Mike and others,
Thanks for your responses to my question about Brock's book.  By the
way, I think it would be kind of wacky to ignore the fact that Twain
and other authors of the day trafficked in stereotypes.  In fact, we
all still do traffic in stereotypes, only some of which we are even
half aware of.  Pap, of course, does not present a pretty picture,
and to the extent Twain was putting him forward as typical of the
Irish, he might be seen as offensive.  On the other hand, I think
Twain often used the inertia of stereotypes to make a point that
ultimately subverted them.  Historical fact: The Irish have been
portrayed as drunks in many works of fiction, mmoveis, etc.  That
doesn't make it right, of course.