Many incidents that took place aboard his ship are re-told by Twain. One has to do with a wealthy cattle man who was approached by three gamblers. The cattle farmer had let it be known that he had a great deal of money, and the gamblers were trying to him into a card game. He …
The River-Boat Pilot
The river-boat pilot was a man considered omnipotent by all. Mark Twain once held that high position. He writes that he felt at the zenith of his life at that time. Starting out as a fledgling pilot’s apprentice, he could not abjure dreams of the time he would become, “the only unfettered and entirely independent …
The John J. Roe
Mark Twain’s boat was so slow no other steamer would condescend to race with it. With the utmost candor, Twain comments that his boat moved at such a pathetic pace, they used to forget in what year it was they left port. Nothing would mortify Twin more than the fact that ferry-boats, waiting to cross …
In Days Gone By
The man who best described the now extinct life aboard a steamer on the Mississippi River is mark Twain. Having actually worked aboard the river boats, his writing captures the tranquil or turbulent events of those days. In his book about life on the Mississippi, Twain recalls the idyllic times when man was not in …
What’s On?
One day each week is set aside for college football, and another for the professional brand. Most fan enjoy both varieties. Nothing can put an avid viewer into a pique more quickly than missing an important contest. It is the dilettante who eschews the amateur variety and watches only his home team play; however, enthusiast …
The 23-inch Football Field
The football fan who cannot attend a contest in person may watch any number of games on television. This has the great advantage of permitting an indolent fan to sit in the comfort of his living room and watch two teams play in the most inclement weather. However, some of the spirit, the gusto, is …
Rah! Rah Rah!
The spectators at a football game play more than a superficial role. A spirited cheer from the stands often gives the player on the field a reason to try even harder. Cheer leaders exhort the fans, who may be in a state of apathy because their team is losing, to spur on the team. In …
A Sport for Everyone
Of the many highly popular sports in the United States, football must be rated around the top. This sports allows the speedy and lithe athlete to joint with the slower and obese one in a team effort. The skills and strengths of many men are welded together so that one team may work as a …
Tulip Fever
The tulip reached Holland in 1593 and was, at first, looked upon as a curiosity. There soon developed an irrational demand for new species. Specimens were sold at awesomely high prices. In their avarice, speculators bought and sold the same tulip ten times in one day. The entire Dutch population suffered from the craze. There …
The Mystery of Creativity
In order to create, it is said that a man must be disgruntled. The creativity individual is usually one who is dissatisfied with things as they are; he wants to bring something new into the world – to make it a different place. There is no infallible way to identify a potentially creative person. The …