The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-12-23

"The Prince ana the Pauper1 "Huckie-
berry Finn" "The Tragedy of Pudd'n-
head wilson," were some Of the va
riOus books which kept Americans and
Europeans laughing for many years.
Mark Twain died April n, 1910.
~ AWSON'S LANDING, on the
Missouri side of the Missls-
- slppl, In 1880, was modest
village with few claims to distinction.
Conspicuous among her first citizens
was York Leicester Driscoll, forty
years of age. Judge of the county court,
of unblemlshed Virginia stock, unhap-
PLY childless, and esteemed by every
body that knew him. Another citizen
of repute was Col. Cecil Burleigh Es
sex, who, except for one important
particular, later disclosed, has nothing
to do with this story. Resident here
also was certain Percy Northumber-
land Driscoll, brother of the judge,
married, and prosperous owner of
slaves, among whom was a likely
wench Of twenty, Roxana by name.
Into the Driscoll home on the first of
February, 1880. two boy babies were
born. One of these, christened Tom
was the son of Percy Northumberland
The other, tagged with the name OF
Valet de Chambre, or Chambers" for
short, was the son of the slave-glrl
Roxana, by father at first unknown
but later revelaed to be Colonel Essex
Within a week of the birth Of Dris
coils son the mother died, and In the
natural course of events both boy!
were entrusted to the maternal cart
Of the slave-mother.
About the same time into this quie
community came one David Wilson
hopefully anticipating successful
legal career, a hope blasted In thu
bornlng, since gift Of irony, one o.
David's most tangible assets. fell upoI
1 ears SO literal as to be unapprecia
tive, and suspicious Of humor.
81 wish owned half Of that dog,
said David one morning when snarl
ing yellow cur disturbed him.
"Why2" asked somebody.
Because then would kill my half !
replied David.
His hearers fell away from him !
alarm. How could a man kill half OF
dog without killing the other half also
Surely this man must be out Of hi
mind.
"a lummox," said one.
"A perfect jackass," said another.
"He's a pudd'nhead, that's what b
is I" said a third.
And from that day forward "Pudd'l
head Wilson" he was.
Now Pudd'nhead had two fads-
palmistry, and fnger-prints. The fir
, he occasionally practlced, lacking cl
, ents to practice law upon, and II
second he collected with great assidl
ity. No man, woman or child. eve
entered the circle Of Pudd'nhead's a
ouaintance without leaving finge
print. or his thumb-mark, behind, an
all of these were carefully named, r
: corded. dated and filed. Thus it ha
pened that one day came Roxana ar
! her two charges, Tom, the son of Dri
:, coll. and Chambers. the son OF he
!, self and another. As like as two pei
were the babies, in color, size ar
: lineaments-sO like that save TO
mothers eyes they were indlstinguis
. able. and the finger-prlnts of all we
taken. labeled, dated. and added
, the collection Of Pudd'nhead Wilson.
What more natural than that q
likeness of the two infants-Tom
own father could not tell him fro
the slave-baby-should suggest to
mothers heart an interchange Of q
children BY which the slave should
!. come the master and the master {
:. slave. especially when the heart W
constantly oppressed by the fear tn
when her babe grew to manhood
= might be "sold down the river" tn
ever-present tormenting dread OF
slave of the upper waters? WI
more natural that. there being
i chance of detection. Roxana for 10
OF her son should yield to that temp
ton and forthwith turn Chambers II
Tom and Tom into Chambers by
= single interchange Of garments tht
v being the only outward and yisil
= signs BY which the boys we're din
8 entiated anyhow II was in this nj
= ner that Il came to be the proud {
= spring Of the house Of Driseol q
"a into the slave-boy Chambers, ahu'