The War Prayer is a powerful piece of writing not generally mentioned in lists of works by Mark Twain. It was written in 1904, after the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War. It is one reflection of Twain's well known distain for American Imperialism. The piece was not published until after Twain's death due to pressure from both his publisher and family. It is said that when requested to publish it he said: "No, I have told the whole truth in that, and only dead men can tell the truth in this world. It can be published after I am dead."

Mark enters into the Rocky Mountains on their way to Salt Lake City. His descriptions of the scenery are enough to recommend this chapter.

The Division Superintendent becomes too much for the general population. He is arrested, tried and executed. Mark speculates on the nature of courage in light of the manner of Slade's execution. His pleading for mercy appears as a contradiction to previously displayed courage.

We are introduced to a rather notorious Division Agent, Slade. His adventures related here were perhaps too violent for some of the attending audience at this reading. Several vanished before it was through.

Mark now finds himself in Indian Country and becomes very apprehensive. However, the only violence he personally encounters is between station personnel and a stagecoach driver.

Mark has a brief encounter with a Pony Express rider. He discovers alkali water which somehow elevates him above the folks back home, experiencing the unusual. This he equates with site seers in the Alps venturing onto heights where they should not be.

Mark's traveling companion, Bemis, has an amazing escape from a buffalo. Believe it or not.

We hear of how the stagecoach business is run, its hierarchy of personnel and how discipline is maintained. We are also treated to an anecdote from Mark's journey in the Holy Land.

This chapter is remarkable to me as it is the first display of Mark's bigotry against Native Americans. One often hears charges of racism and the use of a particular offensive word when thinking of Mark Twain but little is ever said of his disdain for Indians.