As Barbara suspected, there are many mentions of the “Hamburg Canal” being a “nuisance” in the Buffalo papers throughout 1870. It is, in fact, often referred to as the “Hamburg Canal nuisance.” And, to neatly tie that knot, who was tasked with addressing this nuisance? The Common Council, colloquially known as the Aldermen. I have not found an instance of Twain weighing in on this scandal, but I haven’t had much time to look.

Regarding the “an humble.” First of all, Twain does use the British construction in a letter to Livy from 1868. But, as Bob notes, this could easily reflect the preferences of editor, typesetter, or house style. A quick search of the Express from 1870 yields more “an humble” than “a humble,” though both do appear.

I have, as yet, no idea whether Leonora and Augustus are part of an allusion or merely literary-sounding bourgeois names to apply to the archetypal affluent couple whose walk is interrupted by the stampede. 

- MS

> On Feb 13, 2019, at 11:39 AM, Barbara Schmidt <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> Matt,
> 
> My impression is that the author of the piece was referring to a Texas
> longhorn -- with the mention of "both horns".
> 
> A couple of other items also sparked my curiosity:
> 
> 1) The mention of Augustus and Leonora.  What book is this story from?
> Would it have been a book Mark Twain had read or was known to have accessed?
> 
> 2) The mention of the "Hamburg Canal".  Any other items in the news during
> this time frame about it being a "nuisance" ?
> 
> Barb