of trade and the burden of
increased debt had become a nightmare which interfered with his sleep.
It seemed hard enough to earn a living with a crippled arm, without this
heavy business care.

The second interest requiring attention was that other old one--the
machine. Clemens had left the matter in Paige's hands, and Paige, with
persuasive eloquence, had interested Chicago capital to a point where
a company had been formed to manufacture the type-setter in that city.
Paige reported that he had got several million dollars subscribed for
the construction of a factory, and that he had been placed on a salary
as a sort of general "consulting omniscient" at five thousand dollars a
month. Clemens, who had been negotiating again with the Mallorys for the
disposal of his machine royalties, thought it proper to find out just
what was going on. He remained in America less than two weeks, during
which he made a flying trip to Chicago and found that Paige's company
really had a factory started, and proposed to manufacture fifty
machines. It was not easy to find out the exact status of this new
company, but Clemens at least was hopeful enough of its prospects
to call off the negotiations with the Mallorys which had promised
considerable cash in hand. He had been able to accomplish nothing
material in the publishing situation, but his heart-to-heart talk
with Hall for some reason had seemed comforting. The business had been
expanding; they would now "concentrate." He returned on the Lahn, and he
must have been in better health and spirits, for it is said he kept the
ship very merry during the passage. He told many extravagantly amusing
yarns; so many that a court was convened to try him on the charge of
"inordinate and unscientific lying." Many witnesses testified, and his
own testimony was so unconvincing that the jury convicted him without
leaving the bench. He was sentenced to read aloud from his own works for
a considerable period every day until the steamer should reach port.
It is said that he faithfully carried out this part of the program, and
that the proceeds from the trial and the various readings amounted to
something more than six hundred dollars, which was turned over to the
Seamen's Fund.

Clemens's arm was really much better, and he put in a good deal of spare
time during the trip writing an article on "All Sorts and Conditions of
Ships," from Noah's Ark down to the fine new Havel, then the latest word
in ship-cons