Description:

Mark Twain sends his brother Orion Clemens $82 which included $25 for "pew rent" - Twain later commented "I told him to change his religion and sell the pew."

SAMUEL L. CLEMENS (1835-1910) Partly Printed Check Signed "Saml. L. Clemens," 7.75" x 2.75". Hartford, Ct., July 26, 1875. Check No. 180. Filled out by Clemens, drawn on the First National Bank of Hartford for $82, payable to his brother Orion, endorsed on verso, "Orion Clemens." Other ink and bank stamped endorsements on verso. Fine condition.

On July 26, 1875, enclosing this check, Samuel L. Clemens wrote a letter to his brother Orion Clemens (1825-1897) at his chicken ranch in Keokuk, Iowa. From the University of California, Mark Twain Papers, The Bancroft Library, Berkeley, in full, "Dear Bro – All right. I enclose the $82. I am getting close run for money, as my income does not begin again until the middle of August [Orion's letter requesting a loan has not been found. Clemens expected his income from the "Gilded Age" play to resume at the start of the new season, in mid-August.] One item in your account strikes me curiously – ‘pew rent.' You might as well borrow money to sport diamonds with. I am willing to lend you money to procure the needs of life, but not to procure to so useless a luxury as a church pew. It would much better become a man to remain away from church than borrow money to hire a pew with. The principle of this thing is what I am complaining of – not the amount of money. All hands well. We are expecting to leave for Newport on Saturday. My love to Mollie & thank her for her interesting letter, which I purpose answering soon. Yr Bro Sam."

On pages 323-324 of Volume 2 of "Mark Twain's Autobiography," edited by Albert Bigelow Paine, published after Clemens' death as he had stipulated, Mark Twain refers to his brother's request for $82: "As I say, he always sent a detailed statement of the month's profit and loss on the chickens – at least the month's loss on the chickens – and this detailed statement included the various items of expense – corn for the chickens, a bonnet for the wife, boots for himself, and so on; even car fares, and the weekly contribution of ten cents to help out the missionaries who were trying to damn the Chinese after a plan not satisfactory to those people. But at last when among those details I found twenty-five dollars for pew rent I struck. I told him to change his religion and sell the pew."

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