"Like it ? Well, I don"t see why I oughtn"t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day ? "That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth- stepped back to note the effect-added a touch here and there- criticized the effect again, Ben watching every move, and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said:
"Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little. "
Tom considered, was about to consent, but he altered his mind. "No, no; I reckon it wouldn"t hardly do, Ben. You see Aunt Polly"s awful particular about this fence- right here on the street, you know; but if it was the back fence I wouldn"t mind, and she wouldn"t. Yes, she"s awful particular about this fence; it"s got to be done very careful. I reckon there ain"t one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it the way it"s got to be done. ""No-is that so? Oh, come now; lemme just try, only just a little. I"d let you, if you was me, Tom. ""Ben, I"d like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly-well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn"t let him. "" Oh, shucks; I"ll be just as careful. Now lemme try Say- I"ll give you the core of my apple. ""Well, here. No, Ben; now don"t; I"m afeard--" "I"ll give you all of it! "Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face but alacrity in his heart. And, while the lake steamer Big Missouri worked and sweated in the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, dangled his legs, munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more innocents. There was no lack of material-boys happened along every little while; they came to jeer, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy Fisher for a kite in good repair; and, when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in for a dead rat and a string to swing it with; and so on, and so on, hour after hour. And, when the middle of the afternoon came, from being a poor poverty- stricken boy in the morning, Tom was literally rolling in wealth. He had, besides the things I have mentioned, twelve marbles, part of a jew"s-harp, a piece of blue bottle-glass to look through, a spool-cannon, a key that wouldn"t unlock anything, a fragment of chalk, a glass stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, six fire-crackers, a kitten with only one eye, a brass door-knob, a dog-collar-but no dog- the handle of a knife, four pieces of orange peel, and a dilapidated old window-sash. He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while, plenty of company, and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn"t run out of whitewash, he would have bankrupted every boy in the village. Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world after all.
From The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.
Author.-Ma r k Tw a i n , pen-name of SAMUEL. LANGHORNE CLEMENS(1835-1910), the most popular of American humorists. He was born in the State of Missouri (see map), and had very little schooling. At 13 he became a type-setter in a printing office; later a steam-boat pilot on the Mississippi ( "Mark Twain " was a frequent call of the sounder to indicate that the water was two fathoms deep). Among his humerous works Tom Sawyer (from which this extract is taken) and Huckleberry Finn are splendid books for boys. He wrote also The Innocents Abroad, A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur, Pudd"nhead Wilson, The Prince and the Pauper, Recollections of Joan of Arc, etc.
General Notes.-The locust is an American tree which bears white blossoms, and bean-like pods. Mulatto is a negro half-caste. "Ben was personating a steam-boat. " What various things have you personated? How do you know that the Big Missouri was a paddle steamer ? Whatwas the secret of Tom"s success in making the other boys work for him ?
LESSON 41
THE pARTINg OF mARmION AND DOuglAS
Not far advanced was morning day When Marmion did his troop array, To Surrey"s camp to ride;He had safe conduct for his band, Beneath the royal seal and hand, And Douglas gave a guide.
The ancient earl, with stately grace, Would Clara on her palfrey place; And whispered, in an undertone," Let the hawk stoop, his prey is flown. "
The train from out the castle drew; But Marmion stopped to bid adieu :-" Though something I might plain, " he said, "Of cold respect to stranger guest,Sent hither by your king"s behest, While in Tantallon"s towers I stayed. Part we in friendship from your land, And, noble earl, receive my hand. " But Douglas round him drew his cloak, Folded his arms, and thus he spoke :
" My manors, halls, and bowers shall still,
Be open, at my sovereign"s will,
To each one whom he lists, howe"er, Unmeet to be the owner"s peer:
My castles are my king"s alone, From turret to foundation-stone; The hand of Douglas is his own, And never shall in friendly grasp,The hand of such as Marmion clasp. " Burned Marmion"s swarthy cheek like fire, And shook his very frame for ire,And- " This to me ! " he said;
" An "twere not for thy hoary beard, Such hand as Marmion"s had not spared To cleave the Douglas" head !
And, first, I tell thee, haughty peer,
He who does England"s message here, Although the meanest in her state, May well, proud Angus, be thy mate! And, Douglas, more I tell thee here, Even in thy pitch of pride,Here in thy hold, thy vassals near, (Nay, never look upon your lord,And lay your hands upon your sword),
I tell thee thou"rt defied!
And, if thou saidst I am not peer, To any lord in Scotland here,Lowland or Highland, far or near, Lord Angus, thou hast lied! "On the earl"s cheek the flush of rage,
O"ercame the ashen hue of age.
Fierce he broke forth :- " And darest thou then To beard the lion in his den,The Douglas in his hall ?
And hopest thou hence unscathed to go? No ! by Saint Bride of Bothwell, no!