n consented,
realizing that while Clemens knew nothing of parliamentary
procedure, he would at least make the letters picturesque.

It was in the midst of this work that he adopted the name
which he was to make famous throughout the world. The story
of its adoption has been fully told elsewhere and need not
be repeated here.--[See Mark Twain: A Biography, by the same
author; Chapter XL.]

"Mark Twain" was first signed to a Carson letter, February
2, 1863, and from that time was attached to all of Samuel
Clemens's work. The letters had already been widely copied,
and the name now which gave them personality quickly
obtained vogue. It was attached to himself as well as to
the letters; heretofore he had been called Sam or Clemens,
now he became almost universally Mark Twain and Mark.

This early period of Mark Twain's journalism is full of
delicious history, but we are permitted here to retell only
such of it as will supply connection to the infrequent
letters. He wrote home briefly in February, but the letter
contained nothing worth preserving. Then two months later
he gives us at least a hint of his employment.

To Mrs. Jane Clemens and Mrs. Moffett, in St. Louis:

VIRGINIA, April 11, 1863.

MY DEAR MOTHER AND SISTER,--It is very late at night, and I am writing
in my room, which is not quite as large or as nice as the one I had
at home. My board, washing and lodging cost me seventy-five dollars a
month.

I have just received your letter, Ma, from Carson--the one in which you
doubt my veracity about the statements I made in a letter to you. That's
right. I don't recollect what the statements were, but I suppose they
were mining statistics. I have just finished writing up my report for
the morning paper, and giving the Unreliable a column of advice about
how to conduct himself in church, and now I will tell you a few more
lies, while my hand is in. For instance, some of the boys made me a
present of fifty feet in the East India G. and S. M. Company ten days
ago. I was offered ninety-five dollars a foot for it, yesterday, in
gold. I refused it--not because I think the claim is worth a cent for I
don't but because I had a curiosity to see how high it would go, before
people find out how worthless it is. Besides, what if one mining claim
does fool me? I have got ple