I'm new to the list, and also fairly new to Twain scholarship, as a PhD student in American lit. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any source(s) Twain may have had for the episode in _Huck Finn_ where Jim tells of how he discovered his daughter's deafness. I'm thinking mainly in terms of folklore or maybe something historical--and of course it's highly possible that there is no identifiable "source" at all. The episode is interesting to me as one of the few times we hear Jim say much about himself and/or his family, without identifying himself (or his family) in relation to Huck or other white people. Comments, questions, suggestions, answers--all are welcome! J.P. Steed English Department, UNLV 4505 Maryland Pkwy, Box 455011 Las Vegas, NV 89154-5011 (702)895-0908 email: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com