It was after sun-up,Ⓐhistorical collation now, but we went right on, and didn’t tie up. The king and the duke turned out,Ⓐhistorical collation by and byⒶhistorical collation, looking pretty rusty; but after they’dⒶemendation jumped overboard and took a swimⒶhistorical collation it chippered them up a good deal. After breakfast the king heⒶemendation took a seat on a corner of the raft, and pulled off his boots and rolled up his britches, and letⒶalteration in the MS his legs dangle in the water, so as to be comfortable, and lit his pipe,Ⓐalteration in the MS and went to getting his Romeo and JulietⒶhistorical collation by heart. When he had got it pretty good, him and the duke begun to practice it togetherⒶhistorical collation. The duke had to learn him over and over again, how to say every speech; and heⒶhistorical collation made him sigh, and put his hand on his heart;Ⓐhistorical collation and after aⒶhistorical collation while he said he done it pretty well; “only,” he says, “you mustn’t Ⓐhistorical collation bellow out ROMEO!Ⓐhistorical collation that way, like a bullⒶemendation—you must say it soft, and sick, and languishyⒶemendation, so—R–o–o–meoⒶemendation!—that isⒶemendation the idea—Ⓐhistorical collationfor Juliet’s a dear sweet mere child of a girl, you know,Ⓐalteration in the MS and she don’t bray like a jackassⒶemendation.”
Well, next they got out a couple of long swords that the duke madeⒶemendation out of oak laths, and begun to practice the sword-fight—the duke called himself Richard IIIⒶhistorical collation; and the way they laid on,Ⓐhistorical collation and pranced around the raft was grand to see. But by and byⒶhistorical collation the king tripped and fell overboard, and after that they took a rest, and had a talk about all kinds of adventures they’dⒶemendation had in other times along the river.
After dinner, the duke says—Ⓐhistorical collation
[begin page 178] “Well, CapetⒺexplanatory note, we’ll want to make this a first classⒶhistorical collation show, you know, so I guess we’ll add a little more to it. We want a little something to answer encores with, anyway.”
“What’s onkores, Bilgewater?”
The duke told him;Ⓐhistorical collation andⒶemendation then saysⒶalteration in the MS—Ⓐhistorical collation
“I’ll answer by doing the Highland FlingⒶhistorical collation or the Sailor’s HornpipeⒶhistorical collation; and you—wellⒶhistorical collation let me see—OⒶhistorical collation, I’ve got it—you can do Hamlet’s SoliloquyⒶhistorical collation.”
“Hamlet’s which?”
“Hamlet’s SoliloquyⒶhistorical collation, you know; the most celebrated thing in ShakspeareⒶhistorical collation. Ah, it’sⒶemendation sublime,Ⓐemendation sublime! Always fetches the house. I haven’tⒶemendation got it in the book—I’ve only got one volume—but I reckon I can piece it out from memory. I’ll just walk up and down,Ⓐhistorical collation a minute, and see if I can call it back from recollection’s vaults.”
So he went to marching up and down, thinking—Ⓐhistorical collationand frowning, horrible,Ⓐhistorical collation every now and then; then he wouldⒶalteration in the MS hoist upⒶemendation his eyebrowsⒶemendation; next he would squeezeⒶemendation his hand on his forehead and stagger back [begin page 179] and kind of moanⒶemendation; next heⒶalteration in the MS would sigh, and next he’dⒶemendation let on to drop a tear. It was beautiful to see him. By and byⒶhistorical collation he got it. He told us to give attention. Then he strikes a most noble attitude, with one leg shoved forwardsⒶemendation, and his armsⒶalteration in the MS stretched awayⒶalteration in the MS up,Ⓐalteration in the MS and his head tilted back, lookingⒶemendation up at the sky—Ⓐhistorical collationand then he beginsⒶalteration in the MS to rip and rave and grit his teeth—Ⓐhistorical collationand after that, all through his speech he howled, and spread around, and swelled up his chest, and just knocked the spots out of any acting ever I see before. This is the speech—I learned it, easy enough, while he was learning it to the king:Ⓐalteration in the MS
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would fardels bear, till Birnam woodⒶhistorical collation do come to Dunsinane,
But that the fear of something after death
Murders the innocent sleep,
Great nature’s second course,
And makes us rather sling the arrows of outrageous fortune
Than fly to others that we know not of.
There’s the respect must give us pause:
WakeⒶemendation Duncan with thy knocking!Ⓐalteration in the MS I would thou couldst;Ⓐemendation
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The law’s delay, and the quietus which his pangs might takeⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation,
In the dead waste and middle of the night, when churchyards yawn
In customary suits of solemn black,
But that the undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns,
Breathes forth contagion on the world,
And thus the native hue of resolution, like the poor cat i’ the adage,
Is sicklied o’erⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS with care,
And all the clouds that lowered o’er our housetopsⒶemendation,
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.
’Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. But soft you, the fairⒶalteration in the MS Ophelia:
Ope not thy ponderous and marble jaws,
But get thee to a nunnery—go!Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation Ⓔexplanatory note
Well, the old man he liked that speech, and he mighty soon got it so he could do it first rate. It seemed like he was just born for it; and [begin page 180] when he had his hand in,Ⓐhistorical collation and was excited, it was perfectly lovely the way he would rip and tear and rair up behind when he was getting it offⒶhistorical collation.
The first chance we got, the duke heⒶemendation had some show billsⒶhistorical collation printed; and after that, for two or three days,Ⓐhistorical collation as we floated along, the raft was a mostⒶemendation uncommon lively place, for there warn’t nothingⒶemendation butⒶalteration in the MS sword-fighting and rehearsingⒶalteration in the MS—as the duke called it—going on,Ⓐhistorical collation all the time. One morning, when we was pretty well down the State of Arkansaw, we come in sight of a little one-horse town in a big bendⒶemendation Ⓔexplanatory note; so we tied up about three-quarters of a mile above it, in the mouth of a crickⒶalteration in the MS which was shut inⒶalteration in the MS like a tunnel by the cypress treesⒶhistorical collation, and all of us but Jim took the canoe and went down there to see if there was any chance in that place for our show.
We struck it mighty lucky:Ⓐhistorical collation there was going to be a circus there that afternoonⒶemendation, and the country people was already beginning to come in, in all kinds of old shackly wagons, and on horses. The circus would leave before night, so our show would have a pretty good chance. The duke heⒶemendation hired the court houseⒶhistorical collation, and we went around and stuck up our bills. They read like this:Ⓐemendation
Wonderful Attraction! Ⓐhistorical collation
For One Night Only! Ⓐhistorical collation
The World-renowned Tragedians,Ⓐhistorical collation
David Garrick the Younger,
of Drury Lane Theatre, London,
and Ⓐhistorical collation
Edmund Kean the Elder,
of the Royal Ⓐalteration in the MS Haymarket Ⓐalteration in the MS Theatre Ⓔexplanatory note,Ⓐemendation Whitechapel Ⓐemendation,
Pudding Lane, Piccadilly, London, and the
Royal Continental Theatres, Ⓐemendation
In their sublime Shaksperean Spectacle entitled Ⓐemendation
The Balcony Scene Ⓐhistorical collation
in
ROMEO AND JULIETⒶhistorical collation!!!
Romeo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Garrick.
Juliet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Kean.
Assisted by the whole strength of the Company! Ⓐemendation
New Costumes, New Scenery, New Appointments! Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation
[begin page 181]
Also:Ⓐhistorical collation
The thrilling, masterly and blood-curdling Ⓐhistorical collation
BROAD-SWORD CONFLICTⒶhistorical collation
in Richard III.Ⓐhistorical collation!!!
Richard III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mr. Garrick.
Richmond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Kean.
Also:Ⓐhistorical collation
(By Special Request,)Ⓐhistorical collation
HAMLET’S IMMORTAL SOLILOQUY!!!Ⓐhistorical collation
By the Illustrious Kean!
Done by him 300 Consecutive Nights in Paris! Ⓐhistorical collation
For One Night Only!Ⓐhistorical collation
On account of imperative EuropeanⒶemendation Engagements!Ⓐhistorical collation
Admission 25 cents; children and servants 10 cents. Ⓔexplanatory note
Ⓐemendation
Then we went loafing around the town. The stores and houses was most all old shacklyⒶhistorical collation dried-up frame concerns that hadn’t ever been painted; they was set up threeⒶalteration in the MS or four foot aboveⒶemendation ground on stilts, so as to be out of reach of the water when the river wasⒶemendation overflowed. The houses had little gardens around them, but they didn’t seem to raise hardly anything in them but jimpson weeds, and sunflowersⒶemendation, and ash-piles, and oldⒶalteration in the MS curled-up boots and shoes, and pieces of bottles, and rags, and played-outⒶalteration in the MS tin-ware. The fences was made of different kinds of boards, nailed on at different times; and they leaned every-which-wayⒶemendation, and had gates that didn’t generlyⒶemendation have but one hinge—a leather one. Some of the fences had been whitewashedⒶemendation, some time or another, but the duke said it was in Clumbus’s time, like enough. There was generlyⒶemendation hogs in the garden, and people driving them out.Ⓐhistorical collation
All the stores was along one street. They had white domesticⒶhistorical collation awnings in front, and the country people hitched their horses to the awning postsⒶhistorical collation. There was empty dry-goods boxes under the awnings, and loafersⒶalteration in the MS roosting on them all day long, whittling them with their BarlowⒶemendation knives;Ⓐhistorical collation and chawing tobacco, and gaping and yawning and stretching—a mighty ornery lot. They generlyⒶemendation had on yellow straw hats most as wide as an umbrella, but didn’t wearⒶemendation no coats norⒶemendation waistcoatsⒶalteration in the MS; they called one another Bill, and Buck, and Hank, and JoⒶhistorical collation, and Andy, and talked lazy and drawly, and used considerable many cuss-words. There was as many as one loafer leaning up [begin page 182] against every awning postⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation, and he mostⒶemendation always had his hands in his britches pockets, except when he fetched them out to lend a chaw of tobacco or scratchⒶemendation. What a body was hearing amongst them, all the time, was,Ⓐhistorical collation—
“Gimme a chaw ’vⒶemendation tobacker, Hank.”
“Cain’t—Ⓐalteration in the MSI hain’tⒶemendationgot but one chaw left. Ask Bill.”
Maybe Bill heⒶemendation gives him a chaw; maybe he lies and says he ain’t got noneⒶemendation. Some of themⒶemendation kinds of loafers never has a cent in the world, nor a chaw of tobacco of their own. They get all their chawing by borrowing—they say to a fellow, “I wisht you’d len’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation me a chawⒶalteration in the MS, Jack, I jist thisⒶalteration in the MS minute give Ben Thompson the last chaw I had”—which isⒶalteration in the MS a lie, pretty much every timeⒶemendation; it don’t fool nobodyⒶemendation butⒶemendation a stranger; but Jack ain’t noⒶemendation stranger, soⒶemendation he says—
“You give him a chaw, did you? SoⒶhistorical collation did your sister’s cat’s grandmotherⒶemendation. You pay me back the chaws you’ve awreadyⒶemendation borry’d off’nⒶalteration in the MS me, Lafe Buckner, then I’ll loanⒶalteration in the MS you one or two ton of it, and won’t charge you no back-intrustⒶemendation, nuther.”
“Well, I did pay you back some of it wunst.”
[begin page 183] “Yes, you didⒶemendation—’bout six chawsⒶalteration in the MS. You borry’d store tobacker and paid back nigger-head.”
Store tobacco is flat,Ⓐhistorical collation black plug, but these fellows mostly chawsⒶemendation the natural leaf twistedⒶalteration in the MS. When they borrow a chaw, they don’t generlyⒶemendation cut it off with a knife, but theyⒶemendation set the plug in between their teeth, and gnaw with their teeth and tug at the plug with their hands till they get it in two—then sometimes the one that ownsⒶemendation the tobacco looks mournful at it when it’s handed backⒶemendation, and says, sarcastic—
“Here, gimmeⒶemendation the chaw, and you take the plug Ⓔexplanatory note.”
All the streets and lanes was justⒶalteration in the MS mud, they warn’tⒶemendation nothing else but mudⒶemendation—mud as black as tar, and nighⒶemendation about a foot deep,Ⓐhistorical collation in some places; and two or three inches deep in all theⒶemendation places. The hogs loafed and grunted around, everywheres. You’d see a muddy sow and a litterⒶalteration in the MS of pigs come lazying along the street and whollop herself right down in the way, where folks had to walk aroundⒶemendation her, and she’dⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation stretch outⒶemendation and shutⒶalteration in the MS her eyes, and wave her ears, whilst the pigs was milking herⒶemendation, and look as happy as if she was on salaryⒶemendation. And pretty soon you’d hear a loafer sing out, “Hi! so boy! sick him, Tige!” and away theⒶemendation sow would go, squealing mostⒶalteration in the MS horrible, with a dog or two swinging to each ear, and three or four dozen more a-comingⒶemendation; and then you would see all the loafers get up and watch the thing out of sight, and laugh at the fun and look grateful for the noise. Then they’d settle back again,Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS till there was a dog-fight. There couldn’t anything wake them up all over, and make them happy all over, like a dog-fightⒶemendation—unless it might be putting turpentine on a stray dog and setting fire to him, or tying a tin pan to his tail and seeingⒶtextual note Ⓐhistorical collation him run himself to death.Ⓐhistorical collation
OnⒶalteration in the MS the river front some of the houses was sticking out over the bank, and they was bowed and bent, and aboutⒶemendation ready to tumble in. The people had moved out of them. The bankⒶalteration in the MS wasⒶemendation caved away under oneⒶemendation corner of some others, and that corner was hanging over. PeopleⒶemendation lived in them,Ⓐhistorical collation yet, but it was dangersomeⒶemendation, because sometimes a stripⒶalteration in the MS of land as wide as a house caves in at a time.Ⓐemendation Sometimes a beltⒶalteration in the MS of land a quarter of a mile deep will start in and cave along and cave along till it all cavesⒶemendation into the river in one summer.Ⓐhistorical collation Such a town as that has to be always moving back, and back, and back, becauseⒶemendation the river’s always gnawing at itⒺexplanatory note.
The nearer it got to noon,Ⓐhistorical collation that day, the thicker and thicker was [begin page 184] the wagons and horses in the streets, and more coming,Ⓐhistorical collation all the time. Families fetched their dinners with them,Ⓐhistorical collation from the country, and eat them in the wagons. ThereⒶemendation was considerable whisky drinkingⒶhistorical collation going on, and I seenⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation three fights. By and by somebody sings out,—
“Here comes old Boggs!—in from the country for his little old monthly drunk—here he comes, boys!”
All the loafers looked glad—I reckoned they was used to having fun out of Boggs. One of them says—
“Wonder who he’s a gwyne to chaw up this time. If he’d a chawed up all the men he’s ben a gwyneⒶemendation to chaw up in the last twenty year, he’d have considerbleⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS ruputationⒶalteration in the MS, now.”
Another oneⒶemendation says, “I wisht old Boggs ’d threaten me—Ⓐhistorical collation ’cuzⒶalteration in the MS then I’d knowⒶemendation I warn’t gwyne to die for a thousan’ year.”
BoggsⒶalteration in the MS comesⒶemendation a-tearing along on his horse, whooping and yelling like an Injun, and singing out—
“ClerⒶemendation the track, thar.Ⓐemendation I’m on the wawⒶalteration in the MS pathⒶhistorical collation, and the price uvⒶemendation coffins is a gwyne to raise.Ⓐemendation”
He was drunk, and weaving about in his saddle; he was over fifty yearⒶemendation old, and had a very red face. Everybody yelled at him, and laughed at him, and sassed him, and he sassed back, and said he’dⒶemendation attend to them and lay them out in their regular turns, but he couldn’t wait,Ⓐhistorical collation now, because he’d come to town to kill old Colonel Sherburn, and hisⒶalteration in the MS motto was, “meat first, and spoon-vittlesⒶemendation to top off on.”
He seeⒶemendation me, and rode up and says—
“Whar’d you come f’mⒶemendation, boy? YouⒶalteration in the MS prepared to die?”
Then he rode on. IⒶemendation was scaredⒶemendation; but a man says—
“HeⒶemendation don’t mean nothing; he’s always a carryin’Ⓐemendation on like that, when he’s drunk.Ⓐalteration in the MS He’s the best-naturedest old fool in Arkansaw—never hurt nobodyⒶemendation, drunk norⒶemendation sober.”
Boggs rode up before the biggest store in town and bent his head down so he could see under the curtain of the awning, and yells—
“Come out here, Sherburn!—comeⒶhistorical collation out and meet the man you’ve swindled. You’re the houn’Ⓐalteration in the MS I’m after, and I’m a gwyne to haveⒶemendation you, too!”
And so he went on, calling Sherburn everything he could lay his tongue to, and the whole street packed with people listening and [begin page 185] laughing and going onⒶemendation. By and byⒶhistorical collation a proud lookingⒶhistorical collation man aboutⒶemendation fifty-five,Ⓐhistorical collation—and he was a heap the best dressed man in that town, too—steps out of the store, and the crowd drops back on each side to let him come. He says to Boggs, mighty ca’mⒶemendation and slow—he says:Ⓐemendation
“I’mⒶemendation tired of this; but I’llⒶemendation endure it tillⒶemendation one o’clock. Till one o’clock, mind—no longer. If you open your mouth against me only once, after that time, you can’tⒶemendation travel so far but I will find you.”
Then he turns and goes in. The crowd looked mighty sober; nobody stirred, and there warn’t noⒶemendation more laughing. Boggs rode off blackguarding Sherburn as loud as he could yell, all down the street;Ⓐalteration in the MS and pretty soonⒶemendation back he comes and stops before the store, still keeping it up. Some men crowded around him and tried to get him to shutⒶalteration in the MS up, but he wouldn’t; they told himⒶalteration in the MS it would be one o’clock in about fifteen minutes, and soⒶemendation he must go home—he must go right away. But it didn’t do noⒶemendation good. He cussed away, with all his might, and throwedⒶemendation his hat down in the mud and rode over it,Ⓐalteration in the MS and pretty soon away he went a-raging down the street againⒶhistorical collation with his gray hair a flyingⒶhistorical collation.Ⓐalteration in the MS Everybody that could get a chance at him tried their bestⒶemendation to coax him off ofⒶemendation his horse soⒶalteration in the MS they could lock him up and get him sober; but it warn’t noⒶemendation use—up the street he would tear again, and give Sherburn another cussing. By and by,Ⓐhistorical collation somebody says—
“Go for his daughter!—quick, go for his daughter; sometimes he’ll listen to her. If anybody can persuade him, she can.”
[begin page 186] So somebody started on a run. I walked down street a waysⒶalteration in the MS, and stopped. In about five or tenⒶalteration in the MS minutes, here comes Boggs again—but not on his horse. He was a-reeling across the street towards me, bareheaded,Ⓐalteration in the MS withⒶalteration in the MS a friend on both sidesⒶemendation of him a-holtⒶhistorical collation of his arms and hurrying him along. He was quiet, and looked uneasyⒶalteration in the MS; and he warn’tⒶemendation hanging back,Ⓐhistorical collation any, but was doing some of the hurrying,Ⓐhistorical collation himself. Somebody singsⒶemendation out—Ⓐhistorical collation
“Boggs!”
I looked over there to see who saidⒶemendation it, and it was that Colonel Sherburn. He was standing perfectly still, in the street, and had a pistol raised,Ⓐhistorical collation in his right hand,Ⓐhistorical collation—not aiming it, but holding it out with the barrel tilted up towards the sky. The same second,Ⓐhistorical collation I seeⒶemendation a young girl coming on the run, and two men with her. Boggs and the men turned roundⒶemendation, to see who called him, and when they seeⒶemendation the pistol the men jumped toⒶalteration in the MS one side, and the pistol barrel come down slow and steady to a level—bothⒶhistorical collation barrels cocked.Ⓐemendation BoggsⒶalteration in the MS throws up both ofⒶemendation his handsⒶhistorical collation and says, “O Lord, don’t shoot!” Bang!Ⓐemendation goes the first shotⒺexplanatory note, and he staggers back,Ⓐhistorical collation clawing at the air—bang!Ⓐemendation goes the second oneⒶemendation, and he tumbles backwards ontoⒶemendation the ground, heavy and solid, with his arms spread out. That young girl screamed out, and comes rushing, and down she throws herself on her father, crying, and saying, “OⒶhistorical collation, he’s killed him, he’s killed him!” The crowd closed up around them, and shouldered and jammed one another, with their necks stretched, trying to see, and people on the inside trying toⒶalteration in the MS shoveⒶalteration in the MS them back, and shouting, “Back, back! give him air, give him air!”
Colonel Sherburn he tossed his pistol onto the groundⒶhistorical collation and turned around on his heelⒶhistorical collation and walked off.
They took Boggs to a little drug store—Ⓐhistorical collation theⒶalteration in the MS crowd pressing around, just the same, and the whole town following, and I rushed and got a good place at the window, where I was close to him and could see in. They laid him on the floor, and put one large Bible under his head, and opened another one and spread it on his breast—but they tore open his shirt,Ⓐhistorical collation first, and I seenⒶemendation where one of the bullets went in. He made about a dozen long gasps, his breast lifting the Bible up when he drawed in his breath, and letting it down again when he breathed it out—and after that he laid still; he was dead. Then they pulled his daughter away from him, screamingⒶalteration in the MS and [begin page 187] crying, and took her off. She was about sixteen, and very sweet and gentle-lookingⒶemendation, but awful pale and scared.
Well, pretty soon the whole town was there, squirming and scrouging and pushing and shoving to get at the window and have a look, but people that had the places wouldn’t give them up, and folks behind themⒶemendation was saying all the time, “Say, now, you’ve looked enough, you fellows; ’tain’tⒶemendation right,Ⓐhistorical collation and ’tain’t fairⒶemendation, for you to stay thar all the time, and neverⒶalteration in the MS give nobodyⒶemendation a chance; other folks has their rights,Ⓐhistorical collation as well as you.”
There was considerable jawing back, so I slid out, thinking maybe there was going to be trouble. The streets was full, and everybody was excitedⒶemendation. Everybody that seen the shooting was telling how it happened, and there was a big crowd packed around each oneⒶemendation of these fellows, stretching their necks and listening. One long lanky manⒶhistorical collation with long hair and a big white fur stove-pipeⒶemendation hat on the back of his headⒶhistorical collation and a crooked-handled cane, marked out the places on the [begin page 188] ground where Boggs stood, and where Sherburn stood—Ⓐhistorical collation and theⒶemendation people following him around from one place to t’other and watching everything he done, and bobbing their heads to show they understood, and stoopingⒶhistorical collation a little and resting their hands on their thighs to watch him mark the places on the ground with his cane; and then he stood upⒶalteration in the MS straight and stiff where SherburnⒶemendation had stood, frowning,Ⓐhistorical collation and having his hat brimⒶhistorical collation down over his eyes, and sung out, “Boggs!” and then fetched his cane down slow,Ⓐhistorical collation to a level, and says “Bang!”Ⓐalteration in the MS staggered backwards, says “Bang!” again, and fell down flat onⒶemendation his back. The people that had seen the thingⒶemendation said he done it perfectⒺexplanatory note; said it was just exactly the way it all happened. Then as much as a dozen people got out their bottles and treated him.
Well, by and byⒶemendation somebody said SherburnⒶemendation ought to be lynched. In about a minute everybody was saying it; so away they went, mad and yelling, and snatching down every clothes lineⒶhistorical collation they come to, to do the hanging with.Ⓐemendation Ⓔexplanatory note
pretty well down the State of Arkansaw . . . little one-horse town in a big bend] Mark Twain originally located this town, later called “Bricksville” (241.20), “in Council Bend” (MS1, 622), which was about 288 miles below Cairo, on the Arkansas side of the river (Bragg, 80, 86–87; James, 3–4). Eventually, probably on the typescript, he substituted “in a big bend” for “in Council Bend.” (Council Bend may have seemed too far north to be consistent with the raft’s progress, or perhaps Mark Twain again wanted to avoid using real names for places on the river.) He may have modeled Bricksville on Napoleon, Arkansas, 405 miles below Cairo at the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers, a busy commercial center with as many as a thousand inhabitants during the 1840s and 1850s (Bragg, 115). The principal evidence for this identification is Mark Twain’s working note: “The Burning Shame boys give bill of sale of Jim. at Napoleon, Ark.” (Mark Twain’s Working Notes, [begin page 435] working note 2-2, p. 475). Although he planned to locate the “Burning Shame” (the “Royal Nonesuch” of chapters 22 and 23) in Napoleon, he did not ultimately follow his plan to have the king and the duke sell Jim in the same place. In any event, Mark Twain seems to have borrowed some of Napoleon’s features for Bricksville: another working note, “an overflowed Arkansas town,” describes both. Although Napoleon was still extant when he was a river pilot, he undoubtedly knew that by the early 1870s it had been all but destroyed by the river (Mark Twain’s Working Notes, working note 2-7, p. 479; see the note to 183.37–38). His friend Ralph Keeler included an illustration of Napoleon in an article about the Mississippi, one of a series he wrote for Every Saturday in 1871: “You have a faithful representation of what is left of Napoleon, Arkansas. It used to have the reputation of being the wickedest town on the Mississippi; but the streets once vocal with the ‘sharp note of the pistol and the pleasing squeak of the victim’ have all caved into the river” (Keeler, 284). (The same illustration of Napoleon was appropriated for chapter 32 of Life on the Mississippi.) Mark Twain also remembered Napoleon’s reputation for lawlessness, describing it in chapter 32 of Life on the Mississippi as a “good big self-complacent town twenty years ago. . . . town of innumerable fights—an inquest every day” (SLC 1883a, 363; L4 , 485 n. 3; Thorpe 1855, 37; Blair 1960a, 305–6; Howell 1970, 199–202).