Back in high school, around 1974, I did a term paper
about the pessimism of Mark Twain as shown by "The
Mysterious Stranger" and "The Man That Corrupted
Hadleyburg".  I do still have the paper somewhere. Even
got an A.  <grin>    I think I looked at biographical
factors which influenced him.  "Work for the surcease of
sorrow" is one phrase I recall.

Sharon Hes