I’ll have to go hunt Sammy, she told the other children. Stay here till I come back.

      Pamela had brought the younger children down to the shady bank of Salt River for a picnic. It was a warm day in the spring of 1839. Sammy had slipped away from the others while Pamela was busy with her quilt piecing.

      Pamela was not worried, though, as she made her way through the tall river grass. She was pretty sure where she would find Sammy. He would be just as close to the river as he could get without falling in.

      She looked behind a curtain of willow branches and there, sure enough, was Sammy. He was sitting on a log that hung part way out over the shining water.

      I didn’t hear you! said Sammy when his big sister scolded him. Oh dear! he sighed, do we have to leave the river?

      It’s nearly suppertime, answered Pamela, helping Sammy down from the log. Mother will be looking for us.

      Sammy Clemens was four years old. He was a thin little boy with sandy curls, bright mischievous eyes, and a mouth that was usually laughing or singing.

      I think a river is the nicest place in the world, said Sammy. He looked back for one last glimpse of the gleaming water.

      Pamela laughed. It’s too bad you couldn’t have been a duck or a fish, she said. You would have been so happy!

      Soon the children left the cool riverside and were on their way back to the dusty little village where they lived. The name of the village was Florida. The town, which was located in the new state of Missouri, looked like many other pioneer villages of the time.

      I think Salt River is a prettier town than Florida, said Sammy, kicking up the deep dust with his bare feet.

      At least it’s not dusty, said Margaret.

      Mother had supper on the table when the children returned from the picnic. Mother’s name was Jane. She was a pretty woman—full of fun and jokes.

      Mr. Clemens was a lawyer, and he did not find much work in that pioneer village. He was a tall, pale man who did not smile often though he was very kind-hearted.

      Orion was the oldest boy of the family, and Pamela was the oldest girl. Margaret and Benjamin and Sammy came next. Last of all was Henry, the baby.

      Mother had cheerful news for them as they sat down to the table. There is going to be a house-raising for Hugh Hickman’s boy, she said. Aunt Patsey wants us all to go.

      A house-raising! the children exclaimed together. What fun!

      Will the house-raising be down by the river? asked Sammy. If I had a house I’d want it to be right next to the river so that I could see the river, smell the river, and hear the river all day and all night!

      Pamela laughed. You funny little mop top, Sammy. She rumpled his thick flaxen hair. The Salt River isn’t so much. Why, it’s hardly more than a creek!

      THE HOUSE-RAISING

      Goody, goody, goody, we’re going to a house-raising! sang Sammy in an excited voice, as he rushed around the kitchen where the family was getting ready for the big picnic.

      In those days when a young couple got married, or a new family came to live in the town, the people had a house-raising for them.

      A house-raising was really a

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