He passed powerful magnifying glass foreman

One juryman after another took the cardboard glass and made the comparison Then the foreman said judge:

"Your honor, all agreed identical "

Wilson said foreman:

"Please turn that cardboard face down, and take , and compare it searchingly, magnifier, fatal signature knife handle, and report your finding court "

Again the jury made minute examinations, and again reported:

" them exactly identical, your honor "

Wilson turned toward the counsel prosecution, and clearly recognizable note of warning voice when :

"May it please the court, the state has claimed, strenuously and persistently, bloodstained fingerprints upon that knife handle were left there assassin of Judge Driscoll heard us grant that claim, and welcome it " He turned jury: "Compare the fingerprints accused fingerprints left assassin--and report "

The comparison began As it proceeded, all movement and all sound ceased, deep silence of an absorbed and waiting suspense settled house; and when at last the words came, " EVEN RESEMBLE," thundercrash of applause followed house sprang to its feet, but was quickly repressed by official force and brought to order again Tom was altering his position every now, but none changes brought repose nor any small trifle of comfort house's attention was become fixed once more, Wilson said gravely, indicating the twins with gesture:

"These men are innocent-- no further concern [Another outbreak of applause began, but was promptly checked ] now proceed the guilty [Tom's eyes were starting from their sockets--yes, cruel day bereaved youth, everybody thought ] return infant autographs of and B jury these large pantograph facsimilies of A's marked five months and seven months Do they tally ? "

The foreman responded: "Perfectly "

"Now examine this pantograph, taken at eight months, and also marked . Does it tally other two ? "

The surprised response was:

"NO--THEY DIFFER WIDELY ! "

" quite right Now take these two pantographs of B's autograph, marked five months and seven months Do they tally with ? "

"Yes--perfectly "

"Take this third pantograph marked B, eight months Does it tally with B's other two ? "

"BY NO MEANS ! "

" how to account strange discrepancies ? tell you For purpose unknown , but probably selfish one, somebody changed those children cradle "

This produced vast sensation, naturally; Roxana was astonished admirable guess, but not disturbed To guess the exchange was , to guess who did it quite another Pudd'nhead Wilson could do wonderful things, , but he couldn't do impossible ones Safe ? She was perfectly safe She smiled privately

" ages of seven months and eight months those children were changed cradle"-- one effect- collecting pauses, and added--" person who did house ! "

Roxy's pulses stood still ! The house was thrilled as with an electric shock, people half rose to seek glimpse person who had made that exchange Tom was growing limp; the life seemed oozing out of him Wilson resumed:

"A was put into B's cradle nursery; B was transferred kitchen and became Negro and slave [Sensation-- confusion of angry ejaculations]--but within quarter of an hour stand white and free ! [Burst of applause, checked officers ] From seven months onward until now, has still been usurper, and in my finger record he bears B's name his pantograph age of twelve Compare it assassin's signature knife handle Do they tally ? "

The foreman answered:

" MINUTEST DETAIL ! "

Wilson said, solemnly:

"The murderer of your friend and mine--York Driscoll generous hand kindly spirit--sits in among you Valet de Chambre, Negro and slave--falsely called Thomas Becket Driscoll --make window the fingerprints hang you ! "

Tom turned his ashen face imploring toward the speaker, made some impotent movements white lips, then slid limp and lifeless floor

Wilson broke the awed silence words:

" no need He has confessed "

Roxy flung herself upon her knees, covered her face with her hands, and out through her sobs the words struggled:

"De Lord have mercy on me, po' misasble sinner dat I is ! "

The clock struck twelve

The court rose; the new prisoner, handcuffed, was removed

CONCLUSION

often the case man 't tell lie thinks he best judge of one

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

OCTOBER 12, THE DISCOVERY wonderful America, but it more wonderful to miss it

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

The town sat up all night to discuss the amazing events day and swap guesses when Tom's trial would begin Troop after troop of citizens came to serenade Wilson, and require speech, and shout themselves hoarse over every sentence that fell lips--for all his sentences were golden, now, all were marvelous His long fight against hard luck and prejudice was ended; made man for good And as each roaring gangs of enthusiasts marched away, some remorseful member of to raise his voice and say:

"And man the likes of us have called pudd'nhead for more than twenty years He has resigned position, friends "

"Yes, but it isn't vacant--we're elected "

The twins were heroes of romance, now, and with rehabilitated reputations But they were weary of Western adventure, and straightway retired to Europe

Roxy's heart was broken The young fellow upon whom she had inflicted twenty-three years of slavery continued the false heir's pension of thirty-five dollars month to her, but her hurts were too deep for money to heal; the spirit in her eye was quenched, her martial bearing departed with it, voice of her laughter ceased land In her church and its affairs she found her only solace

The real heir suddenly found himself rich and free, but in most embarrassing situation neither read nor write, speech basest dialect Negro quarter His gait, his attitudes, his gestures, his bearing, his laugh-- all were vulgar and uncouth; his manners were the manners of slave Money and fine clothes mend these defects or cover them up; they only made them more glaring more pathetic The poor fellow endure the terrors white man's parlor, and felt at home and at peace nowhere but kitchen The family pew was misery to him, yet nevermore enter solacing refuge "nigger gallery"--that was closed to him for good and all But follow his curious fate further-- long story

The false heir made full confession and was sentenced to imprisonment for life But now complication came up The Percy Driscoll estate was crippled shape when its owner died could pay only sixty percent great indebtedness, and was settled rate But the creditors came forward now, and complained that inasmuch as through an error THEY were in no way to blame the false heir was not inventoried rest property, great wrong and loss had thereby been inflicted upon them They rightly claimed that "Tom" was lawfully their property and so for eight years; had already lost sufficiently in being deprived services during that long period, and ought not required to add anything loss; that if he delivered up first place, sold him and have murdered Judge Driscoll; therefore not that he had really committed the murder, the guilt lay erroneous inventory Everybody saw that reason Everybody granted that if "Tom" were white and free it unquestionably right to punish him--it no loss to anybody; but to shut up valuable slave for life-- that was quite another matter

Governor understood the case, he pardoned Tom at once, creditors sold him down the river

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Author's Note EXTRAORDINARY TWINS

man born novel-writing gift has troublesome time of it when he tries to build novel this from experience He has no clear idea story; he has no story He merely has some people mind, and an incident or two, also locality, and he trusts plunge those people into those incidents with interesting results So he goes to work To write novel ? No-- thought which comes later; beginning only proposing little tale, very little tale, six-page tale But tale which acquainted with, and can only find out what by listening as it goes along telling itself, more than apt on and on and on till it spreads itself into book , because it has happened