The Letters Of Mark Twain, Complete


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always did hate for anyone to know what my plans or hopes or prospects  
were--for, if I kept people in ignorance in these matters, no one could  
be disappointed but myself, if they were not realized. You know I never  
told you that I went on the river under a promise to pay Bixby $500,  
until I had paid the money and cleared my skirts of the possibility  
of having my judgment criticised. I would not say anything about our  
prospects now, if we were nearer home. But I suppose at this distance  
you are more anxious than you would be if you saw us every month-and  
therefore it is hardly fair to keep you in the dark. However, keep these  
matters to yourselves, and then if we fail, we'll keep the laugh in the  
family.  
What we want now is something that will commence paying immediately. We  
have got a chance to get into a claim where they say a tunnel has been  
run 150 feet, and the ledge struck. I got a horse yesterday, and went  
out with the Attorney-General and the claim-owner--and we tried to go to  
the claim by a new route, and got lost in the mountains--sunset overtook  
us before we found the claim--my horse got too lame to carry me, and I  
got down and drove him ahead of me till within four miles of town--then  
we sent Rice on ahead. Bunker, (whose horse was in good condition,)  
undertook, to lead mine, and I followed after him. Darkness shut him out  
from my view in less than a minute, and within the next minute I lost  
the road and got to wandering in the sage brush. I would find the road  
occasionally and then lose it again in a minute or so. I got to Carson  
about nine o'clock, at night, but not by the road I traveled when I left  
it. The General says my horse did very well for awhile, but soon refused  
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58 59 60 61 62

Quick Jump
1 314 629 943 1257