I may mention that hand-shaking as a good-by was not merely the custom of that family, but the custom of the region--the custom of Missouri, I may say.

In all my life, up to that time, I had never seen one member of the Clemens family kiss another one--except once.

When my father lay dying in our home in Hannibal--the 24th of March, 1847--he put his arm around my sister's neck and drew her down and kissed her, saying "Let me die." I remember that, and I remember the death rattle which swiftly followed those words, which were his last.

These good-bys of Henry's were always executed in the family sitting-room on the second floor, and Henry went from that room and down-stairs without further ceremony.

But this time my mother went with him to the head of the stairs and said good-by _again_.