I started re-reading Tom Sawyer (in Spanish) last night; I noticed something for the first time: the way the new kid in town, the citified dandy (the "St. Louis smarty") makes me wonder if Bret Harte was Twain's mental image for this irritating adversary, particularly where he mentions his colorful tie:
This boy was well dressed, too—well dressed on a week-day. This was simply astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on—and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom’s vitals.

Was this boy conjured up by a mental image of Bret Harteless? - B. Clay Shannon