The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-04-02
HOW TOM SAWYER WON A BIBLE.
BY MARK TWAIN.

Sabbath-school hours were from nine
until half past 10; and then church SER
vice. Two OF the children always re-
mained for,the sermon voluntarily, and
the others always remained too-for
stronger reasons. The church's high
backed, uncushioned pews would seat
about three hundred persons; the edi-
flee was but small, plain affair, with a
sort OF pine-board tree-boX on it for
steeple. At the door Tom dropped back
a step and accosted a Sunday dressed
cOmrade:
"say, Billy, got yaller ticketw
Yes"
"Whatll you take for her"
"Whapll you giveW.
"Piece of lickrIsh and fish hook"
"Less see 'em,"
Tom exhibited. They were satisfac-
tory, and the property changed hands.
Then Tom traded couple Of while al
leys for three red tickets and some trif1e
or other for couple of blue ones. lie
waylaid other boys as they came, and
went on buying tickets Of various col
ors ten or fifteen minutes longer. He
entered the church now with swarm
of clean and noisy boys and girls, pro-
ceeded to his seat and started D quarrel
with the first boy that came handy. The
teacher, grave, elderly man, inter-
fered; then turned his back mo-
ment, and Tom pulled boys hair
in the next bench, and was abb
sorbed in his book when the
other boy, presently, in order to hear
nim say "OuchW and got new repri-
mand from his teacher. Toms 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 re-
ward in small blue tickets, each with a
passage of Scripture on 1T; each blue
ticket was pay Tor TWO verses OF the rec
itation. Ten blue tickets equaled red
one, and could be exchanged for it; ten
red tickets equaled a yellow one; for ten
yellow tickets the superintendent gave
a very plainly bound Bible (worth 40
cents in those easy times) TO The pupil.
How many Of my readers would have
the industry and application to men,
orize two thousand verses, even for a
Dore Bible? And yet-Mary had ac-
uuired Two Bibles in this way-it was
tue patient work of two years-and a
boy OF German parentage had won tour
or five. He once recited three thousand
verses without stopping; but the strain
upon his mental faculties was too great,
aud he was little better than an idiot
from that day forth-a grieVous mis-
fortune for the school, for on great
, occasions, before company, the
superinte ndent Gas Tom expressed
it) had always made this boy come out
} aud "spread himself" Only the older
t pupils managed to keep their tickets
and stick to their tedious work long
enough to get a Bible, and SO the deliV-
cry OF one OF these prizes was rare,
} noteworthy circumstance; the success.
full pupil was SO great and conspicuous
or that on the very spot every scholars
heart was nred with fresh ambition
that often lasted a couple OF weeks. Ii
| is possible that Toms mental stomach
lhad never really hungered for one ol
those prizes, but unquestionably his
entire being had for many day longed
ior the glory and eclat That came with it.
In due course the superintendent
stood up in front OF the pulpit, with a
closed hymu-book in his hand and his
foretinger inserted between the
leaves, and commanded attention
When sunday school su.
: perintendent makes MS customary little
speech, hymn-bouk in the hand is as
necessary as the inevitable sheet OF mu
sic in the hand Of O singer who stands
; IOEWdEu On buC pllOlO1 LII anu 6luS6 d SOlU
at a concert-though why, is a mystery
for neither The hymn book nor the sheet
of music is ever referred to by the sui.
lerer.
The superintendent was slim crea.
ture OF thirty y-hye, with a sandy goatee
and short, sandy hair; he wore stiff
standing collar, whose upper edge al
most reached his ears, ana whose sharp
points curved forward abreast the cor.
ners OF his mouth-a fence that com.
PEELED a straight lookout ahead, and a
turning OF the whole body, when side
view was required; his chin was propped
on a spreading cravat, which was as
broad and as long as bank note, and had
iringed ends; his boot-toes were turned
sharply up, in the fashion of the day
like sleigh-runners-an effect patiently
and laboriously produced by the young
, men sitting with their toes pressed
against a wall tor hours together. Mr.
Walters was very earnest oil mien, and
very sincere and honest at heart; and
he held sacred thugs and places in such
reverence, and 50 separated them from
worldly matters, that unconsciously 10
himself his Sunday-School voice had &C.
quired a peculiar intonatlon which was
Wholly absent on week days. He began
alter this fashion,;
snow, children, / want you all to sit
up just as straight and pretty as you
can, aud give me all your attention fol
a minute or two. There-that is the way
good little boys and girls should do.
see one little girl who is looking out O
the window. l am afraid she thinks ]
am out there some eWhere-perhaps Up IL
one of the trees, making speech to the
little Dirds. [AppIausive titters.] ]
want to tell you now good it makes me
eel TO see SO many bright, clean little
faces assembled in place like this
learning to do right and be good" anC
so form and so on.
IL is not necessary to set down the
rest Of the oration. 1t was OF pattern
/ which does not vary, and so it is famil
| lar to US all. The latter third of the
|, speech was marred by the resumption
r OF fights and other recreations, among
; certain OF the bad boys, and by fdget
} iugs and whisperings that extended far
ana wide, washing even to the bases
/ of isolated and incorruptible
rocks like Sid. and Mary. But now
every sound ceases suddenly, with the
: suDsidence OF Mr.. Walters voice, and
the conclusion oil the speech was re.