I recall a number of letters concerning Orion -admonishing him as a “dreamer” directly or indirectly. And one can’t ignore his having to bail Orion out of numerous crazy schemes. Nor can we avoid at least a partial attribution of Colonel Sellers as an Orion avatar. 

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> On Sep 2, 2019, at 1:24 PM, Mac Donnell Rare Books <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> It's also not so difficult to credit that editor with having his tongue in his cheek.
> 
> Kevin
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> ------ Original Message ------
> From: "Clay Shannon" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: 9/2/2019 11:47:43 AM
> Subject: Twain was pulling Orion's leg, right?
> 
>> In a February 6, 1862 letter to his brother Orion, Twain described a visit to a fortune-teller, in which he quotes her as saying many things about his brother (Orion), such as, "..he is too visionary--is always flying off on a new hobby; this will never do--tell him I said so." &c
>> 
>> To me, it's pretty obvious that Twain is pulling Orion's leg, or trying to counsel him, by relating this "conversation."
>> The editor of Twain's letters, though, seems to take Twain's account as "gospel," though, writing:
>> "It is not so difficult to credit Madame Caprell with clairvoyant powers when one has read the letters of Samuel Clemens up to this point."
>> My reaction is, "What!?! Don't you know Twain was a kidder from the cradle and remained one all his life? And that he would not miss an opportunity to tease his brother thus?"
>> What do y'all think?
>> - B. Clay Shannon
>>