Later years

Disappointments. In the 1880's, Mark Twain established and operated his own publishing firm. He also became interested in various investments, especially an elaborate typesetting machine. He lost almost $200,000 in investments in the machine between 1881 and 1894. Also, his publishing company declared bankruptcy in April 1894. Thus, in January 1895, Twain found himself pub­licly humiliated by his inability to pay his debts.

Twain eventually recovered from his financial difficulties, through his continued writing and a successful lecture tour in 1895 and 1896. During this much-publicized tour, Twain lectured in such places as India, South Africa, and Australia. By the time he re­turned, he had become an international hero. Twain enjoyed this attention, and his habits of smoking cigars or a pipe and wearing unconventional white suits contributed to his showy image. He also made use of his position as a public figure to cynically criticize U.S. foreign policy.

Although lie was recovering from his financial problems by 1898, Twain had begun to experience tragedy in his personal life. Susy, his oldest daughter, died of meningitis in 1896, while her parents and sister Clara were abroad. In 1903, Twain sold the beloved house in Hartford, which had become loo closely associated with Susy's death. His wife, Olivia, who had developed a heart condition, died on June 5,1904. His youngest daughter, Jean, died on Dec. 24, 1909.

Later works. Despite his business and personal difficulties, Twain managed to continue writing. His works during his final years included «The American Claimant» (1892), about an im­practical character named Colonel Mulberry Sellers. The novel was based on an unsuccessful play he wrote with author-critic William Dean Howells in 1883. «The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson» (1894) is a detective novel set in the village of Dawson's Landing, another name for Hannibal. In this story, Twain focused on racial prejudice as the most critical issue facing American so­ciety. He drew on actual historical sources in «Personal Recollec­tions of Joan of Arc» (1896). In «Following the Equator» (1897), Twain recounted his experiences on his overseas lecture tour of 1895 and 1896. In his story «The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg» (1899), he described a practical joke that exposed the greed of the smug leaders of a town.

As Twain's career progressed, he seemed to become increas­ingly removed from the humorous, cocky image of his younger days. More and more of his works came to express the gloomy view that all human motives are ultimately selfish. These works also reflect Twain's lifelong doubts about religion and his belief that all human acts are predetermined and free will is an illusion.

Twain died of heart disease on April 21, 1910. He left behind numerous unpublished manuscripts, including his large but incom­plete autobiography. One pessimistic but fascinating talc, «The Mys­terious Stranger», was published in 1916, after Twain's death. This story, which exists in tiirec versions, describes a visit by Satan to an Austrian village during the Middle Ages.