Col.Ⓐhistorical collation Grangerford was a gentleman, you see. He was a gentleman all over; and so was his family. He was well bornⒶhistorical collation, as the saying is, and that’s worth as much in a man as it is in a horse, so the widowⒶhistorical collation DouglasⒶhistorical collation saidⒶemendation, and nobody everⒶemendation denied that she was of the first aristocracy in our townⒶemendation; and papⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation heⒶemendation always said itⒶhistorical collation too, though he warn’t no more quality than a mud-catⒶhistorical collation, himself. Col.Ⓐhistorical collation Grangerford was very tall and very slim, and had a darkish-paly complexion, not a sign of red in it anywheresⒶemendation;Ⓐalteration in the MS he was clean-shavedⒶhistorical collation everyⒶalteration in the MS morning, all over his thinⒶalteration in the MS face, and he had the thinnest kind of lips, and the thinnest kind of nostrils, and a high nose, and heavy eyebrowsⒶemendation, and the blackest kind of eyes, sunk so deep back that they seemed like they wasⒶemendation looking out of caverns at you, as you may say. His forehead was highⒶhistorical collation and his hair was blackⒶemendation and straightⒶhistorical collation and hung to his shoulders. His hands was long and thin, and every day of his life he put on a clean shirt and a full suit from head to footⒶhistorical collation made outⒶemendation of linen so white it hurt your eyes to look at it; and on Sundays he wore a blue tail-coat with brass buttons on it. He carried a mahogany cane with a silver head to it. There warn’t no frivolishnessⒶemendation about himⒶhistorical collation, not a bit, and he warn’t ever loud. He was as kind as he could be—you could feel that, you know, and so you had confidence. Sometimes he smiled, and it was good to see; but when he straightenedⒶemendation himself up like a liberty-poleⒶhistorical collation and the lightning begun to flicker outⒶalteration in the MS from under his eyebrows,Ⓐhistorical collation you wanted to climb a tree [begin page 143] first,Ⓐhistorical collation and find out what the matter was afterwardsⒶhistorical collation. He didn’t ever have to tell anybody to mind their manners—everybody was always good manneredⒶhistorical collation where he was.Ⓔexplanatory note Everybody loved to have him around, too; he was sunshine most always—I mean he made it seem like good weather. When he turned into a cloud-bank it was awful dark for a half a minute,Ⓐhistorical collation and that was enough; there wouldn’t nothingⒶemendation go wrong again for a week.
When him and the old lady come down in the morning, all the family got up out of their chairs and give them good dayⒶhistorical collation and didn’t set down again till they had set down. Then Tom andⒶemendation Bob went to the sideboard where the decanters was, and mixed a glass of bitters and handed it to him, and he held it in his hand and waited till Tom’s and Bob’s was mixed, and then they bowed and saidⒶhistorical collation “Our duty to you, sir, and madam;”Ⓐemendation and they Ⓐemendation Ⓐtextual note bowed the least bit in the world and said thank you, and so they drank, all three, and Bob and Tom poured a spoonful of water on the sugar and the mite of whisky or apple brandyⒺexplanatory note in the bottom of their tumblers, and give it to me and BuckⒶhistorical collation and we drank to the old peopleⒶhistorical collation too.
Bob was the oldestⒶhistorical collation and Tom next. TallⒶhistorical collation, beautiful menⒶhistorical collation with very broad shoulders,Ⓐhistorical collation and brown facesⒶhistorical collation and long black hair and black eyes. They dressed in white linen from head to foot, like the old gentlemanⒶhistorical collation, and wore broad Panama hats.
Then there was Miss Charlotte,Ⓐhistorical collation she was twenty-five, and tall and proud and grand, but as good as she could be,Ⓐhistorical collation when she warn’t stirred up; but when she was, she had a look that would make you wilt in your tracks, like her father. She was beautiful.
So was her sister, Miss Sophia, but it was a different kind. She was gentle and sweet, like a dove, and she was only twenty.Ⓐhistorical collation
Each person had their own nigger to wait on them—Buck, too. My nigger had a monstrous easy time, because I warn’t used to having anybody do anything for me, but Buck’s was on the jump most of the time.
This was allⒶhistorical collation there was of the family,Ⓐhistorical collation now; but there used to be more—three sons—Ⓐhistorical collationthey got killedⒶalteration in the MS; and Emmeline,Ⓐhistorical collation that died.
The old gentleman owned a lot of farmsⒶhistorical collation and over a hundred niggers. Sometimes a stack of people would come there, horseback, from ten orⒶemendation fifteen mileⒶemendation around, and stay five or six days, and have such junketings roundⒶalteration in the MS about and on the river, and dances andⒶalteration in the MS [begin page 144] picnicsⒶemendation in the woods, daytimesⒶemendation, and balls at the house, nights. These people was mostly kin-folksⒶemendation of the family.Ⓐalteration in the MS The men brought their guns with them. It was a handsome lot of quality, I tell you.
There was another clan of aristocracy around there—five or six families—mostly of the name of Shepherdson. They was as high-toned, and well bornⒶhistorical collation, and richⒶhistorical collation and grandⒶhistorical collation as the tribe of Grangerfords. The Shepherdsons and the Grangerfords used the same steamboatⒶhistorical collation landing, which was about two mileⒶemendation above our house; so sometimesⒶhistorical collation when I went up there with a lot of our folksⒶhistorical collation I used to see a lot of the Shepherdsons there, on their fine horses.
One day Buck and me was away outⒶhistorical collation in the woodsⒶhistorical collation hunting, and heard a horse coming. WeⒶalteration in the MS was crossing the road. Buck says:
“Quick! Jump for the woods!”
We done it, and then peeped down the woods through the leaves. Pretty soon a splendid young man come galloping down the road, setting his horse easy and looking like a soldier. He had his gun across his pommel. I had seen him before. It was young HarneyⒶalteration in the MS [begin page 145] Shepherdson. I heard Buck’s gun go off at my ear, and Harney’s hat tumbled off fromⒶhistorical collation his head. He grabbed his gunⒶhistorical collation and rode straight toⒶemendation the place where we was hid. ButⒶemendation we didn’t wait. We started through the woods on a run. The woods warn’t thick, so I looked over my shoulder,Ⓐhistorical collation to dodge the bullet, and twice I seenⒶemendation Harney cover Buck with his gun,Ⓐhistorical collation and then he rode away the way he come—to get his hat, I reckon, but I couldn’t see. WeⒶemendation never stopped running till we got home. The old gentleman’s eyes blazed a minute—Ⓐhistorical collation’twas pleasure, mainlyⒶalteration in the MS, I judged—Ⓐhistorical collationthen his face sort of smoothedⒶemendation downⒶhistorical collation and he saysⒶhistorical collation kind of gentleⒶemendation:
“I don’t like that shooting from behind a bush. Why didn’t you step into the road, my boy?”
“The ShepherdsonsⒶemendation don’t, father. They always take advantageⒶalteration in the MS.”
Miss Charlotte sheⒶemendation held her head up like a queen while Buck was telling his tale, and her nostrils spread and her eyes snapped. The two young men looked darkⒶhistorical collation but never said nothingⒶemendation. Miss Sophia she turnedⒶemendation pale, but the color come back when she found the man warn’t hurt.
[begin page 146] Soon as I could getⒶalteration in the MS Buck down by the corn-cribsⒶemendation under the trees by ourselves, I says:
“Did you want to kill him, Buck?”
“WellⒶhistorical collation I bet I did.”
“What did he do toⒶalteration in the MS you?”
“Him? He never done nothingⒶemendation to me.”
“WellⒶhistorical collation then, what did you want to kill him for?”
“WhyⒶhistorical collation nothing—only it’s on account of the feud.”
“What’s aⒶemendation feud?”
“WhyⒶhistorical collation where was you raised? Don’t you know what a feud is?”
“Never heard of it before—tell me about it.”
“WellⒶemendation,” says Buck, “a feud is this way. A man has a quarrel with another man, and kills him; then that other man’s brother kills him; then the other brothers, on both sides, goes for one another; then the cousins chip in—and by and byⒶhistorical collation everybody’s killed off, and there ain’tⒶhistorical collation no more feud. But it’s kind of slowⒶhistorical collation and takes a long timeⒺexplanatory note.”
“Has this one beenⒶemendation going on long, Buck?”
“WellⒶhistorical collation I should reckon! ItⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation started thirty year ago, orⒶalteration in the MS som’ers along there. There was trouble ’bout somethingⒶalteration in the MS,Ⓐhistorical collation and then a lawsuitⒶemendation to settle it; and the suitⒶalteration in the MS went aginⒶhistorical collation one of the men, and so he up and shot the man that wonⒶemendation the suit—which he would naturally do, of course.Ⓐalteration in the MS Anybody would.”
“What was the trouble about, Buck?—land?”
“I reckon maybeⒶhistorical collation —IⒶemendation don’t know.”
“ WellⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation who done the shooting?—was it a Grangerford,Ⓐhistorical collation or a Shepherdson?”
“Laws, how do I know? ItⒶhistorical collation was so long ago.”
“Don’t anybody know?”
“OⒶhistorical collation, yes, pa knows, I reckon, and some of the other old folks; but theyⒶemendation don’t know,Ⓐhistorical collation now,Ⓐemendation what the row was about in the first place.”
“Has there been many killed,Ⓐalteration in the MS Buck?”
“Yes—rightⒶalteration in the MS smart chance of funerals. But they don’t always kill. Pa’s got a few buck-shot in him; but he don’t mind it,Ⓐhistorical collation ’cuz he don’t weigh muchⒶhistorical collation anyway. Bob’s beenⒶemendation carved up some with a BowieⒶhistorical collation, and Tom’s beenⒶemendation hurt once or twice.”
“Has anybody beenⒶemendation killed this year, Buck?”
“Yes, weⒶalteration in the MS got one,Ⓐhistorical collation and theyⒶalteration in the MS got one. ’Bout three months ago, my [begin page 147] cousin Bud, fourteen year old, was riding through the woods,Ⓐhistorical collation on t’other side of the river, and didn’t have no weaponⒶemendation with him, which was blame’Ⓐemendation foolishness,Ⓐhistorical collation and in a lonesome place he hearsⒶalteration in the MS a horse a-coming,Ⓐhistorical collation behind him, andⒶalteration in the MS sees old Baldy Shepherdson a-linkin’ after him with his gun in his handⒶhistorical collation and his white hair a-flying in the wind; and ’stead of jumping off and taking to the brush, Bud ’lowed he could outrun him; so they had it, nip and tuck, for five mile or more, the old man a-gaining all the time; soⒶhistorical collation at last Bud seen it warn’t any use, so he stopped and faced around,Ⓐhistorical collation so as to have the bullet holesⒶemendation in front, you know, and the old man heⒶemendation rode up and shot him down. But he didn’t git much chance to enjoyⒶemendation his luck, for inside of a week our folks laid him out.”
“I reckon that old man was a coward, Buck.”
“I reckon he warn’t a coward. NotⒶhistorical collation by a blame’Ⓐemendation sight. There ain’tⒶhistorical collation a coward amongst them Shepherdsons—not a one. And there ain’tⒶhistorical collation no cowards amongst the GrangerfordsⒶalteration in the MS, either. WhyⒶhistorical collation that old man kep’ up his end in a fight,Ⓐhistorical collation one day, for a halfⒶemendation an hour, againstⒶemendation three Grangerfords, and come out winner. TheyⒶalteration in the MS was all a-horseback; he lit off ofⒶemendation his horse and got behind a little woodpileⒶhistorical collation, and kep’ his horse before him to stop the bullets;Ⓐalteration in the MS but the Grangerfords staid on their horses and capered around the old man, and peppered away at him, and he peppered away at them. Him and his horse both went home pretty leaky and crippled, but the Grangerfords had to be fetched home—and one of ’em was dead, and another died theⒶemendation next day. No, sir,Ⓐhistorical collation if a body’s out hunting for cowards, he don’tⒶalteration in the MS want to fool away any time amongst them Shepherdsons, becuz they don’t breed any of that kind.”
Next Sunday we all wentⒶalteration in the MS to church, about three mile, everybody a-horseback. The men took their guns along, so did Buck, and kept them between their knees or stood them handyⒶalteration in the MS against the wall. The Shepherdsons done the same.Ⓔexplanatory note It was pretty ornery preaching—ⒶemendationallⒶalteration in the MS about brotherly loveⒶhistorical collation and such-like tiresomeness,Ⓐhistorical collation but everybody said it was a good sermon, and they all talked it over,Ⓐhistorical collation going home, and had such a powerful lot to say about faith, and good works, and free grace, and preforeordestinationⒺexplanatory note, and I don’t know what all, that it did seem to me to be one of the roughest Sundays I had run acrossⒶemendation yet.
About an hour after dinner everybody was dozing around, some [begin page 148] in their chairs and some in their rooms, and it got to be pretty dull. Buck and a dog was stretched out on the grass in the sun, sound asleep. I wentⒶalteration in the MS up to our room, and judged I would take a nap myself. I found that sweet Miss Sophia standing in her door, which was next to ours, and she took me in her room and shut the door very soft, and asked me if I liked her, and I said I did; and she asked me if I would do something for her and not tell anybody, and I said I would. Then she said she’d forgot her Testament, and left itⒶalteration in the MS in the seat atⒶemendation church, between two other books,Ⓐhistorical collation and would I slip out quiet and go there and fetch it to her, and not say nothing to nobody.Ⓐemendation I said I would. So I slid out and slipped off up the road, and there warn’t anybody at the church, except maybeⒶhistorical collation a hog or two,Ⓐhistorical collation for there warn’t any lock on the door, and hogs likes a puncheon floorⒺexplanatory note in summerⒶalteration in the MS timeⒶhistorical collation because it’s cool. If you notice, most folks don’t go to church only when they’ve got to; but a hog is different
SaysⒶemendation I to myself,Ⓐhistorical collation something’s up—it ain’tⒶhistorical collation natural for a girl to be in such a sweat about a Testament; so I giveⒶemendation it a shake, and out drops [begin page 149] a little piece of paper with “Half-past two” wrote on it with a pencil. I ransacked it, butⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation couldn’t find anything else. I couldn’t make anything out of that, so I put the paper in the book again, and when I got home and up stairsⒶhistorical collation, there was Miss Sophia in her door waiting for me. She pulled me in and shut the door; then she looked in the Testament till she found the paper, and as soon as she read it she looked glad; and before a body could think,Ⓐhistorical collation she grabbed me and give me a squeezeⒶemendation, and said I was the best boy in the world, and not to tell anybody. She was mighty red in the face,Ⓐhistorical collation for a minute, and her eyes lighted up,Ⓐemendation and it made her powerful pretty. I was a good deal astonished, but when I got my breath I asked her what the paper was about, and she asked me if I had read it, and I said no, and she asked me if I could read writing, and I told her “no, only coarse-hand,” and then she said the paper warn’tⒶemendation anything but a book-markⒶemendation to keep her place, and I might go and play,Ⓐhistorical collation now.
I went off down to the river, studying over this thing, and pretty soon I noticed that my nigger was following along behind. When we was out of sight of the house, he looked back and around,Ⓐhistorical collation a second, and then comes a-runningⒶhistorical collation and says—Ⓐemendation
“Mars JawgeⒶemendation, if you’ll come down into de swamp, I’ll show you a whole stack o’ water-moccasinsⒶalteration in the MS.”
Thinks I, that’sⒶemendation mighty curious; he said that yesterday. He oughter knowⒶemendation a body don’t love water-moccasinsⒶemendation enough to go around hunting for them. What is he up to,Ⓐhistorical collation anyway? So I says—Ⓐhistorical collation
“All right—Ⓐhistorical collationtrot ahead.”
I followed a halfⒶemendation a mile, then he struck out overⒶemendation the swamp and waded ancle deepⒶhistorical collation as much as another half mileⒶemendation. We come to a little flat piece of landⒶhistorical collation which was dry,Ⓐhistorical collation and very thick with trees and bushes and vines, and he says—
“You shove right in dah, jist a few steps, marsⒶemendation JawgeⒶtextual note Ⓐemendation, dah’s whah dey is. I’s seed ’mⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation befo’, IⒶalteration in the MS don’t k’yer to see ’em no mo’.”
Then he slopped right along and went away, and pretty soon the trees hid him. I poked into the place a waysⒶhistorical collation, and come to a little open patch as big as a bedroom, all hung around with vines, and found a man laying there asleep—and by jings it was my old Jim!
I waked him up, and I reckoned itⒶalteration in the MS was going to be a grand surprise to him to see me again, but it warn’tⒶemendation. He nearly cried, he was so glad, but he warn’t surprised. Said he swum along behind me,Ⓐhistorical collation that night, [begin page 150] and heard me yell,Ⓐhistorical collation every time, but dasn’tⒶemendation answer, because he didn’t want nobodyⒶemendation to pick him up, and take him into slavery again. Says he—Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS
“I got hurt a little, enⒶalteration in the MS couldn’t swim fas’Ⓐalteration in the MS, so I wuzⒶemendation a considableⒶalteration in the MS ways behine you,Ⓐhistorical collation towardsⒶhistorical collation deⒶhistorical collation las’;Ⓐemendation when you landedⒶemendation I reck’nedⒶhistorical collation I could ketch up wid you on de lan’Ⓐemendation ’doutⒶalteration in the MS havin’ to shout at you, but when I see dat house I begin to go slow. I ’uzⒶemendation off too fur to hear what dey sayⒶemendation to you—I wuzⒶemendation ’fraidⒶhistorical collation o’ de dogs—but when it ’uzⒶemendation all quiet aginⒶhistorical collation, I knowed you’sⒶemendation in de house, so I struck out for de woods to wait for day. Early in de mawnin’ some erⒶemendation deⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐtextual note niggers come along, gwyneⒶhistorical collation to de fields, en deyⒶalteration in the MS tuck me enⒶalteration in the MS showed me dis place, whah de dogs can’t track me on accounts o’ de water, enⒶalteration in the MS dey brings me truck to eat every night, enⒶalteration in the MS tells me how you’s a gitt’nⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation along.”
“Why didn’t you tell my Jack to fetch me here sooner, Jim?”
“Well, ’twarn’t noⒶemendation use to ’sturb you, Huck, tell we could do sumfnⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation—but we’s all right,Ⓐhistorical collation now. I benⒶemendation a-buyin’ pots enⒶalteration in the MS pans enⒶalteration in the MS vittles, as I got a chanst, enⒶalteration in the MS a-patchin’Ⓐhistorical collation up deⒶalteration in the MS raf’, nightsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation when—Ⓐhistorical collation”
“What raft, Jim?”
“OurⒶemendation ole raf’.”
“You mean to say our old raft warn’tⒶalteration in the MS smashed all to flinders?”
“No, she warn’t. She was tore up a good deal—one en’Ⓐalteration in the MS of her was—but dey warn’t no great harm done, on’y our traps was mos’Ⓐalteration in the MS all los’Ⓐalteration in the MS. Ef we hadn’Ⓐemendation dive’ so deep enⒶalteration in the MS swum so fur under water, enⒶalteration in the MS de night hadn’Ⓐemendation ben soⒶalteration in the MS dark, en weⒶalteration in the MS warn’t so sk’yerd, en benⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation sich punkin-heads, as deⒶalteration in the MS sayin’ is, we’dⒶalteration in the MS a seedⒶemendation de raf’. But it’s jis’Ⓐalteration in the MS as well we didn’t, ’kaseⒶemendation now she’s all fixed up aginⒶhistorical collation mos’Ⓐalteration in the MS as good as new, enⒶalteration in the MS we’s got a new lot o’ stuff, too, in de place o’ whatⒶalteration in the MS ’uzⒶemendation los’Ⓐalteration in the MS.”
“WhyⒶhistorical collation how did you getⒶalteration in the MS hold of the raft again, Jim—did you catch her?”
“HowⒶalteration in the MS I gwyneⒶemendation to ketch her,Ⓐalteration in the MS enⒶalteration in the MS I out in de woods?Ⓐalteration in the MS No,Ⓐhistorical collation some erⒶemendation de niggers foun’ her ketched on a snagⒶhistorical collation along heahⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation in de ben’Ⓐemendation, enⒶalteration in the MS dey hid her in a crick, ’mongst de willows, enⒶalteration in the MS dey wuzⒶemendation so much jawin’ ’bout which un ’umⒶemendation she b’long to de mos’, dat I come to heahⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation ’bout it pootyⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation soon, so I ups enⒶalteration in the MS settles deⒶalteration in the MS trouble by tellin’ ’umⒶemendation she don’t b’long to none uv umⒶemendation, but to you en meⒶalteration in the MS; en IⒶalteration in the MS ast ’mⒶemendation if dey gwyneⒶhistorical collation to grab a young white genlman’sⒶhistorical collation propatyⒶemendation, enⒶalteration in the MS git a hid’nⒶemendation for it? Den I gin ’mⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation ten cents apiece, en deyⒶalteration in the MS ’uzⒶemendation mighty well satisfied, en wishtⒶalteration in the MS some [begin page 151] mo’ raf’s ’udⒶemendation come along enⒶalteration in the MS make ’mⒶemendation rich aginⒶhistorical collation. Dey’s mighty good to me, dese niggers isⒶemendation, enⒶalteration in the MS whatever I wants ’mⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation to do furⒶemendation me, I doan’Ⓐemendation have to ast ’mⒶalteration in the MS twice, honey. Dat Jack’s a good nigger, enⒶalteration in the MS pootyⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation smart.”
“Yes, he is. He ain’tⒶhistorical collation ever told me you was here; told me to come, and he’d show me a lot of water-moccasins. IfⒶemendation anything happens, he ain’t mixed up in it. He can say he never seen us together, and it’ll be the truth.”Ⓔexplanatory note
IⒶemendation don’t want to talk much about theⒶemendation next day. I reckon I’ll cut it pretty short. I waked up about dawn,Ⓐalteration in the MS and was agoingⒶemendation to turn over and go to sleep again, when I noticed how still it was—didn’t seem to be anybody stirring. That warn’t usual. Next I noticed that Buck was up and gone. Well, I gets up, a-wondering,Ⓐalteration in the MS and goes down stairsⒶhistorical collation—nobody around; everything as stillⒶemendation as a mouse. Just the same outside; thinksⒶemendation I, what does it mean? DownⒶemendation by the woodpileⒶemendation I comes acrossⒶemendation my Jack, and says—Ⓐemendation
“What’s it all about?”
Says he—Ⓐhistorical collation
“Don’t you know, marsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation JawgeⒶemendation?”
“No,” says I, “I don’t.”
“Well, den, Miss Sophia’s run off! ’DeedⒶhistorical collation she has. She run off in de night, some timeⒶhistorical collation—nobody don’t know jis’Ⓐalteration in the MS when—run off to gitⒶhistorical collation married to dat young Harney Shepherdson, you know—leastways, so dey ’specⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation. De fambly foun’ it out,Ⓐhistorical collation ’bout halfⒶemendation an hour ago—Ⓐhistorical collation maybeⒶhistorical collation a little mo’Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS— enⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation I tell you dey warn’t no time los’. Sich another hurryin’ up guns enⒶalteration in the MS hossesⒶhistorical collation you never see! De women folks has gone for to stir up de relations, enⒶalteration in the MS oleⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation marsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation Saul en deⒶalteration in the MS boys tuck dey guns en rodeⒶalteration in the MS upⒶemendation de river road for to try to ketch dat young man en killⒶalteration in the MS him ’fo’ he kin git acrost de river wid Miss Sophia. I reck’nⒶemendation dey’s gwyneⒶhistorical collation to be mighty rough times.”
“Buck went off ’thout waking me up.”
“WellⒶhistorical collation I reck’nⒶemendation he did! Dey warn’t gwyneⒶhistorical collation to mix youⒶemendation up in it. Mars Buck he loadedⒶemendation up his gun enⒶalteration in the MS ’lowed he’s gwyne to fetch home a Shepherdson or bust. Well, dey’ll be plenty unⒶemendation ’mⒶalteration in the MS dah, I reck’nⒶemendation, enⒶalteration in the MS you bet you he’ll fetch one efⒶemendation he gits a chanst.”
I took upⒶemendation the river road as hard as I could put. By and byⒶhistorical collation I beginⒶhistorical collation to hear guns a good ways off. When I come in sight of the log store and [begin page 152] the woodpileⒶemendation where the steamboatsⒶhistorical collation lands, I worked along under the trees and brush till I got to a good place, and then I clumb up into the forks of a cottonwoodⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation that was out of reachⒶemendation, and watched. There was a wood-rank,Ⓐhistorical collation fourⒶalteration in the MS foot high, a little ways in front of the tree, and first I was going to hide behind that; but maybeⒶhistorical collation it was luckier I didn’t.
There was four or five men cavorting around on their horses inⒶalteration in the MS the open place before the log store, cussing and yelling, and trying to get at a couple of young chaps that was behind the wood-rank alongsideⒶemendation of the steamboatⒶhistorical collation landing—but they couldn’t come it. Every time oneⒶalteration in the MS of them showed himself on the river side of the wood pileⒶhistorical collation he got shot at. The two boys was squatting back to back behind the pile, so they could watch both ways.
By and byⒶhistorical collation the men stopped cavorting around,Ⓐhistorical collation and yelling. They started riding towardsⒶhistorical collation the store; then up gets one of the boys, draws a steady bead overⒶalteration in the MS the wood-rankⒶemendation, and drops one of them out of his saddle. All the men jumped off of their [begin page 153] horses and grabbed the hurt one and started to carry him to the store; and that minute the two boys started on the run. They got half wayⒶhistorical collation to the tree I was in,Ⓐhistorical collation before the men noticed. Then the men seeⒶemendation them, and jumped on their horses and took out after them. They gained on the boys, but it didn’t do noⒶemendation good, the boys had too good a start; they got to the wood pileⒶhistorical collation that was in front of my tree, and slippedⒶemendation in behind it, and so they had the bulge onⒶemendation the men again. One of the boys was Buck, and the other was a slim young chapⒶalteration in the MS about nineteen years old.
The men ripped around a whileⒶhistorical collation, and then rode away. As soon as they was out of sight, I sung out to Buck and told him. He didn’t know what to make of my voice coming out of the tree,Ⓐhistorical collation at first. He was awfulⒶemendation surprised. He told me to watch out sharp and let him know when the men come in sight again; said they was up to some devilment or other—wouldn’t be gone long. I wished I was out of that tree, but I dasn’tⒶemendation come down. Buck begun to cry and rip,Ⓐalteration in the MS and ’lowed that him and his cousin Joe (that was the other young chap) would make up for this day,Ⓐhistorical collation yet. He said his father and his two brothers was killed, and two or three of the enemy. Said the Shepherdsons laid for them,Ⓐhistorical collation in ambush. Buck said his father and brothers ought to waited for their relations—the Shepherdsons was too strong for them. I asked him what was become of young Harney and Miss Sophia. He said they’d got acrossⒶemendation the river and was safe. I was glad of that; but the way Buck did take on because he didn’t manage to kill Harney that day he shot at him—I hain’tⒶemendation ever heard anything like it.
All of a sudden, bang! bang! bang! goes three or four guns—the men had slipped around through the woods,Ⓐhistorical collation and come in from behind without their horsesⒶalteration in the MS! The boysⒶalteration in the MS jumped for the river—both of them hurtⒶemendation—and as they swumⒶhistorical collation down the current the men run along the bank shooting at them and singing out, “Kill them, kill them!” It made me so sick,Ⓐhistorical collation I most fell out of the tree. I ain’t agoingⒶhistorical collation to tell all that happened—it would make me sick again if I was to do that. I wished I hadn’t ever come ashore that night, toⒶalteration in the MS see such things. I ain’tⒶhistorical collation ever going to get shut of them—lots of times I dream about them.
I staid in the tree till it begun to get dark,Ⓐalteration in the MS afraid to come down. Sometimes I heard guns away off in the woods; and twice I seenⒶemendation little gangs of men gallop pastⒶalteration in the MS the log store with guns; so I reckoned the trouble was still agoingⒶhistorical collation on. I was mighty down-hearted;Ⓐhistorical collation soⒶemendation I made up my mind I wouldn’t ever go anear that house again, because I reckoned I was to blame, somehow. I judged that that piece of paper [begin page 154] meant that Miss Sophia was to meet Harney somewheres at half-past two and run off; and I judged I ought to told her father about that paper and the curious way she acted, and then maybeⒶhistorical collation he would aⒶemendation locked her upⒶhistorical collation and this awful mess wouldn’t everⒶemendation happened.
When I got down out of the treeⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS I crept along down the river bank a piece, and found the two bodies laying in the edge of the waterⒺexplanatory note, and tugged at themⒶalteration in the MS till I got them ashore; then I covered up their faces, and got away as quick as I could. I cried a little when I was covering up Buck’s face, for he was mighty good to me.
It was just dark,Ⓐhistorical collation now. I never went near the house, but struck through the woods and made for the swamp. Jim warn’t on his island, so I tramped off in a hurry for the crick, and crowded through the willows, red-hot to jump aboard and get out of that awful country—theⒶhistorical collation raft was gone! My souls, but I was scared!Ⓐalteration in the MS I couldn’t get my breath for most a minute. Then I raised a yell.Ⓐemendation A voice not twenty-five foot from meⒶhistorical collation says—Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation
“Good lan’! is datⒶalteration in the MS you, honey? Doan’Ⓐemendation make noⒶemendation noise.”
It was Jim’s voice—nothing ever sounded so good before. I run along the bank a piece and got aboard, and Jim heⒶemendation grabbed me and hugged me, he was so glad to see me. He says—Ⓐhistorical collation
“Laws bless you, chile, I ’uzⒶemendation right down sho’ you’sⒶemendation dead aginⒶhistorical collation. Jack’s benⒶhistorical collation heah,Ⓐhistorical collation enⒶhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐtextual note he sayⒶalteration in the MS he reck’nⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation you’s benⒶhistorical collation shot, kase you didn’Ⓐemendation come home no mo’; so I’sⒶemendation jes’Ⓐalteration in the MS dis minute a startin’Ⓐhistorical collation de raf’ down towards de mouf erⒶalteration in the MS de crick, so’sⒶemendation to be all ready for to shove out enⒶalteration in the MS leave soon as Jack comes aginⒶhistorical collation enⒶalteration in the MS tells me for certain you is dead. Lawsy, I’s mighty glad to git you back aginⒶhistorical collation, honey.”
I says—Ⓐhistorical collation
“All right—that’s mighty good; they won’tⒶhistorical collation find me, and they’llⒶemendation think I’ve been killed, and floated down the river—there’s something up there that’llⒶemendation help them to think so—Ⓐhistorical collationso don’t you lose no time, Jim, but just shove offⒶemendation for the big water as fast as ever you can.”
I never felt easy till the raft was two mileⒶemendation below there and out in the middle of the Mississippi. Then we hung up our signal lantern, and judged that we was free and safe once more. I hadn’t had a bite to eat since yesterday; so Jim heⒶemendation got out some corn-dodgers,Ⓐhistorical collation and buttermilk,Ⓐalteration in the MS and pork and cabbage, and greens—there ain’tⒶhistorical collation nothing in the world soⒶemendation good, when it’s cooked right—and whilst I eat my [begin page 155] supper we talked, and had a good time. I was powerful glad to get away from the feuds, and so was Jim to get away from the swamp. We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft.
to] written over partly formed ‘y’.
Col. Grangerford . . . good mannered where he was.] This description of Colonel Grangerford, written in the summer of 1876, is very similar to that of Judge Griswold in Mark Twain’s unfinished novel “Simon Wheeler, Detective,” written in the winter of 1877–78, which also featured a destructive feud:
He was sixty years old; very tall, very spare, with a long, thin, smooth-shaven, intellectual face, and long black hair that lay close to his head, was kept to the rear by his ears as one keeps curtains back by brackets, and fell straight to his coat collar without a single tolerant kink or relenting curve. He had an eagle’s beak and an eagle’s eye. He was a Kentuckian by birth and rearing; he came of the oldest and best Kentucky Griswolds, and they from the oldest and proudest Griswolds of Virginia. Judge Griswold’s manners and carriage were of the courtly old-fashioned sort; he had never worked; he was a gentleman. . . .
The Judge was punctiliously honorable, austerely upright. No man wanted his bond who had got his word. He was grave even to sternness; he seldom smiled. He loved strongly, but without demonstration; he hated implacably. ( S&B , 313–14)
Both Grangerford and Griswold recall some characteristics of Clemens’s own father: Judge Clemens was tall, slim, and smooth shaven, and he had elaborate manners. Like Griswold, he had roots in Virginia and Kentucky, and was stern and unsmiling. Like Grangerford, he often wore a swallow-tailed coat with brass buttons. Grangerford is also a recognizable type: the southern aristocratic gentleman, who appears in scores of nineteenth-century novels in the “plantation tradition” (Blair 1960a, 214–19; S&B , 307–9; see also the note to 146.12–17). Although Grangerford was previously described as “gray and about sixty” (133.19), here his hair is black, presumably a simple oversight.
Next Sunday we all went to church. . . . The Shepherdsons done the same.] In Life on the Mississippi (chapter 26), Mark Twain, clearly drawing on knowledge of his own, ostensibly quoted a fellow steamboat passenger who lived in the neighborhood of the Darnells and Watsons:
Both families belonged to the same church (everybody around here is religious); through all this fifty or sixty years’ fuss, both tribes was there every Sunday, to worship. They lived each side of the line, and the church was at a landing called Compromise. Half the church and half the aisle was in Kentucky, the other half in Tennessee. Sundays you ’d see the families drive up, all in their Sunday clothes, men, women, and children, and file up the aisle, and set down, quiet and orderly, one lot on the Tennessee side of the church and the other on the Kentucky side; and the men and boys would lean their guns up against the wall, handy, and then all hands would join in with the prayer and praise; though they say the man next the aisle did n’t kneel down, along with the rest of the family; kind of stood guard. (SLC 1883a, 286–87; Branch and Hirst, 42)
hogs likes a puncheon floor] In a reminiscence written in 1877, Clemens recalled the church in Florida, Missouri, near his uncle John Quarles’s farm:
There was a log church, with a puncheon floor & slab benches. A puncheon floor is made of logs whose upper surfaces have been chipped flat with the adze. The cracks between the logs were not filled; there was no carpet; consequently, if you dropped anything smaller than a peach, it was likely to go through. The church was perched upon short sections of logs, which elevated it two or three feet from the ground. Hogs slept under there, & whenever the dogs got after them during services, the minister had to wait till the disturbance was over. In winter there was always a refreshing breeze up through the puncheon floor; in summer there were fleas enough for all. (SLC 1877a, 2–3)
a couple of young chaps that was behind the wood-rank . . . found the two bodies laying in the edge of the water] Mark Twain’s model for this incident in Huckleberry Finn and in the nearly identical scene in Life on the Mississippi was manifestly the incident at Compromise, Kentucky, a flare-up in the Darnell-Watson feud, to which Clemens told Cholmondeley he had come “near being an eye-witness” (SLC to Cholmondeley, 28 Mar 85, CU-MARK; Branch and Hirst, 45). This is how he recalled it in dictation taken down by his secretary Roswell Phelps in 1882:
I was on a Memphis packet & at a landing we made on the Kentucky side there was a row. Don’t remember as there was anybody hurt then; but shortly afterwards there was another row at that place and a youth of 19 belonging to the Mo. tribe had wandered over there. Half a dozen of that Ky. tribe got after him. He dodged among the wood piles & answered their shots. Presently he jumped into the river & they followed on after & peppered him & he had to make for the shore. By that time he was about dead—did shortly die. ( N&J2 , 568)