Mark Twain was asked, one day if he could remember the first money he earned. He thought a long time before answering and then said,“Yes, it was at school. There was a rule in our school that anybody who damaged his desk with a pencil or a knife would be beaten in front of the whole school or would have to pay five dollars. One day I damaged my desk in some way. I had to tell my father I had broken the rule, and had to pay five dollars, or be beaten before the whole school. He agreed to pay. But before giving me the money he took me upstairs and gave me a beating. Now as I had had one beating got used to it, I decided I would take another besting at school and keep the five dollars. So that was what I did. That was the first money I ever earned.