[begin page 517]
APPENDIX B
Mark Twain’s Marginal Working Notes
Mark Twain’s Marginal Working Notes
Mark Twain wrote the working notes presented below in the margins of his manuscript for Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. They remind him of plot details, suggest subjects that might be developed, record alternate word choices, and dialectal spellings, and in general they demonstrate Mark Twain’s intention to avoid minor contradictions or inconsistencies. Because context is often the key to understanding the notes, their location in the manuscript is described in each case. Similarly, because the marginal notes were written over the seven years of the book’s composition, the writing medium—whether pencil or black, purple, or blue ink—may provide dating evidence and therefore is always noted (see Description of Texts for a full account of the writing media).
In the transcriptions, words underscored once are rendered in italics, and words underscored twice are rendered in small capitals. When the author wrote and then canceled the entire contents of a note, the fact of cancellation is editorially described; however, internal cancellations are shown with a horizontal rule (“sink”). Inserted words or characters appear surrounded by carets (“burn”). A vertical rule signals the end of a line in the manuscript (“House | 96”). In order to facilitate finding references to the present text, word cues to the manuscript page give the emended reading, not necessarily the words as they appear in the manuscript. Similarly, when a cue includes a word that is broken at the beginning or the end of a manuscript page, the entire word is given in the cue, for example, “blackberries” at MS1a, 157.22, and “lightning” at MS1a, 436.1. Although Mark Twain deleted Jim’s “ghost” story before publication (MS1a, 198.16–214.4) and it is consequently not part of this text, marginal notes on manuscript pages 205 and 208 are reported in the sequence they occur in the manuscript. They are cued to Three Passages from the Manuscript, where the passage is printed in full.
xxxi title–5 (MS1b, NOTICE title–7)
NOTICE . . . Ordnance.] This manuscript page is reproduced in Manuscript Facsimiles. In June 1880 or after, Mark Twain wrote in blue ink at
the top of this manuscript page “ ‘Huckleberry Finn’—Autobiography.” Below it,
also in blue ink, he wrote “Under preface of to ‘Huck.’ ” with a flourish
underneath. Later, [begin page 518] in pencil, he canceled both inscriptions and noted, without canceling,
three words and their preferred dialect equivalents in Jim’s speech: “& en of
er of o’.” The note was either a direction to himself to make revisions in MS1 or a
reminder of the revisions he had recently made: Clemens revised “&” or “and” to
“en” eighty-two times; “of” to “er” twenty-two times; and “of”
to “o’ ” five times, all in pencil. At the same time, he made well over a hundred
related
changes in the manuscript from “an’ ” to “en,” which show an extraordinary
effort to achieve consistency in the black dialect form of “and”; and he made four
changes from
“o’ ” to “er,” which show he had subtle distinctions in mind between the two
equivalent forms. At the end of this “NOTICE,” below the word “Ordnance.” and in the
same
blue ink as the rest of his text, Mark Twain wrote, then canceled, “(Artillery)?,”
apparently having
briefly considered this as an alternative to “Ordnance.”
27.16–28.3 (MS1a, 91) out . . . way.] At the bottom of manuscript page 91, following the passage in which Mark Twain originally had Judge and Mrs. Thatcher attempting to reform Pap Finn, he wrote in pencil “Better make this the new judge? Thatcher has known him too long.” Mark Twain evidently made the changes on his typescript, for the first edition supplies “new judge” for “judge” at 26.25 and “The judge’s wife” for “Mrs. Thatcher” at 27.8–9. (In the following chapter, in order to avoid confusing the two judges, Mark Twain then had to substitute “Judge Thatcher” for “the judge” at 29.3.)
32.8–15 (MS1a, 103) of corn . . . fish to] Mark Twain wrote “Baby & Barrel.—350” at the top of the verso of manuscript page 103. In working note 1-2, he again made the same reference. Ed’s story about the baby in the barrel ends on manuscript page 349, after which the skeptical raftsmen begin chaffing him about its veracity. If Clemens meant the notes as references to a selection for his lecture readings, they direct him to its conclusion not its beginning. It may not be coincidental that Mark Twain wrote the reference to a tale in which a father strangles his baby (and Huck later claims he is the strangled baby) on the verso of the page where Huck first plans his escape from his violent and drunken father.
38.21–39.8 (MS1a, 126) and went . . . round] Mark Twain wrote “c is lost.” and “but one gun but one gun” in black ink at the top of manuscript page 126. The first note may refer to the lost “drift-canoe” (38.4) that Huck has just taken possession of, or may look forward to the later episode when Huck and Jim discover that their canoe has been lost, foiling their plan to start back upstream after they pass Cairo in the fog (MS1a, 129.29–30). Mark Twain probably made the second note in conjunction with the manuscript alterations at 32.12 and 36.31 (MS1a, 103.13–14 and 119.11–12), where he altered “one of the guns” to “the [begin page 519] gun.” Four pages after this marginal note, on manuscript page 130.11 (39.36), Huck “fetched out the gun”—a phrase inscribed without revision.
39.8–16 (MS1a, 127) here, . . . along] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “not sawed through” in black ink at the top of manuscript page 127. He evidently had in mind the earlier passage in which Huck began to “saw a section of the big bottom log out” of the cabin (31.17–18). On the manuscript page following this note, Huck finishes sawing through the log and escapes (39.24–25).
40.2–11 (MS1a, 131) and the sawdust . . . piece] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “horse blanket” in black ink at the top of manuscript page 131, on which Huck replaces the sawed-through log and remarks that if you “didn’t know it was sawed, you wouldn’t ever notice it.” The marginal note prompted Mark Twain to search back in his manuscript to his description of the cabin on pages 98–99. He replaced his original manuscript page 99 with a new version that mentioned that the log was hidden from view by a horse-blanket (31.14). Then, presumably, he returned to page 131 and canceled his marginal note.
41.7–15 (MS1a, 134) stuck . . . sack] At the top right margin of manuscript page 134, on which Huck takes the bag of meal and his old saw out of the canoe, Mark Twain wrote and canceled “canoe 14 ft” in black ink, reminding himself that he had settled on that size several pages earlier (37.31 [MS1a, 123.6]). Referring to another passage on the same manuscript page—“pap done everything with his clasp-knife, about the cooking”—Mark Twain wrote in pencil in the left margin “Back yonder is mention of a butcher knife.” In his delirium Pap had chased Huck “round & round the place, with a butcher-knife.” To achieve consistency, Mark Twain later altered “butcher-knife” to “clasp-knife,” presumably on the typescript (see 36.17–18 [MS1a, 117.19–21]).
42.15–23 (MS1a, 140[1]) there . . . quarter] In black ink, Mark Twain wrote “[Chap. 8 begins on this page.]” in the top margin of manuscript page 140, on which he interlined “chap. 8,” a new chapter division, at 42.21 (MS1a, 140[1].15). But the manuscript already had a chapter 8 at 37 title (MS1a, 120 title). He did not alter the earlier chapter 8 in the manuscript when he added this new one (although the earlier chapter 8 ultimately became “Chapter VII”; see Emendations and Historical Collation). In any case, the new chapter division did not survive in his final revision: in the first edition as in the present, chapter 8 began at 45.1 (MS1a, 146.1).
48.13–22 (MS1a, 157) to the . . . blackberries] In black ink, Mark Twain wrote “[Chap 9 begins on this page.]” in the top margin of manuscript [begin page 520] page 157, on which he interlined “CHAP. 9.”, a new chapter division, at 48.17 (MS1a, 157.6). His ultimate chapter division did not include this one: in the first edition as in the present, chapter 9 began at 58.1 (MS1a, 192.7).
54.17–27 (MS1a, 182) all right . . . watched um] In the top right margin of manuscript page 182, on which Huck asks Jim why he did not get the mud turtles to eat and if he had heard the townspeople fire the cannon, Mark Twain wrote and canceled in black ink “[talk of cannon & ferryboat & why he couldn’t hunt turtles in daylight.” An apparent change of inscription after the words “all right.’ ” at the top of the page suggests that Mark Twain had stopped writing at that point, and wrote the note as a reminder to himself where to pick up the story. Presumably he canceled the note when he began work again.
535.15–21 (MS1a, 205) tole . . . was naked—] At the bottom of manuscript page 205, part of the “ghost story,” a passage that Mark Twain deleted before publication of the book (see the explanatory note to 60.6–9 and Three Passages from the Manuscript, pp. 531–38), an unidentified person marked “naked” with a wavy pencil line below. Written to the left of the wavy line, also in an unidentified hand, is the scrawled direction “leave” (or perhaps a suggested alternative reading, “bare”).
536.2–10 (MS1a, 208) he sot, all naked . . . make] At the top of manuscript page 208, part of the deleted “ghost story” passage, an unidentified person again marked the word “naked” with a wavy pencil line above it (see the previous note).
67.8–12 (MS1a, 235) I started . . . quarters] Mark Twain wrote “68” in pencil in the left margin of manuscript page 235, which began a new chapter in the manuscript. Presumably, he was making note of the equivalent page of TS1 (see the introduction, pp. 690, 696).
78.3–10 (MS1a, 270) a dog . . . didn’t.] At the bottom of manuscript page 270, on which Huck and Jim discuss the possibility of the search party coming after them with dogs, Mark Twain wrote in pencil—reminding himself of a possible inconsistency—“Dog no good, if island still overflowd” (for more on how he tried to resolve this inconsistency, see Mark Twain’s Working Notes, working note 1-1, note 2 on p. 487).
80.30–37 (MS2, 81-A-1) Well . . . fool’n] Mark Twain wrote “Whirp-powill!” in pencil in the top left corner of manuscript page 81-A-1, on which Huck wants to board the wreck “laying there so mournful and lonesome.” See the explanatory note to 4.20–22 and the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 567.
[begin page 521] 87.11–19 (MS2, 81–23) was . . . down] Mark Twain wrote “(provide him with a knife)” in pencil at the top of manuscript page 81–23, on which Huck pulls out his knife. Mark Twain thereafter revised his typescript to follow this instruction, adding a knife to the objects that Huck finds in the floating house in chapter 9 (“and a bran-new Barlow knife worth two bits in any store,”). See Emendations and Historical Collation, 62.10.
93.22–25 (MS2, 81–43) did . . . nigger.] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “(Read astronomy from book, to Jim.)” at the bottom of manuscript page 81–43 following the passage where Huck and Jim spend the afternoon talking and “reading the books.” He did not add a specific reference to astronomy books, and he kept, substantially unchanged, the passage he drafted in 1880, where Huck and Jim discuss the origin of the stars (158.8–17; see Three Passages from the Manuscript, pp. 546–47).
108.1–8 (MS1a, 312.3–11) “There . . . wed’l.”] In the right margin of manuscript page 312, near the beginning of the “raft episode,” Mark Twain drew two consecutive rules alongside the lyrics of this song and wrote the words “strike out” in blue ink, but he did not remove the song before publication in Life on the Mississippi, and there is no evidence of whether he did so on TS1 of Huckleberry Finn (see the explanatory notes to 107.1–123.20 and 108.1–8).
109.8 (MS1a, 314.12) corpse-maker from the] Someone, apparently not Mark Twain, wrote in pencil, in the right margin next to these words, what appears to be “printed” or “jointed.”
111.33–112.3 (MS1a, 325) out . . . again.] Mark Twain wrote “(watermelons)” in black ink in the top margin of manuscript page 325, on which the raftsmen drink, dance, and settle “around the jug again.” This was the end of a chapter in the manuscript and quite possibly the end of a day’s work. Several pages later, on manuscript page 353 (119.39), the Child of Calamity discovers Huck while “rummaging around in the dark” for a watermelon.
114.19–20 (MS1a, 333.8–10) two . . . looked] Mark Twain drew a vertical line in blue ink in the right margin of manuscript page 333 alongside these words.
116.11 (MS1a, 340.16) his ancle] There is a small pencil mark that looks either like a sideways “M” or a one-line brace written in the left margin of manuscript page 340 alongside these words.
[begin page 522] 119.38–120.2 (MS1a, 353) “Boys . . . jumped] At the top of manuscript page 353, which originally began a new chapter, Mark Twain wrote in pencil and later canceled “To follow the batch which has already been copied.” See the introduction, p. 682 n. 54.
123.20 (MS1a, 362) and was . . . again.] In the top margin of manuscript page 362, almost certainly at a temporary break in composition, Mark Twain wrote several notes in black ink: “negro | sermon | Twichells | clothes—| p. 58 |——80 | A town 80 | ball | 96 | House | 236 | Remarks at a funeral” (see the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 568). Some of these notes, presumably ideas or subjects the author was considering for inclusion in his manuscript, correspond to his working notes, for example: references to negro sermons on working notes 2–2 and 2–9; “Negro sermon—& the shouts” and “Remarks at a funeral” on 1–2; “Country funeral” on 2–6 and “A wake” on 2–11. Others (“ball” and “House”) suggest possible correspondences, such as “A house-raising” on working notes 2–5 and 3–5 and “the Country cotillion” on 2–6 (see the annotation in Mark Twain’s Working Notes for discussion of what use Mark Twain made of these ideas). The reference to Clemens’s good friend Joseph Hopkins Twichell or to his family suggests that the page numbers refer to one of Mark Twain’s own works, but they do not seem to correspond to either the manuscript or the typescript of Huckleberry Finn. Although the notes were most likely written during the summer of 1876 and therefore refer to a document already extant at that time, the page references have been checked against surviving manuscripts, amanuensis copies, and typescripts of Mark Twain’s works written in the 1870s or early 1880s: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; the Tom Sawyer play; “A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage”; “Cap’n Simon Wheeler”; “Simon Wheeler, Detective”; “Colonel Sellers as a Scientist”; A Tramp Abroad; The Prince and the Pauper; and Life on the Mississippi. The pages have also been checked against contemporary editions of The Gilded Age, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, A Tramp Abroad, Life on the Mississippi, and “Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion” (in Punch, Brothers, Punch!). No correspondences have been found.
123.21–25 (MS1a, 363) I had . . . missed] At the top left corner of manuscript page 363, which originally began a new chapter, Mark Twain wrote “Eddy” in black ink, a possible reference to “Ed” of the just completed raft episode, who tells the “baby and barrel” story and is afterwards called by his skeptical raft mates “Edward,” “Eddy,” “Edmund,” and “Edwin” (119.11–29 [MS1a, 350–51]). Perhaps, however, the note forecasts a danger to the raft as a solution to his literary problem at this crucial plot point (Huck and Jim have unknowingly passed Cairo). If he planned to have the raft get caught in an “eddy” as a means of getting [begin page 523] Huck and Jim to shore, however, he did not use that plan. Instead, he had a steamboat crash into the raft, and Huck get caught in a “crossing” which takes him to shore. In the top right corner of the manuscript page, Mark Twain wrote “child with rusty unloaded gun always kills,” also in black ink, an idea which he repeated on working note 1-2 (see the note on page 486 and the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 569).
141.18–26 (MS1a, 432) young . . . too!] Mark Twain wrote “morning bitters” in black ink at the top right corner of manuscript page 432, possibly at the end of a day’s composition. Several manuscript pages later, at the beginning of what became chapter 18, the Grangerford men start the day with a glass of bitters (MS1a, 437).
142.31–143.7 (MS1a, 436) lightning begun . . . week.] In the top left corner of manuscript page 436, where Colonel Grangerford’s description is concluded, Mark Twain wrote “black boots” in black ink. If he meant to supply the Colonel with black boots, he never did so.
143.25–33 (MS1a, 439) up . . . now;] In the top right margin of manuscript page 439, on which Sophia Grangerford is introduced, Mark Twain wrote in black ink “Sophia. Last Link.” He had earlier mentioned “The Last Link Is Broken” as one of the songs the young Grangerford women sang and played on the piano in the Grangerford parlor: see the explanatory note to 141.18–19.
146.9–11 (MS1a, 446) “What’s . . . it.”] Mark Twain wrote “408.” in faint pencil or purple ink in the upper right corner of manuscript page 446, a reminder that the chapter began on page 408. This is the last page of MS1a, the 1876 manuscript written in black ink (see the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 570).
146.12–16 (MS1b, 447) “Well . . . no more] In the top left margin of manuscript page 447, which began a new chapter in the manuscript, Mark Twain wrote and partly boxed “408” in purple ink, a reminder that the preceding chapter had begun on manuscript page 408. This is the first page of MS1b, the 1880 manuscript written in purple ink (see the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 571).
167.26–31 (MS1b, 561) We . . . about] In the top left margin of manuscript page 561, which follows the maudlin speech with which the duke yields Huck’s straw tick bed to the king, Mark Twain wrote in pencil “(The king retorts).”
175.6–12 (MS1b, 607) Handcuffs . . . miles] In the top right margin of manuscript page 607, on which the duke discusses the strategy of tying [begin page 524] Jim up to look like a captured fugitive, Mark Twain wrote in pencil “And Jim can be smuggled North in a ship or steamboat from N O.” He repeated this idea in working note 3-4 (see p. 505).
188.12–16 (MS1b, 663.1–10) treated . . . with.] Manuscript page 663, the last of the 1880 pages, originally ended with “But they was too late. Sherburn’s friends had got him away, long ago.” Mark Twain later wrote in pencil at the bottom of the page: “No, let them lynch him” (see Emendations and Historical Collation and the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 574).
196.23 (MS2, 187.5) wild] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “scandalous” in pencil in the top right corner of manuscript page 187 (“of . . . laugh,” [196.22–28]), on which Huck describes the king’s outfit. He was probably considering an alternative to the manuscript reading “outrageous,” which he finally altered on typescript or proof to “wild” (see Emendations and Historical Collation).
202.7 (MS2, 210.13) de Lord God Amighty] Mark Twain wrote “This expression shall not be changed” in pencil in the left margin of manuscript page 210 (“breff . . . so!’ ” [202.2–10]) opposite these words.
207.9–17 (MS2, 227) just . . . for?”] Mark Twain wrote in pencil and then canceled “young fel’r” and “wid’r” at the top of manuscript page 227, on which the king questions the young fellow about the Wilkses and the townspeople. Presumably he considered putting the words into dialect but did not do so here. In the first American edition, as in the manuscript, the young man says “widow Bartley” and Huck says “young fellow.” Later in the manuscript, Mark Twain did have the king say “wid’r Bartley” in direct discourse, but altered it to “widow Bartley” when he revised to indirect discourse on typescript or proof (see Emendations and Historical Collation, 213.26).
265.1–12 (MS2, 424) We . . . solemn] Mark Twain wrote “cane-brakes” and “away back” in blue ink in the top right corner of manuscript page 424, perhaps intending to have his characters hide in a cane thicket far from town or shore. At 266.8–9 they hide the raft “in a good safe place about two mile below a little bit of a shabby village.”
266.18–22 (MS2, 429) So . . . midday] In the left margin of manuscript page 429, Mark Twain wrote in pencil “This is lugged—shove it back yonder to where they escape lynching & regain raft.” Presumably he was referring to a passage he canceled in blue ink on the same page in which the duke curses Jim for “keeping his blue paint & King Leer clothes on, & made him take them off & wash himself off; & yet it [begin page 525] warn’t no fault of Jim’s, for nobody hadn’t ever told him he might do it” (see Alterations in the Manuscript, 266.21, for the full text of the canceled passage). Despite his instruction to himself, Mark Twain did not go back and reinsert this incident where the king and the duke “regain raft” (now at the beginning of chapter 30).
271.12–14 (MS2, 448) I took . . . there, and] Mark Twain wrote “(go back & sinkburn the skiff when they escape lynching” in pencil in the top right corner of manuscript page 448, on which Huck takes his raft to the woody island and hides it. In the top left corner of the page he wrote “The skiff being new & worth advertising.” Despite his marginal reminders, Mark Twain never specified what became of the stolen skiff in which the king and duke made their escape from the lynch mob at the end of chapter 29 (260.2–3 [MS2, 410.1–3]). Huck refers only to the canoe that he had stolen to make his own escape.
271.16 (MS2, 448-A.4–5) my store clothes] Mark Twain wrote “go back & put on old clothes after escape from lynching” in pencil in the left margin of manuscript page 448-A (“then . . . bank.” [271.14–22]). Previously, in the Wilks episode, Huck had worn store-bought clothes appropriate to his role as the king’s servant, Adolphus (204.18–20 [MS2, 214.13–215.1]). Despite the intention expressed in this marginal note, Mark Twain did not go back and mention Huck changing his clothes after his escape from the Wilkses’ village in chapter 29. In anticipation of making such a change, however, he did alter the text on manuscript page 448-A from “some old rough clothes” to “my store clothes” (see Alterations in the Manuscript).
277.33–278.4 (MS2, 468) woman . . . couldn’t] Mark Twain wrote “has good clothes on.” in the top left corner of manuscript page 468, on which Aunt Sally first lays eyes on Huck (see the previous note).
278.12–279.2 (MS2, 470) breakfast . . . been] Mark Twain wrote “utterback” in pencil in the top left corner of manuscript page 470, perhaps a reference to Sister Utterback, one of the Arkansas gossips in chapter 41 (see the explanatory note to 346.10).
304.19–27 (MS2, 579) any . . . guess.”] Mark Twain wrote “Edmond Dantes” in pencil in the top left corner of manuscript page 579, on which Tom described the prisoner of “Castle Deef” digging through solid rock with a caseknife. See the explanatory notes to 304.20 and 304.23.
307.30–38 (MS2, 592) and got . . . he says:] Mark Twain wrote “They always take along a lunch.” in pencil in the left margin of manuscript [begin page 526] page 592, on which Tom and Huck discover that, even digging with a pick-axe and shovel, “a half an hour . . . was as long as we could stand up.”
320.1–321.1 (MS2, 635) nothing . . . was a] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “pie & plates” in pencil in the top margin of manuscript page 635, on which Huck and Tom smuggle the witch-pie and tin plates in to Jim.
325.31 (MS2, 655.5) tame] Mark Twain twice wrote, circled, and canceled the word “edjercate” in pencil in the top left corner of manuscript page 655 (“I’s . . . b’fo’,” [325.29–37]). Presumably he was considering an alternative to the original manuscript reading “practice on” before he finally altered it to “tame” (see Alterations in the Manuscript).
326.13 (MS2, 657.12) sociable as flies] Mark Twain wrote, circled, and canceled the word “muskeeters” in pencil in the top right corner of manuscript page 657 (“have . . . on?’ ” [326.8–14]), on which the words “sociable as flies” appear. He also interlined “muskeeters” in blue ink above “flies,” as an alternative to it, but later decided to let his original reading stand and canceled the interlineation in pencil (see Alterations in the Manuscript).
351.17–24 (MS2, 745) somewheres . . . letter] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “(find out who Sis is.)” in pencil in the top right corner of manuscript page 745, on which he altered Aunt Sally’s identification of the letter-writer from “Polly” to “Sis.” He was probably reminding himself to make sure of Polly’s correct name. When she finally makes her appearance later in the chapter, she is correctly identified as Polly (357.11 [MS2, 772.12]).
27.16–28.3 (MS1a, 91) out . . . way.] At the bottom of manuscript page 91, following the passage in which Mark Twain originally had Judge and Mrs. Thatcher attempting to reform Pap Finn, he wrote in pencil “Better make this the new judge? Thatcher has known him too long.” Mark Twain evidently made the changes on his typescript, for the first edition supplies “new judge” for “judge” at 26.25 and “The judge’s wife” for “Mrs. Thatcher” at 27.8–9. (In the following chapter, in order to avoid confusing the two judges, Mark Twain then had to substitute “Judge Thatcher” for “the judge” at 29.3.)
32.8–15 (MS1a, 103) of corn . . . fish to] Mark Twain wrote “Baby & Barrel.—350” at the top of the verso of manuscript page 103. In working note 1-2, he again made the same reference. Ed’s story about the baby in the barrel ends on manuscript page 349, after which the skeptical raftsmen begin chaffing him about its veracity. If Clemens meant the notes as references to a selection for his lecture readings, they direct him to its conclusion not its beginning. It may not be coincidental that Mark Twain wrote the reference to a tale in which a father strangles his baby (and Huck later claims he is the strangled baby) on the verso of the page where Huck first plans his escape from his violent and drunken father.
38.21–39.8 (MS1a, 126) and went . . . round] Mark Twain wrote “c is lost.” and “but one gun but one gun” in black ink at the top of manuscript page 126. The first note may refer to the lost “drift-canoe” (38.4) that Huck has just taken possession of, or may look forward to the later episode when Huck and Jim discover that their canoe has been lost, foiling their plan to start back upstream after they pass Cairo in the fog (MS1a, 129.29–30). Mark Twain probably made the second note in conjunction with the manuscript alterations at 32.12 and 36.31 (MS1a, 103.13–14 and 119.11–12), where he altered “one of the guns” to “the [begin page 519] gun.” Four pages after this marginal note, on manuscript page 130.11 (39.36), Huck “fetched out the gun”—a phrase inscribed without revision.
39.8–16 (MS1a, 127) here, . . . along] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “not sawed through” in black ink at the top of manuscript page 127. He evidently had in mind the earlier passage in which Huck began to “saw a section of the big bottom log out” of the cabin (31.17–18). On the manuscript page following this note, Huck finishes sawing through the log and escapes (39.24–25).
40.2–11 (MS1a, 131) and the sawdust . . . piece] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “horse blanket” in black ink at the top of manuscript page 131, on which Huck replaces the sawed-through log and remarks that if you “didn’t know it was sawed, you wouldn’t ever notice it.” The marginal note prompted Mark Twain to search back in his manuscript to his description of the cabin on pages 98–99. He replaced his original manuscript page 99 with a new version that mentioned that the log was hidden from view by a horse-blanket (31.14). Then, presumably, he returned to page 131 and canceled his marginal note.
41.7–15 (MS1a, 134) stuck . . . sack] At the top right margin of manuscript page 134, on which Huck takes the bag of meal and his old saw out of the canoe, Mark Twain wrote and canceled “canoe 14 ft” in black ink, reminding himself that he had settled on that size several pages earlier (37.31 [MS1a, 123.6]). Referring to another passage on the same manuscript page—“pap done everything with his clasp-knife, about the cooking”—Mark Twain wrote in pencil in the left margin “Back yonder is mention of a butcher knife.” In his delirium Pap had chased Huck “round & round the place, with a butcher-knife.” To achieve consistency, Mark Twain later altered “butcher-knife” to “clasp-knife,” presumably on the typescript (see 36.17–18 [MS1a, 117.19–21]).
42.15–23 (MS1a, 140[1]) there . . . quarter] In black ink, Mark Twain wrote “[Chap. 8 begins on this page.]” in the top margin of manuscript page 140, on which he interlined “chap. 8,” a new chapter division, at 42.21 (MS1a, 140[1].15). But the manuscript already had a chapter 8 at 37 title (MS1a, 120 title). He did not alter the earlier chapter 8 in the manuscript when he added this new one (although the earlier chapter 8 ultimately became “Chapter VII”; see Emendations and Historical Collation). In any case, the new chapter division did not survive in his final revision: in the first edition as in the present, chapter 8 began at 45.1 (MS1a, 146.1).
48.13–22 (MS1a, 157) to the . . . blackberries] In black ink, Mark Twain wrote “[Chap 9 begins on this page.]” in the top margin of manuscript [begin page 520] page 157, on which he interlined “CHAP. 9.”, a new chapter division, at 48.17 (MS1a, 157.6). His ultimate chapter division did not include this one: in the first edition as in the present, chapter 9 began at 58.1 (MS1a, 192.7).
54.17–27 (MS1a, 182) all right . . . watched um] In the top right margin of manuscript page 182, on which Huck asks Jim why he did not get the mud turtles to eat and if he had heard the townspeople fire the cannon, Mark Twain wrote and canceled in black ink “[talk of cannon & ferryboat & why he couldn’t hunt turtles in daylight.” An apparent change of inscription after the words “all right.’ ” at the top of the page suggests that Mark Twain had stopped writing at that point, and wrote the note as a reminder to himself where to pick up the story. Presumably he canceled the note when he began work again.
535.15–21 (MS1a, 205) tole . . . was naked—] At the bottom of manuscript page 205, part of the “ghost story,” a passage that Mark Twain deleted before publication of the book (see the explanatory note to 60.6–9 and Three Passages from the Manuscript, pp. 531–38), an unidentified person marked “naked” with a wavy pencil line below. Written to the left of the wavy line, also in an unidentified hand, is the scrawled direction “leave” (or perhaps a suggested alternative reading, “bare”).
536.2–10 (MS1a, 208) he sot, all naked . . . make] At the top of manuscript page 208, part of the deleted “ghost story” passage, an unidentified person again marked the word “naked” with a wavy pencil line above it (see the previous note).
67.8–12 (MS1a, 235) I started . . . quarters] Mark Twain wrote “68” in pencil in the left margin of manuscript page 235, which began a new chapter in the manuscript. Presumably, he was making note of the equivalent page of TS1 (see the introduction, pp. 690, 696).
78.3–10 (MS1a, 270) a dog . . . didn’t.] At the bottom of manuscript page 270, on which Huck and Jim discuss the possibility of the search party coming after them with dogs, Mark Twain wrote in pencil—reminding himself of a possible inconsistency—“Dog no good, if island still overflowd” (for more on how he tried to resolve this inconsistency, see Mark Twain’s Working Notes, working note 1-1, note 2 on p. 487).
80.30–37 (MS2, 81-A-1) Well . . . fool’n] Mark Twain wrote “Whirp-powill!” in pencil in the top left corner of manuscript page 81-A-1, on which Huck wants to board the wreck “laying there so mournful and lonesome.” See the explanatory note to 4.20–22 and the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 567.
[begin page 521] 87.11–19 (MS2, 81–23) was . . . down] Mark Twain wrote “(provide him with a knife)” in pencil at the top of manuscript page 81–23, on which Huck pulls out his knife. Mark Twain thereafter revised his typescript to follow this instruction, adding a knife to the objects that Huck finds in the floating house in chapter 9 (“and a bran-new Barlow knife worth two bits in any store,”). See Emendations and Historical Collation, 62.10.
93.22–25 (MS2, 81–43) did . . . nigger.] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “(Read astronomy from book, to Jim.)” at the bottom of manuscript page 81–43 following the passage where Huck and Jim spend the afternoon talking and “reading the books.” He did not add a specific reference to astronomy books, and he kept, substantially unchanged, the passage he drafted in 1880, where Huck and Jim discuss the origin of the stars (158.8–17; see Three Passages from the Manuscript, pp. 546–47).
108.1–8 (MS1a, 312.3–11) “There . . . wed’l.”] In the right margin of manuscript page 312, near the beginning of the “raft episode,” Mark Twain drew two consecutive rules alongside the lyrics of this song and wrote the words “strike out” in blue ink, but he did not remove the song before publication in Life on the Mississippi, and there is no evidence of whether he did so on TS1 of Huckleberry Finn (see the explanatory notes to 107.1–123.20 and 108.1–8).
109.8 (MS1a, 314.12) corpse-maker from the] Someone, apparently not Mark Twain, wrote in pencil, in the right margin next to these words, what appears to be “printed” or “jointed.”
111.33–112.3 (MS1a, 325) out . . . again.] Mark Twain wrote “(watermelons)” in black ink in the top margin of manuscript page 325, on which the raftsmen drink, dance, and settle “around the jug again.” This was the end of a chapter in the manuscript and quite possibly the end of a day’s work. Several pages later, on manuscript page 353 (119.39), the Child of Calamity discovers Huck while “rummaging around in the dark” for a watermelon.
114.19–20 (MS1a, 333.8–10) two . . . looked] Mark Twain drew a vertical line in blue ink in the right margin of manuscript page 333 alongside these words.
116.11 (MS1a, 340.16) his ancle] There is a small pencil mark that looks either like a sideways “M” or a one-line brace written in the left margin of manuscript page 340 alongside these words.
[begin page 522] 119.38–120.2 (MS1a, 353) “Boys . . . jumped] At the top of manuscript page 353, which originally began a new chapter, Mark Twain wrote in pencil and later canceled “To follow the batch which has already been copied.” See the introduction, p. 682 n. 54.
123.20 (MS1a, 362) and was . . . again.] In the top margin of manuscript page 362, almost certainly at a temporary break in composition, Mark Twain wrote several notes in black ink: “negro | sermon | Twichells | clothes—| p. 58 |——80 | A town 80 | ball | 96 | House | 236 | Remarks at a funeral” (see the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 568). Some of these notes, presumably ideas or subjects the author was considering for inclusion in his manuscript, correspond to his working notes, for example: references to negro sermons on working notes 2–2 and 2–9; “Negro sermon—& the shouts” and “Remarks at a funeral” on 1–2; “Country funeral” on 2–6 and “A wake” on 2–11. Others (“ball” and “House”) suggest possible correspondences, such as “A house-raising” on working notes 2–5 and 3–5 and “the Country cotillion” on 2–6 (see the annotation in Mark Twain’s Working Notes for discussion of what use Mark Twain made of these ideas). The reference to Clemens’s good friend Joseph Hopkins Twichell or to his family suggests that the page numbers refer to one of Mark Twain’s own works, but they do not seem to correspond to either the manuscript or the typescript of Huckleberry Finn. Although the notes were most likely written during the summer of 1876 and therefore refer to a document already extant at that time, the page references have been checked against surviving manuscripts, amanuensis copies, and typescripts of Mark Twain’s works written in the 1870s or early 1880s: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; the Tom Sawyer play; “A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage”; “Cap’n Simon Wheeler”; “Simon Wheeler, Detective”; “Colonel Sellers as a Scientist”; A Tramp Abroad; The Prince and the Pauper; and Life on the Mississippi. The pages have also been checked against contemporary editions of The Gilded Age, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, A Tramp Abroad, Life on the Mississippi, and “Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion” (in Punch, Brothers, Punch!). No correspondences have been found.
123.21–25 (MS1a, 363) I had . . . missed] At the top left corner of manuscript page 363, which originally began a new chapter, Mark Twain wrote “Eddy” in black ink, a possible reference to “Ed” of the just completed raft episode, who tells the “baby and barrel” story and is afterwards called by his skeptical raft mates “Edward,” “Eddy,” “Edmund,” and “Edwin” (119.11–29 [MS1a, 350–51]). Perhaps, however, the note forecasts a danger to the raft as a solution to his literary problem at this crucial plot point (Huck and Jim have unknowingly passed Cairo). If he planned to have the raft get caught in an “eddy” as a means of getting [begin page 523] Huck and Jim to shore, however, he did not use that plan. Instead, he had a steamboat crash into the raft, and Huck get caught in a “crossing” which takes him to shore. In the top right corner of the manuscript page, Mark Twain wrote “child with rusty unloaded gun always kills,” also in black ink, an idea which he repeated on working note 1-2 (see the note on page 486 and the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 569).
141.18–26 (MS1a, 432) young . . . too!] Mark Twain wrote “morning bitters” in black ink at the top right corner of manuscript page 432, possibly at the end of a day’s composition. Several manuscript pages later, at the beginning of what became chapter 18, the Grangerford men start the day with a glass of bitters (MS1a, 437).
142.31–143.7 (MS1a, 436) lightning begun . . . week.] In the top left corner of manuscript page 436, where Colonel Grangerford’s description is concluded, Mark Twain wrote “black boots” in black ink. If he meant to supply the Colonel with black boots, he never did so.
143.25–33 (MS1a, 439) up . . . now;] In the top right margin of manuscript page 439, on which Sophia Grangerford is introduced, Mark Twain wrote in black ink “Sophia. Last Link.” He had earlier mentioned “The Last Link Is Broken” as one of the songs the young Grangerford women sang and played on the piano in the Grangerford parlor: see the explanatory note to 141.18–19.
146.9–11 (MS1a, 446) “What’s . . . it.”] Mark Twain wrote “408.” in faint pencil or purple ink in the upper right corner of manuscript page 446, a reminder that the chapter began on page 408. This is the last page of MS1a, the 1876 manuscript written in black ink (see the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 570).
146.12–16 (MS1b, 447) “Well . . . no more] In the top left margin of manuscript page 447, which began a new chapter in the manuscript, Mark Twain wrote and partly boxed “408” in purple ink, a reminder that the preceding chapter had begun on manuscript page 408. This is the first page of MS1b, the 1880 manuscript written in purple ink (see the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 571).
167.26–31 (MS1b, 561) We . . . about] In the top left margin of manuscript page 561, which follows the maudlin speech with which the duke yields Huck’s straw tick bed to the king, Mark Twain wrote in pencil “(The king retorts).”
175.6–12 (MS1b, 607) Handcuffs . . . miles] In the top right margin of manuscript page 607, on which the duke discusses the strategy of tying [begin page 524] Jim up to look like a captured fugitive, Mark Twain wrote in pencil “And Jim can be smuggled North in a ship or steamboat from N O.” He repeated this idea in working note 3-4 (see p. 505).
188.12–16 (MS1b, 663.1–10) treated . . . with.] Manuscript page 663, the last of the 1880 pages, originally ended with “But they was too late. Sherburn’s friends had got him away, long ago.” Mark Twain later wrote in pencil at the bottom of the page: “No, let them lynch him” (see Emendations and Historical Collation and the facsimile in Manuscript Facsimiles, p. 574).
196.23 (MS2, 187.5) wild] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “scandalous” in pencil in the top right corner of manuscript page 187 (“of . . . laugh,” [196.22–28]), on which Huck describes the king’s outfit. He was probably considering an alternative to the manuscript reading “outrageous,” which he finally altered on typescript or proof to “wild” (see Emendations and Historical Collation).
202.7 (MS2, 210.13) de Lord God Amighty] Mark Twain wrote “This expression shall not be changed” in pencil in the left margin of manuscript page 210 (“breff . . . so!’ ” [202.2–10]) opposite these words.
207.9–17 (MS2, 227) just . . . for?”] Mark Twain wrote in pencil and then canceled “young fel’r” and “wid’r” at the top of manuscript page 227, on which the king questions the young fellow about the Wilkses and the townspeople. Presumably he considered putting the words into dialect but did not do so here. In the first American edition, as in the manuscript, the young man says “widow Bartley” and Huck says “young fellow.” Later in the manuscript, Mark Twain did have the king say “wid’r Bartley” in direct discourse, but altered it to “widow Bartley” when he revised to indirect discourse on typescript or proof (see Emendations and Historical Collation, 213.26).
265.1–12 (MS2, 424) We . . . solemn] Mark Twain wrote “cane-brakes” and “away back” in blue ink in the top right corner of manuscript page 424, perhaps intending to have his characters hide in a cane thicket far from town or shore. At 266.8–9 they hide the raft “in a good safe place about two mile below a little bit of a shabby village.”
266.18–22 (MS2, 429) So . . . midday] In the left margin of manuscript page 429, Mark Twain wrote in pencil “This is lugged—shove it back yonder to where they escape lynching & regain raft.” Presumably he was referring to a passage he canceled in blue ink on the same page in which the duke curses Jim for “keeping his blue paint & King Leer clothes on, & made him take them off & wash himself off; & yet it [begin page 525] warn’t no fault of Jim’s, for nobody hadn’t ever told him he might do it” (see Alterations in the Manuscript, 266.21, for the full text of the canceled passage). Despite his instruction to himself, Mark Twain did not go back and reinsert this incident where the king and the duke “regain raft” (now at the beginning of chapter 30).
271.12–14 (MS2, 448) I took . . . there, and] Mark Twain wrote “(go back & sinkburn the skiff when they escape lynching” in pencil in the top right corner of manuscript page 448, on which Huck takes his raft to the woody island and hides it. In the top left corner of the page he wrote “The skiff being new & worth advertising.” Despite his marginal reminders, Mark Twain never specified what became of the stolen skiff in which the king and duke made their escape from the lynch mob at the end of chapter 29 (260.2–3 [MS2, 410.1–3]). Huck refers only to the canoe that he had stolen to make his own escape.
271.16 (MS2, 448-A.4–5) my store clothes] Mark Twain wrote “go back & put on old clothes after escape from lynching” in pencil in the left margin of manuscript page 448-A (“then . . . bank.” [271.14–22]). Previously, in the Wilks episode, Huck had worn store-bought clothes appropriate to his role as the king’s servant, Adolphus (204.18–20 [MS2, 214.13–215.1]). Despite the intention expressed in this marginal note, Mark Twain did not go back and mention Huck changing his clothes after his escape from the Wilkses’ village in chapter 29. In anticipation of making such a change, however, he did alter the text on manuscript page 448-A from “some old rough clothes” to “my store clothes” (see Alterations in the Manuscript).
277.33–278.4 (MS2, 468) woman . . . couldn’t] Mark Twain wrote “has good clothes on.” in the top left corner of manuscript page 468, on which Aunt Sally first lays eyes on Huck (see the previous note).
278.12–279.2 (MS2, 470) breakfast . . . been] Mark Twain wrote “utterback” in pencil in the top left corner of manuscript page 470, perhaps a reference to Sister Utterback, one of the Arkansas gossips in chapter 41 (see the explanatory note to 346.10).
304.19–27 (MS2, 579) any . . . guess.”] Mark Twain wrote “Edmond Dantes” in pencil in the top left corner of manuscript page 579, on which Tom described the prisoner of “Castle Deef” digging through solid rock with a caseknife. See the explanatory notes to 304.20 and 304.23.
307.30–38 (MS2, 592) and got . . . he says:] Mark Twain wrote “They always take along a lunch.” in pencil in the left margin of manuscript [begin page 526] page 592, on which Tom and Huck discover that, even digging with a pick-axe and shovel, “a half an hour . . . was as long as we could stand up.”
320.1–321.1 (MS2, 635) nothing . . . was a] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “pie & plates” in pencil in the top margin of manuscript page 635, on which Huck and Tom smuggle the witch-pie and tin plates in to Jim.
325.31 (MS2, 655.5) tame] Mark Twain twice wrote, circled, and canceled the word “edjercate” in pencil in the top left corner of manuscript page 655 (“I’s . . . b’fo’,” [325.29–37]). Presumably he was considering an alternative to the original manuscript reading “practice on” before he finally altered it to “tame” (see Alterations in the Manuscript).
326.13 (MS2, 657.12) sociable as flies] Mark Twain wrote, circled, and canceled the word “muskeeters” in pencil in the top right corner of manuscript page 657 (“have . . . on?’ ” [326.8–14]), on which the words “sociable as flies” appear. He also interlined “muskeeters” in blue ink above “flies,” as an alternative to it, but later decided to let his original reading stand and canceled the interlineation in pencil (see Alterations in the Manuscript).
351.17–24 (MS2, 745) somewheres . . . letter] Mark Twain wrote and canceled “(find out who Sis is.)” in pencil in the top right corner of manuscript page 745, on which he altered Aunt Sally’s identification of the letter-writer from “Polly” to “Sis.” He was probably reminding himself to make sure of Polly’s correct name. When she finally makes her appearance later in the chapter, she is correctly identified as Polly (357.11 [MS2, 772.12]).