The new Negros gave Roxy no trouble, The master gave her none, speculations was in jeopardy, mind was so occupied that he hardly saw the children when he looked at them, and all Roxy had was them both into gale of laughter when about; then their faces were mainly cavities exposing gums, and gone again spasm passed little creatures resumed human aspect

Within the fate speculation became so dubious that Mr Percy went away brother, the judge, what with it land speculation as usual, and it had gotten complicated with lawsuit The men were gone seven weeks got back, Roxy had paid her visit to Wilson, and was satisfied Wilson took the fingerprints, labeled them names and date-- October the first--put them carefully away, and continued his chat with Roxy, who seemed very anxious that admire the great advance in flesh and beauty which the babes had made since their fingerprints month before He complimented their improvement to her contentment; and were without any disguise of jam or other stain, she trembled all the while and was miserably frightened lest at any moment he--

But he didn't He discovered nothing; and she went home jubilant, and dropped all concern permanently out of her mind

CHAPTER 4

The Ways Changelings

Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the principal one was, escaped teething

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

this trouble about special providences--namely, so often doubt as party was intended the beneficiary case children, the bears, prophet, the bears got more real satisfaction episode prophet did, because they got the children

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

This history must henceforth accommodate itself change which Roxana has consummated, and call the real heir "Chambers" usurping little slave, "Thomas `a Becket"--shortening this latter name to "Tom," for daily use, people about him did

"Tom" was bad baby, very beginning usurpation cry for nothing; burst into storms of devilish temper without notice, and let go scream after scream and squall after squall, then climax the thing with "holding his breath"-- that frightful specialty teething nursling, throes the creature exhausts its lungs, then is convulsed with noiseless squirmings and twistings and kickings effort its breath, while the lips turn blue mouth stands wide and rigid, offering for inspection one wee tooth set lower rim of hoop of red gums; and appalling stillness has endured until one is sure the lost breath will never return, nurse comes flying, and dashes water child's face, and--presto ! the lungs fill, and instantly discharge shriek, or yell, or howl which bursts the listening ear and surprises the owner of it into saying words which go well with halo if he had one The baby Tom would claw anybody who came within reach nails, and pound anybody reach rattle scream for water until he got it, and then throw cup and all floor and scream for more indulged in all his caprices, howsoever troublesome and exasperating ; allowed to eat anything , particularly things give him the stomach-ache

When he got old enough to toddle about and say broken words and get an idea of what his hands were for, more consummate pest than ever Roxy got no rest while awake call for anything and everything , simply saying, "Awnt it ! " (want it), command When brought, in frenzy, and motioning it away hands, "Don't awnt it ! don't awnt it ! " moment gone he set up frantic yells of "Awnt it ! awnt it ! " and Roxy had wings to her heels that thing back to him again before get time to carry out his intention of going into convulsions

What he preferred above all other things tongs because his "father" had forbidden him them lest he break windows and furniture The moment Roxy's back was turned toddle presence tongs and say, "Like it ! " and cock his eye to one side or see if Roxy was observed; then, "Awnt it ! " and cock his eye again; then, "Hab it ! " with another furtive glace; and finally, "Take it ! "-- prize was his The next moment the heavy implement was raised aloft; the next, crash and squall, cat was off on three legs to meet an engagement; Roxy would arrive just lamp or window went to irremediable smash

Tom got all the petting, Chambers got none Tom got all the delicacies, Chambers got mush and milk, and clabber without sugar In consequence Tom was sickly child and Chambers wasn't Tom was "fractious," as Roxy called it, and overbearing; Chambers was meek and docile

With all her splendid common sense and practical everyday ability, Roxy was doting fool of mother She toward her child-- and she was also more than this: fiction created by herself, become her master; the necessity of recognizing this relation outwardly and of perfecting herself forms required to express the recognition, had moved her to such diligence and faithfulness in practicing these forms exercise soon concreted itself into habit; it became automatic and unconscious; then natural result followed: deceptions intended solely for others gradually grew practically into self-deceptions ; the mock reverence became real reverence, the mock homage real homage; the little counterfeit rift of separation between imitation-slave and imitation-master widened and widened, and became an abyss, and very real one-- and on one side of it stood Roxy, the dupe of her own deceptions, and other stood her child, no longer usurper to her, but her accepted and recognized master her darling, her master, and her deity all in one, and in her worship of him she forgot who she was and what he

In babyhood Tom cuffed and banged and scratched Chambers unrebuked, and Chambers early learned that between meekly bearing it and resenting it, the advantage all lay former policy The that his persecutions had moved him beyond control and made him fight back had cost him very dear at headquarters; not hands of Roxy, for if she ever went beyond scolding him sharply for "forgett'n' who his young marster was," she never extended her punishment beyond box ear No, Percy Driscoll person Chambers that under no provocation whatever was he privileged to lift his hand against his little master Chambers overstepped the line three times, and got three such convincing canings man who was his father and didn't know it, that Tom's cruelties in all humility , and made no more experiments

Outside the house the two boys were together all through their boyhood Chambers was strong beyond his years, and good fighter; strong because coarsely fed and hard worked house, and good fighter because Tom furnished him plenty of practice-- on white boys whom he hated and was afraid of Chambers was his constant bodyguard, to and from school; present playground at recess to protect his charge He fought himself into such formidable reputation, by and by, that Tom changed clothes , and "ridden in peace," like Sir Kay in Launcelot's armor

good at games of skill, too Tom staked him with marbles to play "keeps" with, and then took all the winnings away winter season Chambers was on hand, in Tom's worn-out clothes, with "holy" red mittens, and "holy" shoes, and pants "holy" knees and seat, to drag sled up the hill for Tom, warmly clad, to ride down on; but he never got ride himself He built snowmen and snow fortifications under Tom's directions Tom's patient target when Tom wanted some snowballing, but the target couldn't fire back Chambers carried Tom's skates river and strapped them on him, the trotted around after him ice, so be on hand when ; but he wasn't ever asked the skates himself

In summer the pet pastime boys of Dawson's Landing was to steal apples, peaches, and melons farmer's fruit wagons-- mainly on account risk they ran of getting their heads laid open butt farmer's whip Tom was distinguished adept thefts--by proxy Chambers did his stealing, and got the peach stones, apple cores, and melon rinds share

Tom always made Chambers go in swimming , and stay by him as protection When Tom had had enough, slip out and tie knots in Chamber's shirt, dip the knots water and make them hard to undo, then dress himself and sit by and laugh while the naked shiverer tugged stubborn knots teeth

Tom did his humble comrade these various ill turns partly out of native viciousness, and partly because he hated him superiorities of physique and pluck, and manifold cleverness Tom couldn't dive, gave him splitting headaches Chambers could dive without inconvenience, and was fond of doing it He excited admiration, one day, among crowd of white boys, by throwing back somersaults stern of canoe, wearies Tom's spirit, and at last he shoved the canoe underneath Chambers while air--so down head canoe bottom; and while he lay unconscious, several of Tom's ancient adversaries saw that their long-desired opportunity was come, gave the false heir such drubbing that with Chamber's best help hardly able to drag himself home afterward

boys was fifteen and upward, Tom was "showing off" river one day, when taken with cramp, and shouted for help common trick boys--particularly if stranger was present--to pretend cramp and howl for help; then stranger came tearing hand over hand rescue, the howler would go on struggling and howling till close at hand, then replace the howl with sarcastic smile and swim blandly away, while the town boys assailed the dupe with volley of jeers and laughter Tom had never tried this joke , but was supposed trying it now, so the boys held warily back; but Chambers believed his master was in earnest; therefore, he swam out, and arrived , unfortunately, and saved his life

the last feather Tom had managed to endure everything else, but to remain publicly and permanently under such an obligation to nigger, and nigger of all niggers-- He heaped insults upon Chambers for "pretending" in earnest in calling for help, and said that anybody but blockheaded nigger known funning and left him alone

Tom's enemies were in strong force here, so they came out with their opinions quite freely The laughed at him, and called him coward, liar, sneak, and other sorts of pet names, and told him they meant Chambers by new name , and make it common town--"Tom Driscoll's nigger pappy,"--to signify that he had had second birth life, Chambers author new being Tom grew frantic under these taunts, and shouted:

"Knock their heads off, Chambers ! Knock their heads off ! What stand there with your hands in your pockets for ? "

Chambers expostulated, and said, "But, Marse Tom, dey's too many of 'em--dey's--"

" hear me ? "