February 18th, 1885:(AP Photos)(NAT of "Huck Finn" by Andru Bemis)Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" --- one of the Great American novels --- is first published in the United States.1861: (AP Photos)Months before the Civil War breaks out, Jefferson Davis is sworn in as President of the newly-formed Confederate States of America.1970:(AP Photos)Five of the 'Chicago Seven' defendants are found guilty of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.The convictions are later overturned.2001:(AP Photos)Veteran FBI agent Robert Hanssen is arrested --- accused of spying for Moscow for years.At first, Hanssen pleads innocent, but then changes his plea to guilty --- and he's sentenced to life in prison.Also that same year:(AP Photos)(SOT of NASCAR's president)In Florida, auto racing star Dale Earnhardt, Senior dies from injuries received in a crash at the Daytona 500. He was 49.And, 1954: (AP Photos)(NAT of Travolta)Actor John Travolta --- whose movie roles include "Saturday Night Fever" (pause), "Grease" (pause) and "Pulp Fiction" (pause) --- is born in Englewood, New Jersey.Today in History, February 18th --- ___ ___, The Associated Press.*****SOURCES: b0873 --- Today in History for February 18th --- 02/06/2006 b0285 --- Today in History for May 31st --- 05/22/2006 Britannica: Mark Twain: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9073929/Mark-Twain Jefferson Davis: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9029515/Jefferson-Davis Chicago 7 Chronology: http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Chicago7/chronology.html Encarta: John Travolta: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761582107/Travolta_John.html*****^Today in History