"Please, Marse Tom, don't make me ! Dey's of 'em dat--"

Tom sprang at him and drove his pocketknife into him times boys could snatch him away and give the wounded lad chance to escape considerably hurt, but not seriously blade little longer, his career ended there

Tom had taught Roxy "her place " It many day now since she had ventured caress or fondling epithet quarter Such things, from "nigger," were repulsive to him, and she warned her distance and remember who she was She saw her darling gradually cease from being her son, she saw THAT detail perish utterly; all that was left was master--master, pure and simple, and not gentle mastership, either She saw herself sink sublime height of motherhood somber depths of unmodified slavery, the abyss of separation between her and her boy was complete She was merely his chattel now, his convenience, his dog, his cringing and helpless slave, the humble and unresisting victim capricious temper and vicious nature

Sometimes go to sleep, even when worn out with fatigue, because her rage boiled so high over the day's experiences with her boy mumble and mutter to herself:

"He struck me en I warn't no way to blame--struck me in de face, right before folks En he's al'ays callin' me nigger wench, en hussy, en all dem mean names, when I's doin' de very bes' I kin Oh, Lord, I done for him--I lif' him away what -- en dis is what I git "

Sometimes when some outrage of peculiar offensiveness stung her heart, plan schemes of vengeance and revel fancied spectacle exposure world as an imposter and slave; but midst joys fear would strike her; she had made him too strong; prove nothing, and--heavens, she might get sold down the river for her pains ! So her schemes always went for nothing, and she laid them aside in impotent rage against the fates, and against herself for playing the fool fatal September day in not providing herself with witness for use day when such thing needed appeasing of her vengeance-hungry heart

And yet the moment Tom happened good to her, and kind-- and this occurred every --all her sore places were healed, and she was happy; happy and proud, for her son, her nigger son, lording it whites and securely avenging their crimes against her race

There were two grand funerals in Dawson's Landing that fall--the fall of 1845 One of Colonel Cecil Burleigh Essex, the other that of Percy Driscoll

deathbed Driscoll set Roxy free and delivered his idolized ostensible son solemnly keeping brother, the judge, wife Those childless people were glad him Childless people difficult

Judge Driscoll had gone privately brother, month before, and bought Chambers He had heard that Tom trying his father the boy down the river, and the scandal--for public sentiment approve way of treating family servants for light cause or for no cause

Percy Driscoll had worn himself out in trying to save his great speculative landed estate, and had died without succeeding hardly grave boom collapsed and left his envied young devil of an heir pauper But that was nothing; his uncle told him his heir all his fortune when he died; so Tom was comforted

Roxy had no home now; so she resolved around and say good-by to her friends and then clear out the world-- , go chambermaiding on steamboat, the darling ambition of her race and sex

Her last call was black giant, Jasper She found him chopping Pudd'nhead Wilson's winter provision of wood

Wilson was chatting when Roxy arrived He asked her how bear off chambermaiding and leave her boys; and chaffingly offered to copy off series fingerprints, reaching up twelfth year, for her to remember them by; but she sobered in moment, wondering if he suspected anything; then she said she believed she didn't want them Wilson said to himself, "The drop of black blood in her is superstitious; she thinks there's some devilry, some witch business glass mystery somewhere; she used here with an old horseshoe in her hand; it an accident, but it "

CHAPTER 5

The Twins Thrill Dawson's Landing

Training is everything The peach was once bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with college education

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

Remark of Dr Baldwin's, concerning upstarts: We don't care to eat toadstools that think truffles

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

Mrs York Driscoll enjoyed two years of bliss prize, Tom--bliss that was troubled little at times, true, but bliss nevertheless; then she died, and her husband childless sister, Mrs Pratt, continued this bliss-business old stand Tom was petted and indulged and spoiled entire content--or nearly that This went on till nineteen, then sent to Yale He went handsomely equipped with "conditions," but otherwise not an object of distinction there He remained at Yale two years, and then threw up the struggle home manners improved; he had lost his surliness and brusqueness, and was rather pleasantly soft and smooth, now; furtively, and sometimes openly, ironical of speech, and given to gently touching people raw, but it with good-natured semiconscious air that carried it off safely, and kept him from getting into trouble as indolent as ever and showed no very strenuous desire to hunt up an occupation People argued that he preferred supported by his uncle until his uncle's shoes should become vacant He brought back new habits , one he rather openly practiced--tippling--but concealed another, gambling It do to gamble where his uncle could hear of it; that quite well

Tom's Eastern polish was not popular young people have endured it, perhaps, if Tom had stopped there; but he wore gloves, and couldn't stand, and wouldn't; so mainly without society He brought home suit of clothes exquisite style and cut in fashion-- Eastern fashion, city fashion-- filled everybody with anguish and was regarded as peculiarly wanton affront He enjoyed the feeling which exciting, and paraded the town serene and happy all day; but the young fellows set tailor to work that night, and when Tom started out parade next morning, the old deformed Negro bell ringer straddling along wake tricked out in flamboyant curtain-calico exaggeration finery, and imitating his fancy Eastern graces as

Tom surrendered, and clothed himself local fashion But the dull country town was tiresome to him, since his acquaintanceship with livelier regions, and it grew daily more and more so He began little trips to St Louis for refreshment There companionship to suit him, and pleasures taste, along with more freedom, in some particulars, than he at home So, during the next two years, his visits city grew in frequency tarryings there grew steadily longer in duration

getting into deep waters taking chances, privately, which might get him into trouble some day-- , did

Judge Driscoll had retired bench and from all business activities in 1850, and had now been comfortably idle three years president Freethinkers' Society, and Pudd'nhead Wilson other member The society's weekly discussions were now the old lawyer's main interest in life Pudd'nhead was still toiling in obscurity bottom ladder, under the blight unlucky remark which he had let fall twenty-three years before dog

Judge Driscoll was his friend, and claimed that he had mind above the average, but that was regarded as judge's whims, and it failed to modify the public opinion Or rather, that was reason why it failed, but another and better one judge had stopped with bare assertion, it had of effect; but the mistake of trying his position Wilson privately at work on whimsical almanac, amusement--a calendar, with little dab of ostensible philosophy, usually in ironical form, appended to each date; judge thought quips and fancies of Wilson's were neatly turned and cute; so he carried handful around one day, and read them to chief citizens But irony was not people; their mental vision was not focused They read those playful trifles solidest terms, and decided without hesitancy that if there had ever been any doubt that Dave Wilson was pudd'nhead-- which there hadn't--this revelation removed that doubt for good and all just the way world; an enemy can partly ruin man, but it takes good-natured injudicious friend to complete the thing and make it perfect the judge felt tenderer than ever toward Wilson, and surer than ever that his calendar had merit

Judge Driscoll freethinker and still hold his place in society because he person of most consequence community, and therefore could venture his own way and follow out his own notions The other member pet organization was allowed the like liberty because cipher estimation public, and nobody attached any importance to what he thought or did liked, welcome enough all around, but he simply didn't count for anything

The Widow Cooper--affectionately called "Aunt Patsy" by everybody-- lived in snug and comely cottage with her daughter Rowena, who was nineteen, romantic, amiable, and very pretty, but otherwise of no consequence Rowena had couple of young brothers-- also of no consequence

The widow had large spare room, which she let to lodger, with board, when find one, but this room empty for year now, to her sorrow Her income was only sufficient family support, and she needed the lodging money for trifling luxuries But now, at last, on flaming June day, she found herself happy; her tedious wait was ended; her year-worn advertisement answered; and not by village applicant, no, no ! --this letter was from away off yonder dim great world North; from St Louis She sat on her porch gazing out with unseeing eyes shining reaches mighty Mississippi, her thoughts steeped in her good fortune Indeed specially good fortune, for she was two lodgers instead of one