New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-11


upon, and they wondered what kind of ma
terisl he was made of, and they half wanted
to hear him roar, and were half afraid be
might, too. He Was from Constant inople,
twelve miles away-so he had Travelled
and seen the world-these very eyes had
looked upon the county oourthouse-which
WAS said to have O tin roof. The awe which
these reflections inspired was attested by
the impressive silence and the ranks of
staring eyes. This was the great Judge
Thatcher, brother of their own lawyer.
JEFF Thatcher immediately went forward,
to be familiar with the great man and be
envied by the school Ii would have been
music to his sonl to hear the whisperings
"L1ok at him, Jim u He's going up there.
Say-looB! he's going to shake hands with
him-be ia shaking hands with himl By
iings, don't you wish you was JefiW
Mr. Walters fell to Showing off, with
all sorts OF official bustling and activities,
giving orders, delivering judgments, dis
charging directions here, there, every where
that he could fad a target The librarian
"showed Cff"-runping hither and thither
with his arms full of books and making a
deal of the splutter and fuss that insect
authority delights in. The young lady
teachers showed Ofi"-bendiug sweetly
over pupils that were lately being boxed,
lifting pretty warning fingers at bad little
boys and patting good ones lovingly. The
small seedlings and other little displays OF
authority and fine attention to discipline
and most of the teachers of both sexes found
business up st the library, by the pulpit; and
it was business that frequently had to be
done over again two OF three times with
much seeming vexatiOn), The little girls
''shOwed Off in various ways, and the little
boys Showed Off with such diligence that
the sir was thick with paper wsds and the
murmur of souttlings. And above it all the
great man sat and beamed majestic Judi
eial smile upon all the house, and warmed
himself in the sun of his own grandeur-ior
he was Showing OFF, too.
There was only one thing wanting to
make Mr.. Walters ecstacy complete, and
that was chance to deliver a Bible-prizs
and exhibit prodigy. Several pupils bad
few yellow tickets, but none had enough;
he had been around among the star pupils
inQuiring. He wOuld have given worlds,
now, to have that German lad back again
with a sound mind.
And now at this moment, when hope was
dead, Tom Sawyer came forward with nine
yellow tickets, nine red tickets and ten blue
ones and demanded q Bible. This was
thunderbOlt out of clear sky. Walters
was not expecting an application from this
source tor the next ten years. But there
was no getting around it-bere we're the
certified checks, and they were good for
their taco. Tom was therefore elevated to a
place with the judge and other
elect, and the great news was an
nounced from headquarters. 1t was
the most stunning surprise OF the
decade, and so profound was the sensa-
ton that it lifted the new hero up to the
judicial ones altitude, and the school had
two marveis to gaze upon in place of one.
Tbs boys were all eaten up with envy-but
those that suffered the bitterest panPs were
those who perceived too late that they
themselves had contributed to this hated
splendOr by trading tickets to Tom for the
wealth he had amassed in selling white
washing privileges. These despised them.
selves rs being the dupes of a willy fraud
a guileiul snake in the grass.
the prize was delivered TO Tom with as
much effusion as the superintendent could
pump up under the circumstances; but is
lacked somewhat of the true gush, for the
poor fellows instinct taught him that thers
was a mystery here that could not well
bear the light, perhaps; it was simply pre-
pusterOus that this boy had warehOused
1000 sheaves of scripturaI wisdom on his
premisss-a dozen would strain his capac-
ity without doubt.
Amy Lawrence was proud and glad, and
she tried to make Tom see it in her face
but he wouldn't look. She wondered; then
she was jdst grain troubled; next a dim
suspicion came and went-csme again; she
watched; a furtive glance told her worlds,
and then her heart broke, and she was zeal.
GUS and angry, aud the tears came-and
she hated everybody. Tom most of all lshe
| tbOught).
Tom was introduced to the Judge; but his
tongue was tied, his breath would hardly
| come, his heart quaked-partly because of
the awful greatness of the man, but mainly
because he was her parent. He would
have liked to fall down and worship him, if
~. he A.w r. 4
hand on Toms head and called him a fine
little man, and asked him what his name
vas: The boy stammered, gasped, and got
it out:
"TOm.p
''0h, no; not TOm-it is"
Thomas
"Ah, that's it. thought there was more
to it, msybe. That's very we'll. But you've
another one, dare say, and you'll tell it 60
| me, won't your
TELL the gentleman your other name,
Thomas" said Walters. And say, sir
you musn't forget your manner3"
Thomas Sawyer-sr."
"Thats it That's a good boy. Fine
boy. Fine, manly little fellow. Two thou.
SAND verses IS great many-veFy, very
great many. And You never can be sorry
for the trouble you took to learn them; for
knowledge is worth more than ANYTHING
there is In the world; it's what makes great
men and good mer; you'll be- a great nan
aud good man yourself, some day,
Thomas, and then you'll look back and
say, ips all owing TO my dear teachers
that taught me to learn-it's all ow.
ing to the good superintendent, who en-
eouraged and watched over me, and
gave me beautiful Bible, to keep and have
u all for my own, atwaye; it's all owing to
right bringing up. That is what YOU will
say, Thomas, and you wouldn't take any
money for those two Thousand verse;; no.
indeed, you wouldn't. Aud now Won
wouldn't mind telling me and this lady
some OF the things you've learned; no. /
know You wouldn't, for we are proud Of lit.
tie boys that learn. Now, no doubt Won
know the names OF all the twelve disciples.
Won't you tell Us the names of the first two
that were appOintedlv
Tom was tugging at button hole and
looking sheepish. He blushed now and his
eyes fell. Mr.. Walters heart sank within
bin. He said TO himself, it Is not possible
/ that the boy can answer the simplest ones
tion--why did the Judge ask him9 Yes he
Eel5 Obliged to speak up and say:
Answer the gentleman, Thomas; don't
Tom sdll hung FIRE.
''Now, l know you will tell me-" said the
lady. The names Of the two first disciples
s'David and GoliabF'
Let us draW the curtain Of charity over
the rest Of the scene.
The Three.Csne stamp.
By about the middle OF mart Nav ths