Reading Help Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Ch.I-XV
`
` About half-past nine or ten o'clock he came along the deserted street `
` to where the Adored Unknown lived; he paused a moment; no sound fell `
` upon his listening ear; a candle was casting a dull glow upon the `
` curtain of a second-story window. Was the sacred presence there? He `
` climbed the fence, threaded his stealthy way through the plants, till `
` he stood under that window; he looked up at it long, and with emotion; `
` then he laid him down on the ground under it, disposing himself upon `
` his back, with his hands clasped upon his breast and holding his poor `
` wilted flower. And thus he would die--out in the cold world, with no `
` shelter over his homeless head, no friendly hand to wipe the `
` death-damps from his brow, no loving face to bend pityingly over him `
` when the great agony came. And thus SHE would see him when she looked `
` out upon the glad morning, and oh! would she drop one little tear upon `
` his poor, lifeless form, would she heave one little sigh to see a bright `
` young life so rudely blighted, so untimely cut down? `
` `
` The window went up, a maid-servant's discordant voice profaned the `
` holy calm, and a deluge of water drenched the prone martyr's remains! `
` `
` The strangling hero sprang up with a relieving snort. There was a whiz `
` as of a missile in the air, mingled with the murmur of a curse, a sound `
` as of shivering glass followed, and a small, vague form went over the `
` fence and shot away in the gloom. `
` `
` Not long after, as Tom, all undressed for bed, was surveying his `
` drenched garments by the light of a tallow dip, Sid woke up; but if he `
` had any dim idea of making any "references to allusions," he thought `
` better of it and held his peace, for there was danger in Tom's eye. `
` `
` Tom turned in without the added vexation of prayers, and Sid made `
` mental note of the omission. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER IV `
` `
` THE sun rose upon a tranquil world, and beamed down upon the peaceful `
` village like a benediction. Breakfast over, Aunt Polly had family `
` worship: it began with a prayer built from the ground up of solid `
` courses of Scriptural quotations, welded together with a thin mortar of `
` originality; and from the summit of this she delivered a grim chapter `
` of the Mosaic Law, as from Sinai. `
` `
` Then Tom girded up his loins, so to speak, and went to work to "get `
` his verses." Sid had learned his lesson days before. Tom bent all his `
` energies to the memorizing of five verses, and he chose part of the `
` Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter. `
` At the end of half an hour Tom had a vague general idea of his lesson, `
` but no more, for his mind was traversing the whole field of human `
` thought, and his hands were busy with distracting recreations. Mary `
` took his book to hear him recite, and he tried to find his way through `
` the fog: `
` `
` "Blessed are the--a--a--" `
` `
` "Poor"-- `
` `
` "Yes--poor; blessed are the poor--a--a--" `
` `
` "In spirit--" `
` `
` "In spirit; blessed are the poor in spirit, for they--they--" `
` `
` "THEIRS--" `
` `
` "For THEIRS. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom `
` of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they--they--" `
` `
` "Sh--" `
` `
` "For they--a--" `
` `
` "S, H, A--" `
` `
` "For they S, H--Oh, I don't know what it is!" `
` `
` "SHALL!" `
` `
` "Oh, SHALL! for they shall--for they shall--a--a--shall mourn--a--a-- `
` blessed are they that shall--they that--a--they that shall mourn, for `
` they shall--a--shall WHAT? Why don't you tell me, Mary?--what do you `
` want to be so mean for?" `
` `
` "Oh, Tom, you poor thick-headed thing, I'm not teasing you. I wouldn't `
` do that. You must go and learn it again. Don't you be discouraged, Tom, `
` you'll manage it--and if you do, I'll give you something ever so nice. `
` There, now, that's a good boy." `
` `
` "All right! What is it, Mary, tell me what it is." `
` `
` "Never you mind, Tom. You know if I say it's nice, it is nice." `
` `
` "You bet you that's so, Mary. All right, I'll tackle it again." `
` `
` And he did "tackle it again"--and under the double pressure of `
` curiosity and prospective gain he did it with such spirit that he `
` accomplished a shining success. Mary gave him a brand-new "Barlow" `
` knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that `
` swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would `
` not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was `
` inconceivable grandeur in that--though where the Western boys ever got `
` the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its `
` injury is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps. Tom `
` contrived to scarify the cupboard with it, and was arranging to begin `
` on the bureau, when he was called off to dress for Sunday-school. `
` `
` Mary gave him a tin basin of water and a piece of soap, and he went `
` outside the door and set the basin on a little bench there; then he `
` dipped the soap in the water and laid it down; turned up his sleeves; `
` poured out the water on the ground, gently, and then entered the `
` kitchen and began to wipe his face diligently on the towel behind the `
` door. But Mary removed the towel and said: `
` `
` "Now ain't you ashamed, Tom. You mustn't be so bad. Water won't hurt `
` you." `
` `
` Tom was a trifle disconcerted. The basin was refilled, and this time `
` he stood over it a little while, gathering resolution; took in a big `
` breath and began. When he entered the kitchen presently, with both eyes `
` shut and groping for the towel with his hands, an honorable testimony `
` of suds and water was dripping from his face. But when he emerged from `
` the towel, he was not yet satisfactory, for the clean territory stopped `
` short at his chin and his jaws, like a mask; below and beyond this line `
` there was a dark expanse of unirrigated soil that spread downward in `
` front and backward around his neck. Mary took him in hand, and when she `
` was done with him he was a man and a brother, without distinction of `
` color, and his saturated hair was neatly brushed, and its short curls `
` wrought into a dainty and symmetrical general effect. [He privately `
` smoothed out the curls, with labor and difficulty, and plastered his `
` hair close down to his head; for he held curls to be effeminate, and `
` his own filled his life with bitterness.] Then Mary got out a suit of `
` his clothing that had been used only on Sundays during two years--they `
` were simply called his "other clothes"--and so by that we know the `
` size of his wardrobe. The girl "put him to rights" after he had dressed `
` himself; she buttoned his neat roundabout up to his chin, turned his `
` vast shirt collar down over his shoulders, brushed him off and crowned `
` him with his speckled straw hat. He now looked exceedingly improved and `
` uncomfortable. He was fully as uncomfortable as he looked; for there `
` was a restraint about whole clothes and cleanliness that galled him. He `
` hoped that Mary would forget his shoes, but the hope was blighted; she `
` coated them thoroughly with tallow, as was the custom, and brought them `
` out. He lost his temper and said he was always being made to do `
` everything he didn't want to do. But Mary said, persuasively: `
` `
` "Please, Tom--that's a good boy." `
` `
` So he got into the shoes snarling. Mary was soon ready, and the three `
` children set out for Sunday-school--a place that Tom hated with his `
` whole heart; but Sid and Mary were fond of it. `
` `
` Sabbath-school hours were from nine to half-past ten; and then church `
` service. Two of the children always remained for the sermon `
` voluntarily, and the other always remained too--for stronger reasons. `
` The church's high-backed, uncushioned pews would seat about three `
` hundred persons; the edifice was but a small, plain affair, with a sort `
` of pine board tree-box on top of it for a steeple. At the door Tom `
` dropped back a step and accosted a Sunday-dressed comrade: `
` `
` "Say, Billy, got a yaller ticket?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "What'll you take for her?" `
` `
` "What'll you give?" `
` `
` "Piece of lickrish and a fish-hook." `
` `
` "Less see 'em." `
` `
` Tom exhibited. They were satisfactory, and the property changed hands. `
` Then Tom traded a couple of white alleys for three red tickets, and `
` some small trifle or other for a couple of blue ones. He waylaid other `
` boys as they came, and went on buying tickets of various colors ten or `
` fifteen minutes longer. He entered the church, now, with a swarm of `
` clean and noisy boys and girls, proceeded to his seat and started a `
` quarrel with the first boy that came handy. The teacher, a grave, `
` elderly man, interfered; then turned his back a moment and Tom pulled a `
` boy's hair in the next bench, and was absorbed in his book when the boy `
` turned around; stuck a pin in another boy, presently, in order to hear `
` him say "Ouch!" and got a new reprimand from his teacher. Tom's whole `
` class were of a pattern--restless, noisy, and troublesome. When they `
` came to recite their lessons, not one of them knew his verses `
` perfectly, but had to be prompted all along. However, they worried `
` through, and each got his reward--in small blue tickets, each with a `
` passage of Scripture on it; each blue ticket was pay for two verses of `
` the recitation. Ten blue tickets equalled a red one, and could be `
` exchanged for it; ten red tickets equalled a yellow one; for ten yellow `
` tickets the superintendent gave a very plainly bound Bible (worth forty `
` cents in those easy times) to the pupil. How many of my readers would `
` have the industry and application to memorize two thousand verses, even `
` for a Dore Bible? And yet Mary had acquired two Bibles in this way--it `
` was the patient work of two years--and a boy of German parentage had `
` won four or five. He once recited three thousand verses without `
` stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and `
` he was little better than an idiot from that day forth--a grievous `
` misfortune for the school, for on great occasions, before company, the `
` superintendent (as Tom expressed it) had always made this boy come out `
` and "spread himself." Only the older pupils managed to keep their `
` tickets and stick to their tedious work long enough to get a Bible, and `
`
` About half-past nine or ten o'clock he came along the deserted street `
` to where the Adored Unknown lived; he paused a moment; no sound fell `
` upon his listening ear; a candle was casting a dull glow upon the `
` curtain of a second-story window. Was the sacred presence there? He `
` climbed the fence, threaded his stealthy way through the plants, till `
` he stood under that window; he looked up at it long, and with emotion; `
` then he laid him down on the ground under it, disposing himself upon `
` his back, with his hands clasped upon his breast and holding his poor `
` wilted flower. And thus he would die--out in the cold world, with no `
` shelter over his homeless head, no friendly hand to wipe the `
` death-damps from his brow, no loving face to bend pityingly over him `
` when the great agony came. And thus SHE would see him when she looked `
` out upon the glad morning, and oh! would she drop one little tear upon `
` his poor, lifeless form, would she heave one little sigh to see a bright `
` young life so rudely blighted, so untimely cut down? `
` `
` The window went up, a maid-servant's discordant voice profaned the `
` holy calm, and a deluge of water drenched the prone martyr's remains! `
` `
` The strangling hero sprang up with a relieving snort. There was a whiz `
` as of a missile in the air, mingled with the murmur of a curse, a sound `
` as of shivering glass followed, and a small, vague form went over the `
` fence and shot away in the gloom. `
` `
` Not long after, as Tom, all undressed for bed, was surveying his `
` drenched garments by the light of a tallow dip, Sid woke up; but if he `
` had any dim idea of making any "references to allusions," he thought `
` better of it and held his peace, for there was danger in Tom's eye. `
` `
` Tom turned in without the added vexation of prayers, and Sid made `
` mental note of the omission. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER IV `
` `
` THE sun rose upon a tranquil world, and beamed down upon the peaceful `
` village like a benediction. Breakfast over, Aunt Polly had family `
` worship: it began with a prayer built from the ground up of solid `
` courses of Scriptural quotations, welded together with a thin mortar of `
` originality; and from the summit of this she delivered a grim chapter `
` of the Mosaic Law, as from Sinai. `
` `
` Then Tom girded up his loins, so to speak, and went to work to "get `
` his verses." Sid had learned his lesson days before. Tom bent all his `
` energies to the memorizing of five verses, and he chose part of the `
` Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter. `
` At the end of half an hour Tom had a vague general idea of his lesson, `
` but no more, for his mind was traversing the whole field of human `
` thought, and his hands were busy with distracting recreations. Mary `
` took his book to hear him recite, and he tried to find his way through `
` the fog: `
` `
` "Blessed are the--a--a--" `
` `
` "Poor"-- `
` `
` "Yes--poor; blessed are the poor--a--a--" `
` `
` "In spirit--" `
` `
` "In spirit; blessed are the poor in spirit, for they--they--" `
` `
` "THEIRS--" `
` `
` "For THEIRS. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom `
` of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they--they--" `
` `
` "Sh--" `
` `
` "For they--a--" `
` `
` "S, H, A--" `
` `
` "For they S, H--Oh, I don't know what it is!" `
` `
` "SHALL!" `
` `
` "Oh, SHALL! for they shall--for they shall--a--a--shall mourn--a--a-- `
` blessed are they that shall--they that--a--they that shall mourn, for `
` they shall--a--shall WHAT? Why don't you tell me, Mary?--what do you `
` want to be so mean for?" `
` `
` "Oh, Tom, you poor thick-headed thing, I'm not teasing you. I wouldn't `
` do that. You must go and learn it again. Don't you be discouraged, Tom, `
` you'll manage it--and if you do, I'll give you something ever so nice. `
` There, now, that's a good boy." `
` `
` "All right! What is it, Mary, tell me what it is." `
` `
` "Never you mind, Tom. You know if I say it's nice, it is nice." `
` `
` "You bet you that's so, Mary. All right, I'll tackle it again." `
` `
` And he did "tackle it again"--and under the double pressure of `
` curiosity and prospective gain he did it with such spirit that he `
` accomplished a shining success. Mary gave him a brand-new "Barlow" `
` knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that `
` swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would `
` not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was `
` inconceivable grandeur in that--though where the Western boys ever got `
` the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its `
` injury is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps. Tom `
` contrived to scarify the cupboard with it, and was arranging to begin `
` on the bureau, when he was called off to dress for Sunday-school. `
` `
` Mary gave him a tin basin of water and a piece of soap, and he went `
` outside the door and set the basin on a little bench there; then he `
` dipped the soap in the water and laid it down; turned up his sleeves; `
` poured out the water on the ground, gently, and then entered the `
` kitchen and began to wipe his face diligently on the towel behind the `
` door. But Mary removed the towel and said: `
` `
` "Now ain't you ashamed, Tom. You mustn't be so bad. Water won't hurt `
` you." `
` `
` Tom was a trifle disconcerted. The basin was refilled, and this time `
` he stood over it a little while, gathering resolution; took in a big `
` breath and began. When he entered the kitchen presently, with both eyes `
` shut and groping for the towel with his hands, an honorable testimony `
` of suds and water was dripping from his face. But when he emerged from `
` the towel, he was not yet satisfactory, for the clean territory stopped `
` short at his chin and his jaws, like a mask; below and beyond this line `
` there was a dark expanse of unirrigated soil that spread downward in `
` front and backward around his neck. Mary took him in hand, and when she `
` was done with him he was a man and a brother, without distinction of `
` color, and his saturated hair was neatly brushed, and its short curls `
` wrought into a dainty and symmetrical general effect. [He privately `
` smoothed out the curls, with labor and difficulty, and plastered his `
` hair close down to his head; for he held curls to be effeminate, and `
` his own filled his life with bitterness.] Then Mary got out a suit of `
` his clothing that had been used only on Sundays during two years--they `
` were simply called his "other clothes"--and so by that we know the `
` size of his wardrobe. The girl "put him to rights" after he had dressed `
` himself; she buttoned his neat roundabout up to his chin, turned his `
` vast shirt collar down over his shoulders, brushed him off and crowned `
` him with his speckled straw hat. He now looked exceedingly improved and `
` uncomfortable. He was fully as uncomfortable as he looked; for there `
` was a restraint about whole clothes and cleanliness that galled him. He `
` hoped that Mary would forget his shoes, but the hope was blighted; she `
` coated them thoroughly with tallow, as was the custom, and brought them `
` out. He lost his temper and said he was always being made to do `
` everything he didn't want to do. But Mary said, persuasively: `
` `
` "Please, Tom--that's a good boy." `
` `
` So he got into the shoes snarling. Mary was soon ready, and the three `
` children set out for Sunday-school--a place that Tom hated with his `
` whole heart; but Sid and Mary were fond of it. `
` `
` Sabbath-school hours were from nine to half-past ten; and then church `
` service. Two of the children always remained for the sermon `
` voluntarily, and the other always remained too--for stronger reasons. `
` The church's high-backed, uncushioned pews would seat about three `
` hundred persons; the edifice was but a small, plain affair, with a sort `
` of pine board tree-box on top of it for a steeple. At the door Tom `
` dropped back a step and accosted a Sunday-dressed comrade: `
` `
` "Say, Billy, got a yaller ticket?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "What'll you take for her?" `
` `
` "What'll you give?" `
` `
` "Piece of lickrish and a fish-hook." `
` `
` "Less see 'em." `
` `
` Tom exhibited. They were satisfactory, and the property changed hands. `
` Then Tom traded a couple of white alleys for three red tickets, and `
` some small trifle or other for a couple of blue ones. He waylaid other `
` boys as they came, and went on buying tickets of various colors ten or `
` fifteen minutes longer. He entered the church, now, with a swarm of `
` clean and noisy boys and girls, proceeded to his seat and started a `
` quarrel with the first boy that came handy. The teacher, a grave, `
` elderly man, interfered; then turned his back a moment and Tom pulled a `
` boy's hair in the next bench, and was absorbed in his book when the boy `
` turned around; stuck a pin in another boy, presently, in order to hear `
` him say "Ouch!" and got a new reprimand from his teacher. Tom's whole `
` class were of a pattern--restless, noisy, and troublesome. When they `
` came to recite their lessons, not one of them knew his verses `
` perfectly, but had to be prompted all along. However, they worried `
` through, and each got his reward--in small blue tickets, each with a `
` passage of Scripture on it; each blue ticket was pay for two verses of `
` the recitation. Ten blue tickets equalled a red one, and could be `
` exchanged for it; ten red tickets equalled a yellow one; for ten yellow `
` tickets the superintendent gave a very plainly bound Bible (worth forty `
` cents in those easy times) to the pupil. How many of my readers would `
` have the industry and application to memorize two thousand verses, even `
` for a Dore Bible? And yet Mary had acquired two Bibles in this way--it `
` was the patient work of two years--and a boy of German parentage had `
` won four or five. He once recited three thousand verses without `
` stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and `
` he was little better than an idiot from that day forth--a grievous `
` misfortune for the school, for on great occasions, before company, the `
` superintendent (as Tom expressed it) had always made this boy come out `
` and "spread himself." Only the older pupils managed to keep their `
` tickets and stick to their tedious work long enough to get a Bible, and `
`