The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-03-29
How Tom Sawyer Won the Bible.
By MARK TWAIN.


service. Two OF the children Away,
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
sdifice was but a small, plain affair
with sort of pine board tree-box on
the top Of it, for steeple. At the
door Tom dropped back step and &C
costed Sunday dressed comrade:
Fay, Billy, got yaller Ticket"
Eyes"
!" Whatll you take for herr"
"Whatl you give?"
Piece of lickrih and fish hook"
Let's see 'em."
Tom exhibited. They were satisfac-
tory and the property changed hands.
Then Tom traded a couple of white
alleys for three red tickets and come
trifie or other for a couple of blue
ones. lie ylaid 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 scat and
started 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
boys hair in the next bench and was
absorbed in his book when the boy
turned around; stuck pin in another
boy, presently, in order to hear him
say "Ouch!' and got a new reprimand
from his teacher. Toms whole class
were of pattern restless, noisy and
troublesome. When they came to re-
cite their Lessons, not one Of them
knew his verses perfectly, but had to
be prompted right along. But they
worried through, AMI each got his re-
ward In small blue tickets, each with q
passage of scripture ON it; each blue
ticket was pay for two VERSES of the
recitation. Ten blue tickets eIualled a
red one, and could be exchanged fc I
it; ten red tickets equaled yellow one;
for ten yellow tickets the superintend-
emit gave very plainly bound Bible,
worth forty cents in those easy times,
to the pupil. How many of my read
ers would have the industry and ap-
plication to memorize 9, Zoo verses, eve n
for 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 5000 verses
without stopping; but the strain upon
has mental faculties was too great, and
he was little better than an idiot from
that day forth-a grievous misfortune
Tor the school, for on great occasions,
before company, the superintendent
las Tom expressed III had always made
THIS boy come out and spread him
self" Only the older pupils managed
to keep their tickets and stick to their
tedious work long enough to get a
Bible, and SO the delivery Of one of
these prizes was rare and noteworthy
circumstance; the successful pupil was
so great and CONSPICUOUS for that day
that on the spot every scholars heart
was fired with fresh ambition that often
lasted couple of weeks. 1t ig possible
that Toms mental stomach had never
really hungered for one of those prizes,
but unquestionably bis entire being had
for many days longed for the glory and
ecIdt that came with it.
In due course the superintendent
stood up in front of the pulpit, with a
closed hymnbook in his hand and his
forefnger inserted between its leaves,
and commanded attention. When a
Sunday school superintendent makes
his customary little speech, n hymn
book in the hand is as necessary rs is
the inevitable sheet of music in the
hand of singer who stands forward on
the platform and sings solo at con-
oert-though why, is a mystery; for
neither the hymn book nor the sheet
OF music Is ever referred to by the suf-
ferer. The superintendent was a slim
creature of 80, with a sandy goatee and
short sandy hair; he wore a stiff stand
ing collar, whose upper edge almost
reached his ears, and whose sharp
points curved forward abreast the cor
nets OF his mouth-a fence that COM
PEELED straight lookout ahead, and a
turning of the whole body when side
view was required; his chin was
propped on spreading cravat, which
was as broad and as long as bank
note, and had fringed ends; his boot
toes We're 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
was very earnest of mien, and very
severe and honest at heart; and he
held sacred things and places in such
reverence, and 50 separated them from
worldly matters, that uncousciously to
his Sundsy-school voice had
acquired a peculiar intonation which
was wholly absent on week days. He
began after this fashion:
"Now, children, want you all to sit
up just as straight and pretty as you
can, and give me all your attention for
. minute or two. There-that is the
way good little boys and girls should
do. see one little girl who is looking
out of the window. | am afraid she
thinks l am ont there somewhere
perhaps up in one of the trees, making
; speech to the little birds. Applaus-
i've filters | want to tell you how
good it makes me feel to see so many
bright, clean little faces assembled in
place like this, learning to do right and
be good" And SO forth and 80 on. 1t
is not necessary to set down the rest of
he Grafton. 1t was of a pattern that
Ices not vary, and SO it is familiar to
ls all. The latter third of the speech
Was marred by the resumption of fights
md other recreations among certain Of
the bad boys, and by fdgetings and
that extended far and wide,
even to the bases of isolated
and incorruptible rocks like Sid and
Mary. But now every sound ceased
with the subsistence of Mr..
Walters voice. and the conclusion Of
the speech was received with burst of
silent gratitude.
A good part of the whisperings had
been occasioned by an event which was
more or less rare-the entrance of
via itors; Lawyer Thatcher, acconpa-
MED by very feeble and sged man; &
hne, portly middle aged gentleman with
iron gray hair; and dignifed lady
who was doubtless the latter's wife.
The lady was leading a child. Tom
mad been restless and full of chaffi ugs
ana repinings; conscience-smitten. too