Thank you, Bob. You always have the right stuff.
Rick 
In Minnesota

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robert Hirst
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2011 3:19 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: couple little known pieces

Sharon McCoy is correct, "A Difficult Conundrum" was the original title 
of "Flies and Russians," the manuscript for which is in the Mark Twain 
Papers. John Tuckey, Ken Sanderson, Bernard L. Stein, and Fred Anderson 
published it in *Mark Twain's Fables of Man* (UC Press, 1972), pp. 
420-24. The canceled title is reported on pp. 728-29.

"Brief Biography of the Government" is a manuscript in the Berg 
Collection, unpublished except in *Microfilm Edition of Mark Twain's 
Literary Manuscripts Available in the Mark Twain Papers, The Bancroft 
Library, University of California, Berkeley* (2001), roll number 40. The 
manuscript shows that Clemens intended it as a letter to the editor of 
*Harper's Weekly* and that he signed it "Constant Reader." I can make a 
transcription of it and send same to anyone who wants it.

Bob Hirst