62-493: Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain , was an American writer, humorist , and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature ." Twain's novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with
124-455: A copyright . In 1883, Twain paid a brief visit to Ottawa , and he visited Toronto twice in 1884 and 1885 on a reading tour with George Washington Cable , known as the "Twins of Genius" tour. The reason for the Toronto visits was to secure Canadian and British copyrights for Twain's upcoming book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , to which he had alluded in his Montreal visit. The reason for
186-833: A stagecoach across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains , visiting the Mormon community in Salt Lake City . Twain's journey ended in the silver-mining town of Virginia City, Nevada , where he became a miner on the Comstock Lode . Twain failed as a miner and went to work at the Virginia City newspaper Territorial Enterprise , working under a friend, the writer Dan DeQuille . Twain first used his pen name here on February 3, 1863, when he wrote
248-574: A time traveler from the contemporary U.S., using his knowledge of science to introduce modern technology to Arthurian England. This type of historical manipulation became a trope of speculative fiction as alternate histories . In 1909, Thomas Edison visited Twain at Stormfield , his home in Redding, Connecticut and filmed him. Part of the footage was used in The Prince and the Pauper (1909),
310-719: A "wealthy but liberal family"; through her, Twain met abolitionists , "socialists, principled atheists and activists for women's rights and social equality ", including Harriet Beecher Stowe , Frederick Douglass , and utopian socialist writer William Dean Howells , who became a long-time friend. The Clemenses lived in Buffalo, New York , from 1869 to 1871. Twain owned a stake in the Buffalo Express newspaper and worked as an editor and writer. While they were living in Buffalo, their son Langdon died of diphtheria in 1872 at
372-556: A Canadian resident; Twain addressed this by his short visits to the country. In his later years, Twain lived at 14 West 10th Street in Manhattan . He passed through a period of deep depression which began in 1896 when his daughter Susy died of meningitis . Olivia's death in 1904 and Jean's on December 24, 1909, deepened Twain's gloom. On May 20, 1909, his close friend Henry Rogers died suddenly. In April 1906, Twain heard that his friend Ina Coolbrith had lost nearly all that she owned in
434-465: A Doctorate of Law in 1907. Twain was born two weeks after Halley's Comet 's closest approach in 1835; he said in 1909: I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: "Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together". Twain's prediction
496-588: A comedian and filmmaker, early in his career worked as a staff writer for humorist Herb Shriner . He also wrote short stories and cartoon captions for magazines such as The New Yorker . Steve Martin (born 1945), comedian and actor, wrote Cruel Shoes , a book of humorous essays and short stories, in 1977 (published 1979). He wrote his first humorous play Picasso at the Lapin Agile in 1993, and wrote various pieces in The New Yorker magazine in
558-695: A distinction that garnered wide agreement, as William Faulkner called him "the father of American literature ". The United States national cultural center, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , has chosen to award a Mark Twain Prize for American Humor annually since 1998 to individuals who have "had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist best known as Mark Twain". English people Too Many Requests If you report this error to
620-609: A dream a month earlier, which inspired his interest in parapsychology ; Twain was an early member of the Society for Psychical Research . Twain was guilt-stricken and held himself responsible for the rest of his life. Twain continued to work on the river and was a river pilot until the Civil War broke out in 1861, when traffic was curtailed along the Mississippi River. At the start of hostilities, he enlisted briefly in
682-643: A humorous travel account titled "Letter From Carson – re: Joe Goodman; party at Gov. Johnson's; music" and signed it "Mark Twain". Twain's experiences in the American West inspired Roughing It , written during 1870–71 and published in 1872. His experiences in Angels Camp (in Calaveras County, California) provided material for "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" (1865). Twain moved to San Francisco in 1864, still as
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#1732780310705744-465: A journalist, and met writers such as Bret Harte and Artemus Ward . He may have been romantically involved with the poet Ina Coolbrith . Twain's first success as a writer came when his humorous tall tale "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" was published on November 18, 1865, in the New York weekly The Saturday Press , bringing him national attention. A year later, Twain traveled to
806-638: A lead by Poultney Bigelow , who had a good experience being treated by Dr. Jonas Henrik Kellgren, a Swedish osteopathic practitioner in Belgravia . They were persuaded to spend the summer at Kellgren's sanatorium by the lake in the Swedish village of Sanna. Coming back in fall, they continued the treatment in London, until Twain was convinced by lengthy inquiries in America that similar osteopathic expertise
868-717: A local Confederate unit, the Marion Rangers as a Second Lieutenant. Twain later wrote the sketch " The Private History of a Campaign That Failed ", describing how he and his friends had been Confederate volunteers for two weeks before their unit disbanded. Twain then left for Nevada to work for his brother Orion, who was Secretary of the Nevada Territory . Twain describes the episode in his book Roughing It . Orion became secretary to Nevada Territory governor James W. Nye in 1861, and Twain joined him when he moved west. The brothers traveled more than two weeks on
930-447: A princely salary – from a hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty dollars a month, and no board to pay." As Twain described it, the pilot's prestige exceeded that of the captain. The pilot had to "get up a warm personal acquaintanceship with every old snag and one-limbed cottonwood and every obscure wood pile that ornaments the banks of this river for twelve hundred miles; and more than that, must... actually know where these things are in
992-650: A quiet place in which to write and enjoy his cigars. Twain wrote many of his classic novels during his 17 years in Hartford (1874–1891) and over 20 summers at Quarry Farm. They include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876), The Prince and the Pauper (1881), Life on the Mississippi (1883), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889). The couple's marriage lasted 34 years until Olivia's death in 1904. All of
1054-586: A satirical pamphlet, " King Leopold's Soliloquy ", in 1905 about Belgian atrocities in the Congo Free State . Twain earned a great deal of money from his writing and lectures, but invested in ventures that lost most of it, such as the Paige Compositor , a mechanical typesetter that failed because of its complexity and imprecision. He filed for bankruptcy in the wake of these financial setbacks, but in time overcame his financial troubles with
1116-527: A steamboat captain on the Missouri River. The two liked and admired each other, and maintained a correspondence for many years after Clemens left the river. While training, Samuel convinced his younger brother Henry to work with him, and even arranged a post of mud clerk for him on the steamboat Pennsylvania . On June 13, 1858, the steamboat's boiler exploded; Henry succumbed to his wounds eight days later. Twain claimed to have foreseen this death in
1178-569: A two-reel short film. It is the only known existing film footage of Twain. Twain made a substantial amount of money through his writing, but he lost a great deal through investments. Twain invested mostly in new inventions and technology, particularly the Paige typesetting machine . It was considered a mechanical marvel that amazed viewers when it worked, but it was prone to breakdowns. Twain spent $ 300,000 (equivalent to $ 9,471,724 in 2023) on it between 1880 and 1894, but before it could be perfected it
1240-705: A typesetter, contributing articles to his older brother Orion Clemens ' newspaper. Twain then became a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River , which provided him the material for Life on the Mississippi (1883). Soon after, Twain headed west to join Orion in Nevada . He referred humorously to his lack of success at mining, turning to journalism for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise . Twain first achieved success as
1302-577: A writer with the humorous story " The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County ," which was published in 1865; it was based on a story that he heard at Angels Hotel in Angels Camp, California , where Twain had spent some time while he was working as a miner . The short story brought Twain international attention. He wrote both fiction and non-fiction. As his fame grew, Twain became a much sought-after speaker. His wit and satire, both in prose and in speech, earned praise from critics and peers, and Twain
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#17327803107051364-478: A year-long around-the-world lecture tour in July 1895 to pay off his creditors in full, although Twain was no longer under any legal obligation to do so. It was a long, arduous journey, and he was sick much of the time, mostly from a cold and a carbuncle . The first part of the itinerary took Twain across northern America to British Columbia , Canada, until the second half of August. For the second part, he sailed across
1426-475: Is primarily a writer of books, newspaper or magazine articles or columns , stage or screen plays, and may occasionally appear before an audience to deliver a lecture or narrate a written work. The comedian always performs for an audience, either in live performance, audio recording, radio, television, or film. Phil Austin , of the comedy group the Firesign Theatre , expressed his thoughts about
1488-483: Is the quality which makes experiences provoke laughter or amusement, while comedy is a performing art . The nineteenth-century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer lamented the misuse of humor (a German loanword from English) to mean any type of comedy. A humorist is adept at seeing the humor in a situation or aspect of life and relating it, usually through a story; the comedian generally concentrates on jokes designed to invoke instantaneous laughter. The humorist
1550-620: The North American Review . The same year, Charlotte Teller , a writer living with her grandmother at 3 Fifth Avenue, began an acquaintanceship with him which "lasted several years and may have included romantic intentions" on his part. In 1906, Twain formed the Angel Fish and Aquarium Club, for girls whom he viewed as surrogate granddaughters. Its dozen or so members ranged in age from 10 to 16. Twain exchanged letters with his "Angel Fish" girls and invited them to concerts and
1612-446: The 1906 San Francisco earthquake , and he volunteered a few autographed portrait photographs to be sold for her benefit. To further aid Coolbrith, George Wharton James visited Twain in New York and arranged for a new portrait session. Twain was resistant initially, but he eventually admitted that four of the resulting images were the finest ones ever taken of him. In September, Twain started publishing chapters from his autobiography in
1674-834: The Sandwich Islands (present-day Hawaii) as a reporter for the Sacramento Union . His letters to the Union were popular and became the basis for his first lectures. In 1867, local newspapers The Alta California and New-York Tribune funded Twain's trip to the Mediterranean aboard the Quaker City , including a tour of Europe and the Middle East. He wrote a collection of travel letters which were later compiled as The Innocents Abroad (1869). It
1736-513: The 1990s. He later wrote more humorous plays and two novellas. Hugh Laurie (born 1959) is an English comic actor who worked for many years in partnership with Stephen Fry . He is a fan of the English humorist P. G. Wodehouse , and has written a Wodehouse-style novel. Mark Twain (pen name of Samuel Langhorn Clemens, 1835–1910) was widely considered the "greatest humorist" the U.S. ever produced, as noted in his New York Times obituary. It's
1798-657: The Clemens family are buried in Elmira's Woodlawn Cemetery . Twain was fascinated with science and scientific inquiry. He developed a close and lasting friendship with Nikola Tesla , and the two spent much time together in Tesla's laboratory. Twain patented three inventions, including an "Improvement in Adjustable and Detachable Straps for Garments" (to replace suspenders ) and a history trivia game. Most commercially successful
1860-636: The Ottawa visit had been to secure Canadian and British copyrights for Life on the Mississippi . Publishers in Toronto had printed unauthorized editions of Twain's books at the time, before an international copyright agreement was established in 1891. These were sold in the United States as well as in Canada, depriving him of royalties. Twain estimated that Belford Brothers' edition of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer alone had cost him $ 10,000 (equivalent to $ 340,000 in 2023). He had unsuccessfully attempted to secure
1922-633: The Pacific Ocean. Twain's scheduled lecture in Honolulu , Hawaii, had to be canceled due to a cholera epidemic. Twain went on to Fiji , Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka , India, Mauritius , and South Africa. His three months in India became the centerpiece of his 712-page book Following the Equator . In the second half of July 1896, Twain sailed back to England, completing his circumnavigation of
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1984-483: The age of 19 months. They had three daughters: Susy (1872–1896), Clara (1874–1962), and Jean (1880–1909). The Clemenses formed a friendship with David Gray, who worked as an editor of the rival Buffalo Courier , and his wife Martha. Twain later wrote that the Grays were " 'all the solace' he and Livy had during their 'sorrowful and pathetic brief sojourn in Buffalo ' ", and that Gray's "delicate gift for poetry"
2046-445: The dark". Steamboat pilot Horace E. Bixby took Twain on as a cub pilot to teach him the river between New Orleans and St. Louis for $ 500 (equivalent to $ 18,000 in 2023), payable out of Twain's first wages after graduating. Twain studied the Mississippi, learning its landmarks, how to navigate its currents effectively, and how to read the river and its constantly shifting channels, reefs, submerged snags, and rocks that would "tear
2108-466: The difference in 1993 liner notes to the Fighting Clowns album: To me, there is a great difference between a humorist and a clown, and I had hoped that life for the Firesign Theatre would have led more toward the world of Mark Twain than the world of Beepo. The humorist is a happy soul; he comments from the sidelines of life, safe behind the keyboard or pen; not forced to mold his thinking to
2170-597: The diplomat Charlemagne Tower, Jr. He delivered the speech " Die Schrecken der Deutschen Sprache " ("The Horrors of the German Language")—in German—to the great amusement of the audience. In 1901, Twain was invited to speak at Princeton University 's Cliosophic Literary Society , where he was made an honorary member. In 1881, Twain was honored at a banquet in Montreal , Canada where he made reference to securing
2232-448: The direct response of an audience, he has indirection on his side. He has time to think. Beepo, on the other hand, takes his chances directly facing—or mooning—the audience; a buffoon, a patsy, a performer, he is out in the open and his audience, unlike a humorist's, becomes necessarily half-friend and half-enemy. Sometimes a comedian will adopt a writing career and gain notability as a humorist. Some examples are: Will Rogers (1879–1935)
2294-1158: The dwindling income and moved to Europe in June 1891. William M. Laffan of The New York Sun and the McClure Newspaper Syndicate offered him the publication of a series of six European letters. Twain, Olivia, and their daughter Susy were all faced with health problems, and they believed that it would be of benefit to visit European baths. The family stayed mainly in France, Germany, and Italy until May 1895, with longer spells at Berlin (winter 1891–92), Florence (fall and winter 1892–93), and Paris (winters and springs 1893–94 and 1894–95). During that period, Twain returned to New York four times due to his enduring business troubles. Twain rented "a cheap room" in September 1893 at $ 1.50 per day (equivalent to $ 51 in 2023) at The Players Club , which he had to keep until March 1894; meanwhile, Twain became "the Belle of New York," in
2356-628: The early 1980s. Victor Borge (1909–2000) was a Danish-American comedian known for bringing humor to classical music . He wrote three books, My Favorite Intermissions and My Favorite Comedies in Music (both with Robert Sherman ), and the autobiography Smilet er den korteste afstand ("The Smile is the Shortest Distance") with Niels-Jørgen Kaiser. Peter Ustinov (1921–2004) was an English comic actor who wrote several humorous plays and film scripts. Woody Allen (born 1935), known as
2418-405: The first comedian to make sound recordings , on Edison Records . Garry Moore (1915–1993), known as a television comedian who hosted several variety and game shows , after his 1977 retirement became a regular humor columnist for the newspaper The Island Packet of Northeast Harbor, Maine , with a column titled "Mumble, Mumble". He later released a book of his columns under the same name in
2480-507: The help of Standard Oil executive Henry Huttleston Rogers . Twain eventually paid all his creditors in full, even though his declaration of bankruptcy meant he was not required to do so. Twain was born shortly after an appearance of Halley's Comet , and predicted that his death would accompany it as well, dying a day after the comet was at its closest to Earth. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri . He
2542-557: The issue in his speeches, interviews, and writings. In January 1901, Twain began serving as vice-president of the Anti-Imperialist League of New York. Twain was in great demand as a featured speaker, performing solo humorous talks similar to modern stand-up comedy. He gave paid talks to many men's clubs, including the Authors' Club , Beefsteak Club , Vagabonds, White Friars , and Monday Evening Club of Hartford. In
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2604-404: The last word. Humorist A humorist is an intellectual who uses humor , or wit , in writing or public speaking . A raconteur is one who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way. Henri Bergson writes that a humorist's work grows from viewing the morals of society. The term comedian is generally applied to one who is performing to an audience for laughter. Humor
2666-704: The late 1890s, Twain spoke to the Savage Club in London and was elected an honorary member. He was told that only three men had been so honored, including the Prince of Wales , and Twain replied: "Well, it must make the Prince feel mighty fine." He visited Melbourne and Sydney in 1895 as part of a world lecture tour. In 1897, Twain spoke to the Concordia Press Club in Vienna as a special guest, following
2728-501: The latter often called the " Great American Novel ." He also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894) and cowrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner . Twain was raised in Hannibal, Missouri , which later provided the setting for both Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn . He served an apprenticeship with a printer early in his career, and then worked as
2790-419: The life out of the strongest vessel that ever floated". It was more than two years before he received his pilot's license. Piloting also gave Twain his pen name from " mark twain ", the leadsman's cry for a measured river depth of two fathoms (12 feet), which was safe water for a steamboat. As a young pilot, Clemens served on the steamer A. B. Chambers with Grant Marsh , who became famous for his exploits as
2852-501: The newly formed International Typographical Union , the printers' trade union . Twain educated himself in public libraries in the evenings, finding wider information than at a conventional school. Twain describes his boyhood in Life on the Mississippi , stating that "there was but one permanent ambition" among his comrades: to be a steamboatman. "Pilot was the grandest position of all. The pilot, even in those days of trivial wages, had
2914-516: The rights for The Prince and the Pauper in 1881, in conjunction with his Montreal trip. Eventually, Twain received legal advice to register a copyright in Canada (for both Canada and Britain) prior to publishing in the United States, which would restrain the Canadian publishers from printing a version when the American edition was published. There was a requirement that a copyright be registered to
2976-490: The theatre and to play games. Twain wrote in 1908 that the club was his "life's chief delight". In 1907, he met Dorothy Quick (then age 11) on a transatlantic crossing, beginning "a friendship that was to last until the very day of his death". Twain was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by Yale University in 1901 and a Doctor of Law by the University of Missouri in 1902. Oxford University awarded him
3038-698: The words of biographer Albert Bigelow Paine . Twain's writings and lectures enabled him to recover financially, combined with the help of his friend Henry Huttleston Rogers . In 1893, Twain began a friendship with the financier, a principal of Standard Oil , that lasted the remainder of his life. Rogers first made Twain file for bankruptcy in April 1894, then had him transfer the copyrights on his written works to his wife to prevent creditors from gaining possession of them. Finally, Rogers took absolute charge of Twain's money until all his creditors were paid. Twain accepted an offer from Robert Sparrow Smythe and embarked on
3100-532: The world begun 14 months before. Twain and his family spent four more years in Europe, mainly in England and Austria (October 1897 to May 1899), with longer spells in London and Vienna . Clara had wished to study the piano under Theodor Leschetizky in Vienna. However, Jean's health did not benefit from consulting with specialists in Vienna, the "City of Doctors". The family moved to London in spring 1899, following
3162-534: Was a vaudeville comedian who started doing humorous political and social commentary, and became a famous newspaper columnist and radio personality during the Great Depression . He is an exception to the education rule, as he only completed a tenth grade education. Cal Stewart (1856–1919) was a vaudeville comedian who created the character Uncle Josh Weathersby and toured circuses and medicine shows . He befriended Twain and Rogers, and in 1898 became
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#17327803107053224-632: Was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty. Although Twain initially spoke out in favor of American interests in the Hawaiian Islands , he later reversed his position, going on to become vice president of the American Anti-Imperialist League from 1901 until his death in 1910, coming out strongly against the Philippine–American War and American colonialism . Twain published
3286-424: Was a self-pasting scrapbook; a dried adhesive on the pages needed only to be moistened before use. More than 25,000 were sold. Twain was an early proponent of fingerprinting as a forensic technique, featuring it in a tall tale in Life on the Mississippi (1883) and as a central plot element in the novel Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894). Twain's novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) features
3348-586: Was an attorney and judge who died of pneumonia in 1847, when Twain was only 11. The following year, Twain left school after the fifth grade to become a printer's apprentice. In 1851, he began working as a typesetter , contributing articles and humorous sketches to the Hannibal Journal , a newspaper that Orion owned. When Twain was 18, he left Hannibal and worked as a printer in New York City , Philadelphia , St. Louis , and Cincinnati , joining
3410-464: Was at the Brick Presbyterian Church on Fifth Avenue, New York. He is buried in his wife's family plot at Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira, New York . The Langdon family plot is marked by a 12-foot monument (two fathoms, or "mark twain") placed there by Twain's surviving daughter Clara. There is also a smaller headstone. He expressed a preference for cremation (for example, in Life on the Mississippi ), but he acknowledged that his surviving family would have
3472-591: Was available there. In mid-1900, Twain was the guest of newspaper proprietor Hugh Gilzean-Reid at Dollis Hill House , located on the north side of London. Twain wrote that he had "never seen any place that was so satisfactorily situated, with its noble trees and stretch of country, and everything that went to make life delightful, and all within a biscuit's throw of the metropolis of the world." Twain then returned to America in October 1900, having earned enough to pay off his debts. In winter 1900/01, Twain became his country's most prominent opponent of imperialism , raising
3534-556: Was eerily accurate; he died of a heart attack on April 21, 1910, in Stormfield , one month before the comet passed Earth that year. Upon hearing of Twain's death, President William Howard Taft said: Mark Twain gave pleasure – real intellectual enjoyment – to millions, and his works will continue to give such pleasure to millions yet to come … His humor was American, but he was nearly as much appreciated by Englishmen and people of other countries as by his own countrymen. He has made an enduring part of American literature . Twain's funeral
3596-579: Was on this trip that Twain met fellow passenger Charles Langdon, who showed him a picture of his sister Olivia . Twain later claimed to have fallen in love at first sight . Upon returning to the United States, Twain was offered honorary membership in Yale University 's secret society Scroll and Key in 1868. Twain and Olivia Langdon corresponded throughout 1868. She rejected his first marriage proposal, but Twain continued to court her and managed to overcome her father's initial reluctance. They were married in Elmira, New York in February 1870. She came from
3658-488: Was rendered obsolete by the Linotype . He lost the bulk of his book profits, as well as a substantial portion of his wife's inheritance. Twain also lost money through his publishing house, Charles L. Webster and Company , which enjoyed initial success selling the memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant but failed soon afterward, losing money on a biography of Pope Leo XIII . Fewer than 200 copies were sold. Twain and his family closed down their expensive Hartford home in response to
3720-594: Was the sixth of seven children of Jane ( née Lampton; 1803–1890), a native of Kentucky , and John Marshall Clemens (1798–1847), a native of Virginia . His parents met when his father, a lawyer called to the bar in Kentucky, tried to help Jane's father and uncle avoid bankruptcy. They were married in 1823. Twain was of English and Scots-Irish descent. Only three of his siblings lived beyond childhood: Orion (1825–1897), Pamela (1827–1904), and Henry (1838–1858). His brother Pleasant Hannibal (1828) died at three weeks of age, his sister Margaret (1830–1839) died when Twain
3782-405: Was three, and his brother Benjamin (1832–1842) died three years later. When he was four, Twain's family moved to Hannibal, Missouri , a port town on the Mississippi River that inspired the fictional town of St. Petersburg in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . Slavery was legal in Missouri at the time, and it became a theme in these writings. His father
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#17327803107053844-409: Was wasted working for a newspaper. Starting in 1873, Twain moved his family to Hartford, Connecticut , where he arranged the building of a home next door to Stowe. In the 1870s and 1880s, the family summered at Quarry Farm in Elmira, the home of Olivia's sister, Susan Crane. In 1874, Susan had a study built, an octagonal gazebo, apart from the main house as a surprise to Twain so that he would have
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