Page:In defense of Harriet Shelley, and other essays.djvu/414

 MARK TWAIN

man of keen and unerring literary instinct, and he offered the writer the position of local editor on his staff. With the duties of this place were combined those of legislative correspondent at Carson City, the capitaL The work of young Clemens created a sen sation among the lawmakers. He wrote a weekly letter, spined with barbed personalities. It ap peared every Sunday, and on Mondays the legis lative business was obstructed with the complaints of members who rose to questions of privilege, and expressed their opinion of the correspondent with acerbity. This encouraged him to give his letters more individuality by signing them. For this pur pose he adopted the old Mississippi leadsman s call for two fathoms (twelve feet) &quot;Mark Twain.&quot;

At that particular period dueling was a passing fashion on the Comstock. The refinements of Parisian civilization had not penetrated there, and a Washoe-duel seldom left more than one survivor. The weapons were always Colt s navy revolvers distance, fifteen paces; fire and advance; six shots allowed. Mark Twain became involved in a quarrel with Mr. Laird, the editor of the Virginia Union, and the situation seemed to call for a duel. Neither combatant was an expert with the pistol, but Mark Twain was fortunate enough to have a second who was. The men were practising in adjacent gorges, Mr. Laird doing fairly well, and his opponent hitting everything but the mark. A small bird lit on a sage- bush thirty yards away, and Mark Twain s second fired and knocked off its head. At that moment the enemy came over the ridge, saw the dead bird,

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