In 1900, Twain’s short story “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg” was printed and proved to be one of his bleakest works. In it, Twain argued that human beings have no choice in what they do, no matter how much they think they are free to choose; rather, decisions are based selfishly on what will best help the individual. Twain’s only darker view of humanity, published posthumously, was the fragmented The Mysterious Stranger, in which he condemned the universe and mocked the pitiful relations to one another and God.
On April 19, 1910, some 75 years after its last appearance, Halley’s comet again reached its perihelion. Two days later, American’s greatest humorist died at sunset at Stormfield, Twain’s home near Redding, Connecticut. Olivia had died almost six years earlier, and Twain — “worn out in body and spirit,” according to one critic — greatly missed his wife’s company.
