[sheensleeves]

He started his essay w/ the example of a gay person.

If you want to be outside of the herd in thought, it would aid you to be something alien to the majority.

edit: you're right.

[dharbin]

I'm pretty sure, in 1901, gay meant:

keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits <a bird's gay spring song>

[bherms]

In that time, gay did not mean homosexual, but happy. Twain was saying he was happy and impudent and satirical and delightful, characteristics you wouldn't necessarily expect a slave to have.