a city eleciton in Austin, Ruel C. Gridley, merchant, Democrat, and and old schoolmate of Twain’s bet on the outcome with Dr. Harrick, County Assessor and Republican: the loser to carry a fifty-pound sack of flour from Austin to Clifton, a mile and a quarter distant… MTIVC pg 186 – 195
At the end of the revelry, the sack was to be auctioned off for the benefit of the Sanitary Fund. The Sanitary fair went on for 2 days and raised $5,335 for the fund