Keokuk, Stevenson, Rogers...
Twain's "Campaign that Failed" doesn't mention his dates in Keokuk,
following that "adventure,"
though "Roughing It" does, as I recall (hard to find either one here in
Poland). But I had the impression he was in and out of Keokuk quickly,
to head west where there was no draft for either Union or Reb army. I
for one never knew about Stevenson in K, and I don't know if his
extensive stay in N. California coincided with any period of Twain's
tarrying there. There's a fine park named for Stevenson, towns for Twain
and Harte, even one for them-both, when the separate names were used up.
My guess is that a local librarian in Keokuk has the answer to whether
they could have crossed paths there, and someone in Sonoma or Marin
county regional libraries (cities of Sonoma or San Rafael) the same for
that locale. Librarians love
doing it. If Mora and Braham, Minnesota or their counties (Kanabec and
Isanti, respectively) have their own efficient websites, I would guess
that Keokuk, further downstream, would have a good one. Phone calls are
too expensive here to play around with browsing overseas websites, but
I'll bet you can find the library of the Keokukers easily from your
place. (Keokuk's county is Lee, as I look at the German-made atlas I
have, not Twain, not Stevenson. Which Lee?)
Richard R, Lodz, Poland
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