Hi folks

The encounter of Huck Finn with Mary Jane Wilks has always
struck me as uncharacteristically romantic. Huck, the original
pragmatic says, e.g., "... I haven't seen her since she went out
that door but I have thought of her a million times.", or when
fleeing from the town is moved to words to the effect: "... in
a flash the house was behind me and was not going to be in front
of me in this world. She was the best girl and had the most sand."

Who was Mary Jane Wilks in Mark Twain's life to appear with such
a spell in the adventures of Huck Finn ?

Lasse