The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.
— Mark Twain
Great writer, old Sam Clemmons. His granddaughter was one of my teachers in grade school, and her kids were classmates and friends. Nice people.
Metaphor 
I don't remember The Mysterious Stranger, though I read a long of Twain in college. But speaking of dark, there's his War Prayer. I'll send you this most famous part by e-mail, Cindy.
I feel like I grew up in the shadow of ol' Sam – he's buried in my hometown of Elmira, NY, and his study is on the campus of the local college. Have you ever read any of his later work? After outliving his entire family, his writing took a dark turn that you'd never expect. Read The Mysterious Stranger (chills).
How cool is that? Not everyone can say Samuel Clemmon's grand-daughter was their teacher. There's something there to write about, I'm sure of it.