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Interesting Facts About Mark Twain

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Mark Twain Quotes and Curiosities

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Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain, provided us with endless entertainment through numerous novels, nonfiction books, short stories, and essays鈥攁ll despite having ended formal schooling after the fifth grade. Here are 10 curious facts about his life. 

10 Curious Facts About Mark Twain

When Was Mark Twain Born?

Baby Clemens arrived prematurely in a two-room shack in Florida, Missouri, on November 30th, 1835. He was a frail infant and sickly child, prompting his mother to admit, 鈥淲hen I first saw him, I could see no promise in him.鈥

Mark Twain鈥檚 Many Cats

The Clemens family had 19 cats at one time during Twain鈥檚 childhood. Over the years he gave his cats inventive names such as Bambino, Famine, Pestilence, Satan, Sin, Sour Mash, and Stray Kit.

What Is Mark Twain鈥檚 Real Name?

Sam Clemens tried out several pseudonyms, including Rambler, W. Epaminondas Adrastus Blab, and Josh, before settling on Mark Twain (meaning 鈥渢he second mark鈥濃攁 phrase used by Mississippi River steamboat crews to measure water depth, specifically the depth of 2 fathoms).

mark twain

Mark Twain鈥檚 Typewriter

In 1874, the author spotted one of the first typewriters, a Remington, in a Boston store window. Although it could only type capital letters and he had to operate the carriage return with a foot pedal, he bought it for $125. Twain also claimed to be the first person in New England to have had a telephone for private use.

How Tall Was Mark Twain?

This literary giant stood 5 feet 8 1/2 inches tall and was so well known that he once received a letter addressed 鈥淢ark Twain, God Knows Where.鈥

Mark Twain in New Hampshire

In 1905, he spent the first of two summers in Dublin, New Hampshire (home of The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人). There, he wrote (but never finished) a book called Three Thousand Years Among the Microbes. To keep him company, he from a local farm. While lecturing at the Dublin Lake Club, he noticed that an audience member was knitting a pair of socks while he spoke. Infuriated, Twain declared that he had never played second fiddle to a sock and left the room. The following year, he returned to the Lake Club and spoke for over 2 hours on various topics. He received a standing ovation.

mark twain sitting in a chair

Mark Twain鈥檚 Clothing

Twain made headlines in 1907 by walking from his London hotel to a public bath across the street, attired in his blue bathrobe and slippers. Back in America, he often wore scarlet socks and all-white suits, which he called his 鈥渄on鈥檛careadam suits.鈥

Mark Twain鈥檚 Leisurely Habits

Twain loved to write in bed, and reporters chatted with him there more than once. He said, 鈥淚 have never taken any exercise, except for eating and resting, and I never intend to take any.鈥

Mark Twain鈥檚 Memory

He once observed: 鈥淲hen I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now and soon I shall be so that I can not remember any but the things that never happened. It is sad to go to pieces like this, but we all have to do it.鈥

When Did Mark Twain Die?

He was born and died when a comet passed, once noting: 鈥淚 came in with Halley鈥檚 Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year [1910], and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don鈥檛.鈥 He got his wish. He died on April 21, 1910, just two days after Halley鈥檚 Comet had reached its point closest to the Sun. 

10 Quotes by Mark Twain

Which of these many humorous quotes is your favorite?

鈥淧rovidence protects children and idiots. I know because I have tested it.鈥

鈥淎lways do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.鈥

鈥淚 think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans.鈥

鈥淐auliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.鈥

鈥淐limate is what we expect, weather is what we get.鈥

鈥淚t used to be a good hotel, but that proves nothing. I used to be a good boy, for that matter.鈥

鈥淣ever put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.鈥

鈥淐lothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.鈥

鈥淢an is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.鈥

鈥淗umor is mankind鈥檚 greatest blessing.鈥

Find out about more important people from U.S. history, such as Benjamin Franklin and Robert B. Thomas, or check out Yankee Magazine鈥檚 photo tour of the in Hartford, Connecticut!

Are you a fan of Mark Twain? Let us know in the comments!

About The Author

Heidi Stonehill

Heidi Stonehill is the executive editor for The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人, where she focuses much of her time on managing content development for the 蜜桃恋人鈥檚 line of calendars. Read More from Heidi Stonehill
 

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