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In late 1850's young Mark Twain and his brother Henry worked together on the river boats cruising the Mississippi. One night while staying at his sister's, Twain had an alarming dream. He saw his brother's corpse lying in a metal coffin in his sister's sitting room. The coffin sat on two chairs. There was a bouquet with a single crimson flower at its center placed on his chest.
When Twain awoke, he was sure his brother had died. As he dressed the thought of visiting the corpse, overwhelmed him. He decided to take a walk. He left the house and had gone half of a block, before he realized he had been dreaming. He went home and told his sister about the dream.
A few weeks later Twain and his brother took separate boats from New Orleans to St. Louis. Henry was on the Pennsylvania. The boilers on board the ship exploded not far from Memphis. Henry was badly injured. He died a few days later in Memphis.
Most victims of the accident were buried in wooden coffins. A number of Memphis women felt sorry for Henry and raised the money for a metal coffin.
When Twain came to pay his grievances. He found the body just as it had been in the dream. The bouquet was not there. As Twain stood beside the body a woman entered and placed a bouquet of white flowers on Henry's chest. In the center of the bouquet was a red rose.
