Lovely exchanges about Puddin'head Wilson characters.

I'm asking for references or anecdotes on the:
!!!!!!!!!!!!
 1  !!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!      deep personal meaning of the comets in Sam
Clemen's life.... or was it a lucky
coincidence where he capitalized on
timing for purely serendipitous purposes?
How much did brooding on the facts of space
actually figure in his thinking.
For example, in Captain Stormfield's heaven setting, the
numbers given as to acreage for Earth residents in heaven
are too vast.
Was he just blowing smoke to entertain, or did he have
a temporarily suspended sense of proportion?

Do some of his writings show a good understanding of the
actual astronomy known in his time?   Which ones?

!!!!!!!!!!!!
   2  !!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!       What analysis has been done on the actual
amounts, doseage and quality of the booze and tobacco Twain used?

It's clear he was able to function very well on some levels and we
are richer for it.

Mike