"No, he couldn't either; he couldn't and not be responsible other end died, which it would In my opinion that man ain't right mind "

"In my opinion he hain't got any mind "

No 3 said: "Well, he's lummox, anyway "

That's what ;" said No 4 "He's labrick--just Simon-pure labrick, if one "

"Yes, sir, he's dam fool That's the way I put him up," said No 5 "Anybody can think different that wants to, but those are my sentiments "

"I'm , gentlemen," said No 6 "Perfect jackass--yes, and it ain't going too far pudd'nhead If he ain't pudd'nhead, I ain't no judge, that's all "

Mr Wilson stood elected The incident was told all over the town, and gravely discussed by everybody Within week he had lost his first name; Pudd'nhead took its place liked, and well liked too; but the nickname had got well stuck on, and it stayed That first day's verdict made him fool, and not able it set aside, or even modified The nickname soon ceased to carry any harsh or unfriendly feeling with it, but it held its place, and was to hold its place for twenty long years

CHAPTER 2

Driscoll Spares His Slaves

Adam was but human--this explains it all want the apple apple's sake, it only because forbidden The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent; then eaten the serpent

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

Pudd'nhead Wilson had trifle of money when he arrived, and he bought small house extreme western verge town Between it and Judge Driscoll's house only grassy yard, with paling fence dividing the properties middle He hired small office down town and hung out tin sign words :

D V I D W I L S O N

ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR-AT-LAW

SURVEYING, CONVEYANCING, ETC

But his deadly remark had ruined his chance-- law No clients came down his sign, after while, and put it up own house law features knocked out of it It offered his services now humble capacities of land surveyor and expert accountant he got job of surveying , and merchant got him to straighten out his books With Scotch patience and pluck he resolved to live down his reputation and work his way legal field yet Poor fellow, foresee going him such weary

He had rich abundance of idle time, but it never hung heavy hands, for he interested himself in every new thing that was born universe of ideas, and studied it, and experimented upon it at his house One pet fads was palmistry To another one no name, neither would he explain to anybody what its purpose was, but merely said an amusement , he had found that his fads added reputation as pudd'nhead; there, growing chary of being too communicative The fad without name was one which dealt with people's finger marks He carried coat pocket shallow box with grooves , and grooves strips of glass five inches long and three inches wide Along the lower edge of each strip was pasted slip of white paper He asked people their hands through their hair (thus collecting upon them thin coating natural oil) and then making thumb-mark on glass strip, following it mark ball of each finger in succession Under this row of faint grease prints write record strip of white paper--thus:

JOHN SMITH, right hand--

and add the day month year, then take Smith's on another glass strip, and add name and date words " " The strips were now returned grooved box, and took their place among what Wilson called his "records "

He often studied his records, examining and poring over them with absorbing interest until far night; but what there-- if anything--he revealed to no one Sometimes he copied on paper the involved and delicate pattern left ball finger, and then vastly enlarged it with pantograph examine its web of curving lines with ease and convenience

One sweltering afternoon--it first day of July, 1830-- at work over set of tangled account books workroom, which looked westward over stretch of vacant lots, when conversation outside disturbed him carried yells, which showed people engaged close together

"Say, Roxy, how does yo' baby come on ? " This distant voice

"Fust-rate How does you come on, Jasper ? " This yell was from close by

"Oh, I's middlin'; hain't got noth'n' to complain of, I's gwine a-court'n you bimeby, Roxy "

"_You is, you black mud cat ! Yah--yah--yah ! I got somep'n' better den 'sociat'n' wid niggers as black is Is ole Miss Cooper's Nancy done de mitten ? " Roxy followed this sally with another discharge of carefree laughter

"You's jealous, Roxy, dat's what's de matter wid you, you hussy--yah--yah--yah ! Dat's de time I got you ! "

"Oh, yes, you got me, hain't you 'Clah to goodness if dat conceit o' yo'n strikes in, Jasper, it gwine to kill you sho' b'longed , I'd sell you down de river 'fo' you git too fur gone Fust time I runs acrost yo' marster, I's gwine him so "

This idle and aimless jabber went on and on, both parties enjoying the friendly duel and each well satisfied own share wit exchanged--for wit they considered it

Wilson stepped window to observe the combatants; work while their chatter continued Over vacant lots was Jasper, young, coal black, and of magnificent build, sitting on wheelbarrow pelting sun--at work, supposably, whereas only preparing by taking an hour's rest before beginning In front of Wilson's porch stood Roxy, with local handmade baby wagon, sat her two charges--one at each end and facing From Roxy's manner of speech, stranger expected her black, but she was not sixteenth of her was black, sixteenth show She was of majestic form and stature, her attitudes were imposing and statuesque, and her gestures and movements distinguished by noble and stately grace Her complexion was very fair, rosy glow of vigorous health in her cheeks, her face was full of character and expression, her eyes were brown and liquid, and she had heavy suit of fine soft hair also brown, but the fact was not apparent because her head was bound about with checkered handkerchief hair was concealed under it Her face was shapely, intelligent, and comely--even beautiful She had an easy, independent carriage--when she was among her own caste--and high and "sassy" way, withal; but she was meek and humble enough where white people were

To all intents and purposes Roxy was as white as anybody, but the one sixteenth of her black outvoted the other fifteen parts and made her Negro She was slave, and salable as such Her child was thirty-one parts white, and he, too, was slave, and by fiction of law and custom Negro He had blue eyes and flaxen curls like his white comrade, but even the father white child was able the children apart--little as he had commerce --by their clothes; white babe wore ruffled soft muslin and coral necklace, while the other wore merely coarse tow-linen shirt which barely reached to its knees, and no jewelry

The white child's name was Thomas Becket Driscoll, the other's name was Valet de Chambre: no surname--slaves hadn't the privilege Roxana had heard that phrase somewhere, the fine sound of it had pleased her ear, and as she had supposed name, she loaded it on to her darling It soon got shorted to "Chambers,"

Wilson knew Roxy by sight, and duel of wits begun to play out, he stepped outside to gather in record or two Jasper went to work energetically, at once, perceiving that his leisure was observed Wilson inspected the children and asked:

"How old are they, Roxy ? "

"Bofe de same age, sir--five months Bawn de fust o' Feb'uary "

"They're handsome little chaps One's just as handsome other, too "

delighted smile exposed the girl's white teeth, and she said:

"Bless yo' soul, Misto Wilson, it's pow'ful nice o' you dat, 'ca'se one of 'em ain't on'y nigger Mighty prime little nigger, _I al'ays says, but dat's 'ca'se it's mine, o' course "

"How tell them apart, Roxy, haven't any clothes on ? "

Roxy laughed laugh proportioned to her size, and said:

"Oh, I kin tell 'em 'part, Misto Wilson, but I bet Marse Percy couldn't, not to save his life "

Wilson chatted along for awhile, and presently got Roxy's fingerprints collection--right hand and left--on couple glass strips; then labeled and dated them, and took the "records" of both children, and labeled and dated them also

Two months later, third of September, this trio of finger marks again He liked "series," "takings" at intervals during the period of childhood, these followed at intervals of several years