On an expedition to Jerusalem, Mark Twain made the acquaintance of Charles J. Langdon, a young New Yorker and a great admirer of Twain's writing. When, following an animated conversation, Langdon showed the author a miniature portrait of his sister Olivia, Twain -- captivated by her celestial beauty -- resolved to meet her. Maneuvering an invitation to visit the Langdon home for a week, he spent countless hours -- and fell thoroughly in love -- with the object of his desire...

"Charley, my week is up," Twain said at the end of his visit, "and I must go." "We'll have to stand it, I guess," Langdon replied graciously, "but you mustn't leave before tonight." "I ought to go by the first train," Clemens countered. "I am in love." "In what?" "In love -- with your sister, and I ought to get away from here."

Langdon was genuinely alarmed: no one was good enough for his sister, the family's darling. "Look here, Clemens," he said, "there's a train in half an hour. I'll help you catch it. Don't wait 'til tonight. Go now." And so they did...

On their way to the station, the seat of their wagon, improperly secured, ejected them into the street. Although neither was seriously injured, Clemens was brought back to the Langdon home, where -- taking care to recover at a leisurely pace -- he remained for another two weeks. Livy, as the family called her, soon became his wife.