Explanatory Notes
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Apparatus Notes
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Chapter XXVIII.
[begin page 238]
in trouble.
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Chapter XXVIII.emendation

By and byhistorical collation it was getting-up time; so I come down the ladder and started for down stairshistorical collation, but as I comealteration in the MS to the girls’alteration in the MS emendation room,historical collation the door was open, and I see Mary Janealteration in the MS setting by her old hairalteration in the MS trunk, which was open and she’d been packing things in it—getting ready to go to England. But she had stopped,historical collation now, with a folded gown in her lap, and had her face in her hands, crying. I felt awful bad to see it; of course anybody would.historical collation I went in there, and says:

“Miss Mary Jane, you can’t abear to see people in trouble, and I can’t—most always. Tell mehistorical collation about it.”

So she done itemendation. And it was the niggers—I just expected it. She saidemendation thealteration in the MS beautiful trip to England was most about spoiled for her; she didn’t know how she was ever going to be happy there, knowing the mother and the children warn’t ever going to see each other no more—alteration in the MSand thenalteration in the MS busted out bitterer thanalteration in the MS ever, and flung up her hands and says:historical collation

Ohistorical collation, dear, dear,historical collation to think they ain’t ever going to see each other any moreemendation!”

“But they willemendationand inside of two weeks—and I know it!” says I.emendation

Laws,historical collation it was out before I could think!alteration in the MS—and before I could budge, she throwsemendation her arms around my neck, and toldemendation me to say it again, say it again, say it again!

[begin page 239] I see I had spokealteration in the MS too sudden, and said too muchemendation, and was in a closeemendation place. I asked her to let me think,historical collation a minute; and she set there, veryemendation impatient and excitedhistorical collation and handsomeemendation, but looking kind ofemendation happy and eased-up, like a person that’s had a tooth pulled out.alteration in the MS So I went to studying it out. I says to myself, I reckonalteration in the MS a bodyalteration in the MS that ups andalteration in the MS tells the truthalteration in the MS when he is in a tight place, is taking considerable many resks;emendation though I ain’t had no experience, and can’t say for certain; but it looks so to me, anyway; and yet here’semendation a case where I’m blestemendation if it don’t look to me like the truth is betteralteration in the MS, and actulyemendation safer, than a lie. I must lay it by in my mind, and think it over some time or other, it’s so kind of strangealteration in the MS emendation and unregular. I never see nothingemendation like it. Well, I saysemendation to myself,historical collation at last, I’m agoing toemendation chance it; I’ll up and tell the truth this time, thoughemendation it does seem most like setting down on a kag of powder and touching it off,historical collation justemendation to see where you’llemendation go to. Then I says:

“Miss Mary Jane, is there any place,historical collation out of town a little ways,alteration in the MS where you could go and stay three or four days?”

“Yes—Mr. Lothrop’s. Why?”

Neveremendation mind why, yet. If I’llalteration in the MS tell you how I know the niggers will see each other again—inside of twoalteration in the MS weeks—here,emendation in this house—and prove how I know it—will you go to Mr. Lothrop’s and stay four days?”

“Four daysalteration in the MS!” shealteration in the MS says; “I’ll stay a year!”

“All right,” I says,historical collation “I don’t want nothing more out of you than just your wordemendationI drutheremendation have it than another man’s kiss-the-Bible.” She smiled, and reddened up very sweet, and I says, “ifhistorical collation you don’t mind it, I’ll shut the door—and boltalteration in the MS it.”

Then I come back and set down again, andemendation says:

“Don’t you holler. Just set still, and take it like a manemendation. I got to tell the truth, and you want to brace up, Miss Mary, because itemendation’s a bad kind, and going to be hard to take, but there ain’t no help for it. These uncles of yourn ain’t no uncles at all—historical collationthey’re a couplehistorical collation of frauds—regular dead-beats. There, now,historical collation we’re over the worst of it—you can stand the rest middlingalteration in the MS easy.”

It jolted her up,historical collation like everything, of course; but I wasalteration in the MS over the shoal water,historical collation now, so I wentemendation right along,historical collationher eyes a-blazinghistorical collation higher and higher all the time—historical collationandalteration in the MS told her every blame thing, from where we first struck that young fool going upalteration in the MS to the steamboat, clearemendation [begin page 240] through to where she flung herself onto the king’s breast at the front door and he kissed her sixteen or seventeen times—andhistorical collation then up she jumps, with her face afire like sunset, and says:

“The brute! Come—don’t waste a minute—not a second—we’ll have them tarred and feathered, and flung in the river!”

indignation.

Says I:

Cert’nlyemendation. But doalteration in the MS you mean, before you go to Mr. Lothrop’s, or—historical collation

O,” she says, “whatemendation am I thinking about!” she says, and set right down again. “Don’temendation mind what I said—please don’t—you won’t, now, will you?” layinghistorical collation her silky hand on minehistorical collation in that kind of a way that I said I would die first. “I never thought, I was so stirred up,” she says; “nowhistorical collation go on, and I won’talteration in the MS do soalteration in the MS any more. You tell me what to do, and whatever you say, I’ll do it.”

“Well,” I says, “it’salteration in the MS a rough gang, them twoalteration in the MS frauds, and I’m fixed so I got to travel with them a whilehistorical collation longer, whether I want to or not—I drutheremendation not tell you why—and if you was to blow on them this town would get me out of their claws, andemendation I’d be all right,historical collation but there’d be another person that you don’t know about who’d be in bigemendation trouble. Well, we got to save him historical collation hain’t we? Of course. Wellhistorical collation then, we won’t blow on them.”alteration in the MS

Saying them words put a goodemendation idea inemendation my head. I seeemendation alteration in the MS how maybehistorical collation I could get me and Jimemendation rid of theemendation frauds:historical collation get them jailed,historical collation here, and thenalteration in the MS leave.emendation But I didn’t want to run the raft in daytimeemendation, without anybody aboard to answer questions but me; so I didn’t want the planemendation to begin workingemendation till pretty late to-night. I says:

“Miss Mary Jane, I’ll tell you what we’ll do—alteration in the MSand you won’t have to stay at Mr. Lothrop’s so long, nutheremendation. How furemendation is it?”

“A little short of fouralteration in the MS miles—right out in the country, back here.”alteration in the MS

“Well, that’ll answer. Now you go alongemendation out there, and lay lowemendation [begin page 241] till ninealteration in the MS or half-past,historical collation to-night, and then get them to fetchemendation you home again—tell them you’ve thought of something. If you get here before eleven, put a candle in this window, and if I don’t turn up,alteration in the MS waitemendation alteration in the MS till eleven,historical collation and then emendation if I don’t turn up,historical collation it meansemendation I’m gone, and out of the way, and safe. Then you comeemendation out and spread the news around,emendation and get these beats jailed.”

Good,” she says, “I’llemendation do it.emendation

“And if it justalteration in the MS happens soemendation that I don’temendation get away, but get took up,historical collation along with them, you must up and say I told you the whole thing beforehand, and you must stand by me all you can.”

“Stand byemendation you, indeed I will.emendation They shan’thistorical collation touch a hair of your head!” she says, and I see her nostrilsalteration in the MS spread and her eyes snap when she said it, tooemendation.

“If I get away, I shan’thistorical collation alteration in the MS be here,” I says, “to prove these rapscallions ain’t your uncles, and I couldn’t do italteration in the MS if I was here. I could swear they was beats and bummers, that’s all; though that’s worth somethingemendation. Well, there’s others can do that,historical collation betteralteration in the MS than whatemendation I can—and they’re people that ain’t going to be doubted as quick as I’d be. I’ll tell you how to find them. Gimme a pencil and a piecealteration in the MS of paper. ThereemendationRoyal Nonesuch emendation, Bricksville.’ Put it awayemendation, and don’t lose it. When the court wants to find out somethingalteration in the MS about these twoemendation, let them send up to Bricksville and say they’ve got the menemendation that played the Royal Nonesuch,emendation and ask for some witnesses—whyalteration in the MS historical collation, you’ll have that entireemendation town down here before you can hardlyemendation wink, Miss Mary.alteration in the MS Andhistorical collation they’ll come a-bilingemendation, tooemendation.”

how to find them.

[begin page 242] I judged we had got everything fixed about right,historical collation now. Soemendation I says:

“Just let the auction go right along, and don’temendation worry. Nobody don’t have to pay for the things they buy till a whole day after the auction, on accounts of the short notice, and theyemendation ain’t going out of this till they get that money—historical collationand the way we’ve fixed ithistorical collation the sale ain’t going to count, and they ain’t going to get no money. It’s just like the way it was withemendation the niggers—it warn’t no sale, and the niggers will be backemendation before long. Why, theyemendation can’t collect the money for the niggers,historical collation yet—they’re in the worst kind of a fix, Miss Maryemendation.”

“Well,” she says, “I’ll run down to breakfast,historical collation now, and then I’ll start straight for Mr. Lothrop’s.”

“ ’Deed, that ain’t the ticket, Miss Mary Jane,” I says, “by no manner of means;emendation go before alteration in the MS breakfast.”

“Why?”

Whatemendation did you reckon I wanted you to go at all,historical collation for, Miss Maryemendation?”

“Well, I never thought—and come to think, I don’t know. What was it?”

“Why, it’s because you ain’t one of these leather-faceemendation people. I don’t want no better book thanhistorical collation what your face is. A body can setemendation down and read it offemendation like coarse print.historical collation Do you reckon you can go andemendation face your uncles, when they come to kiss youemendation good-morningemendation, and never—historical collation

“There, there, don’t!emendation Yes, I’ll go before breakfast—I’ll be glad to. And leave my sisters with them?”

“Yes—never mind about them. They’vealteration in the MS got to stand it yet awhilehistorical collation. Theyemendation might suspicion something if all of you was to go. I don’t want you to see them, nor your sisters, nor nobodyemendation in this town—ifalteration in the MS emendation a neighbor was to ask how is your unclesalteration in the MS this morning, your face would tell something. No,emendation you go right along, Miss Mary Jane, and I’ll fix it with all of thememendation. I’ll tell Miss Susan to give your love to your uncles and say you’ve wentemendation away for a few hours for toemendation get a little rest and change, or to see a friend,alteration in the MS and you’ll be back tonighthistorical collation or early in the morning.”

“Gone to see a friendalteration in the MS is all right, but I won’t haveemendation my love given to them.emendation

“Well, then, it shan’thistorical collation be.” It was well enough to tell her so—historical collation no harm in itemendation. It was only a little thing to do, and no trouble; and it’salteration in the MS the little things that smoothesalteration in the MS people’s roads the most, down here [begin page 243] below; it would make Mary Jane comfortable, and it wouldn’temendation cost nothing.alteration in the MS alteration in the MS historical collation Then I says: “There’s one more thing—that bag of money.”

“Well, they’ve got that; and it makes me feel pretty silly to think how they got it.”

“No, you’re out,historical collation there. They hain’t got it.”

“Why, who’semendation got it?emendation

“I wish I knowed, but I don’t.alteration in the MS I had it, because I stole it from them;historical collation and I stole it to giveemendation to you; and I know where I hid it, but I’m afraid it ain’t there no more. I’m awful sorry, Miss Mary Jane, I’m just as sorry as I can be; but I done the best I could; I did, honestemendation. I come nigh getting caught, and I had to shove it into the first place I come to, and runemendation—and it warn’t a good place.”

Ohistorical collation, stopemendation blaming yourself—it’s too bad to do it, and I won’t allow italteration in the MShistorical collationyou couldn’t help it;historical collation it wasn’t yourhistorical collation fault.alteration in the MS Where did you hide it?”

I didn’temendation want to set her to thinking about her troubles againemendation; and I couldn’t seem to getemendation my mouth to tell her what would make her see that corpse laying in the coffin with that bag of money on his stomach.historical collation So,historical collation for aalteration in the MS minute I didn’t say nothingalteration in the MS—then I says:

“I’d ruther not tell you where I put it, Miss Mary Jane, if you don’t mind letting me off; but I’ll write it for you on a piece of paper, and you can read it along the road to Mr. Lothrop’s, if you want to. Do you reckon that’ll do?”

Ohistorical collation, yes.”

he wrote.

So I wrote: “I put it in the coffin. It was in there when you was crying there, away in the night. I was behind the door, and I was mighty sorry for you, Miss Mary Jane.”

It madeemendation my eyes water a little,historical collation to remember her crying there all by herself in the night, and them devils laying there right under her own roof, shamingtextual note her and robbing her; and when I folded it up and [begin page 244] give it to her, I see the water come into her eyes, too; and she shook me by the hand, hard, and says:

Good-bye—historical collationI’m going to do everything just as you’ve told me; and if I don’t ever see you again, I shan’thistorical collation ever forget you, and I’ll think of you a many and a many a time, and I’ll pray for you, tooalteration in the MS!”—and she was gone.

Pray for meemendation! I reckoned if shealteration in the MS knowed me she’d takeemendation a job that was morealteration in the MS nearer her size. But I betemendation she done it, just the same—shealteration in the MS was just that kind. She had the grit to pray for Judusemendation if she took the notion—there warn’t no back-downhistorical collation to her, I judgeemendation. You may say what you want toemendation, but in my opinion sheemendation had more sand in her than any girl I ever see; in my opinion she was just fullemendation of sand. It sounds like flattery, but it ain’t no flattery.alteration in the MS And when it comes to beauty—andemendation goodness tooemendation—she laysalteration in the MS over them all. I hain’t ever seen her since that time that I see her go out ofemendation that dooremendation; noalteration in the MS, I hain’t ever seen her since;historical collation but I reckon I’ve thought of her a many and a many a million times, and of her saying she would pray for me; and if ever I’d a thoughthistorical collation it would do any good for me to pray for her, blamedemendation if I wouldn’t a donehistorical collation it or bust.

Wellemendation, Mary Jane she lit out the back way, I reckon,historical collation because nobody see her go. When I struck Susan and the hare-lipemendation alteration in the MS, I says:

“What’s the name of them people over on t’other side of the river that you-allhistorical collation goesalteration in the MS to see sometimes?”

They says:

“There’s several; but it’s the Proctors,historical collation mainly.”

“That’s the name,” I says; “I most forgot it. Well, Miss Mary Jane she told me to tell you she’s gonealteration in the MS over there in a dreadful hurry—one of them’s sick.”

“Which one?”

“I don’t know;alteration in the MS leastwaysemendation I kinder forget; but I think it’s—historical collation

“Sakes alive, I hope it ain’t Hanner? emendation

“I’m sorryemendation alteration in the MS to say it,” I says, “butemendation Hanner’s the very one.”

My goodnessalteration in the MS—and she so well only last week! Is she took bad?”

It ain’t no name for it.alteration in the MS They set up with her all night, Miss Mary Jane said, and they don’t think she’ll last many hours.”

“Only think of that,alteration in the MS now! What’s the matter withemendation her?historical collation

I couldn’t think of anything reasonable, right offalteration in the MS that way, so I says:

[begin page 245] “Mumps.”

“Mumps your granny!—theyhistorical collation don’t set up with people that’s got the mumps.”

“They don’t, don’t they? You better bet they do with these mumps. Thesealteration in the MS mumps is different. It’s a new kind, Miss Mary Jane said.”

hanner with the mumps.

How’semendation it a new kind?”

“Because it’s mixed up with other things.”

“What other things?”

“Well, measles, and whooping coughhistorical collation, and erysiplasemendation, and consumption, and yaller janders, and brain fever, and I don’t know what all.”

“My land! And they call it the mumps?

“That’s what Miss Mary Jane said.”

“Well, what in the nationemendation do they call it the mumps for?”

“Why, because it is the mumps. That’s what it starts with.”

“Well, ther’emendation ain’t no sense in it. A body might stump his toe, and take pison, and fall down the well, and break his neck, and bust his brains out, and somebody come along and ask what killed him, and [begin page 246] some numskullemendation up and say, ‘Why, he stumped his toe.’ Would ther’emendation be any sense in that? No. And ther’emendation ain’t no sense in this, nuther. Is it ketching?”

“Is it ketching? Whyalteration in the MS, how you talk. Is a harrow catchinghistorical collation?—in the dark? Ifalteration in the MS you don’t hitch onto one tooth, you’re bound to on another, ain’t you? And you can’t get away with that tooth without fetching the whole harrow along, can you? Well, these kind of mumps is a kind of a harrow, asalteration in the MS you may say—and it ain’t no slouch of a harrow, nutheremendation, you come to get it hitched on good.historical collation

“Well, it’s awfulemendation, I think,” says the hare-lipemendation. “I’ll go to unclehistorical collation Harvey and—historical collation

Ohistorical collation, yes,” I says, “I would. Of course I would. I wouldn’t lose no time.”

“Well, whyemendation wouldn’t you?”

“Just look at it a minute, and maybehistorical collation you can seeemendation. Hain’t your uncles obleegedemendation to get along home to England as fast as they can? And doalteration in the MS you reckon they’dhistorical collation be mean enough to go off and leave you to go all that journeyemendation by yourselvesalteration in the MS? You know they’ll wait for you. So furemendation, so good. Your uncle Harvey’s a preacher, ain’t he? Very well, then; is a preacher going to deceive a steamboat clerk?historical collation is he going to deceive a ship clerk? emendation—so as to get them to let Miss Mary Jane go aboard? Now you know he ain’t. What will he do, then? Why, he’ll say, ‘It’s a great pity, but my church matters has got to get along the best way they canemendation; for my niece has been exposed to the dreadful pluribus-unumalteration in the MS mumpsexplanatory note, and so it’s my bounden duty to set down here and wait the three months it takes to show on her if she’s got it.’ But never mindemendation, if you think it’s best to tell your uncle Harvey—historical collation

“Shucks, and stay foolingemendation around herehistorical collation when we could all be having good times in Englandhistorical collation whilst we was waiting to find out whether Mary Jane’s gotalteration in the MS emendation it or not? Why, you talk like a mugginsemendation.”

“Well, anyway, maybehistorical collation you better tell some of the neighbors.”

Listen at that, now. Youalteration in the MS emendation do beat all,historical collation for naturalalteration in the MS stupidness. Can’t you see that they’dhistorical collation go and tell? Ther’emendation ain’t no way but just to not tell anybody at all.

“Well, maybehistorical collation you’re right—yes, I judgeemendation you are right.”

“But I reckon we ought to tell unclehistorical collation Harvey she’s gone out a whileemendation, anyway, so heemendation won’temendation be uneasy about her?”

[begin page 247] “Yes, Miss Mary Jane sheemendation wanted you to do that. She says, ‘Tell them to givealteration in the MS unclehistorical collation Harvey and William my loveemendation and a kiss, and say I’ve run over the river to seealteration in the MS Mr.—Mr.’—historical collationwhat is the name of that rich family your uncle Peter used to think so much of?—I mean the one that—”

“Why, you must mean the Apthorpsemendation, ain’t it?”

“Of course; botheremendation them kind of names,historical collation a body can’t ever seem to remember them, half the time, somehow. Yes, she said, say she has run over for toalteration in the MS ask the Apthorps to be sure and come to the auction and buy this house, because she allowedemendation her uncle Peter would ruther they had it than anybody else; and she’s going to stick to them till they say they’ll come;historical collation andalteration in the MS then if she ain’t too tired, she’s coming home; and if she is, she’ll be home in the morning,historical collation anyway. She said, don’t say nothing about the Proctors, but only [begin page 248] about the Apthorps—which’ll be perfectly true, because she is going there to speak about their buying the house; I know it, because she told me so,historical collation herself.”

the auction.

“All right,” they said, and cleared out to lay for their unclesemendation,alteration in the MS and givealteration in the MS them the love and the kisses, and tell thememendation the message.

Everything was all right,historical collation now. The girls wouldn’t say nothing,emendation because they wanted to go toemendation England; and the king and the dukeemendation would ruther Mary Jane was off workingemendation for the auction thanalteration in the MS around in reach of doctorhistorical collation Robinsonemendation. I felt very good; Iemendation judged I had done itemendation pretty neat—historical collationI reckoned Tom Sawyer couldn’t a donehistorical collation it no neater,historical collation himself.alteration in the MS Of course healteration in the MS would a throwedemendation more style into it,historical collation but I can’t do thatemendation very handy, not being brung up to it.

Wellemendation, they held the auction,historical collation in the public square, along towards the end of the afternoon,alteration in the MS and it strung along, and strung along,historical collation and the old man he was on hand and lookingemendation his level piousesthistorical collation textual note, up there longsidehistorical collation ofemendation the auctioneer, and chipping in a little Scripturealteration in the MS,emendation now and then, or a little goody-goody saying,emendation of some kind,historical collation and the duke he was around goo-gooing for sympathy all he knowed how, and just spreadingalteration in the MS himself generlyemendation.

But by and byhistorical collation thealteration in the MS thing dragged through, and everything was sold. Everythinghistorical collation but a little old triflingemendation lot in the graveyard. Sohistorical collation they’d got to work that off—historical collationI never see such a girafft as theemendation king wasemendation for wanting to swallow everything. Well, whilst they was at it, a steamboat landed, and in about two minutes,historical collation up comes a crowd a whoopinghistorical collation and yelling and laughing and carrying on,historical collation and singingalteration in the MS out:

Here’s your opposition line! Here’shistorical collation your two sets o’ heirsexplanatory note to old Peter Wilks—and you pays your money and you takes your choiceexplanatory note!”historical collation

Historical Collation Chapter XXVIII.
  By and by (MS2 Cent)  ●  By and-by (Aa)  By-and-by (Ab Can) 
  down stairs (MS2,A)  ●  down- | stairs (Cent) 
  room, (MS2,A)  ●  room  (Cent) 
  stopped, (MS2)  ●  stopped  (A Cent) 
  I . . . would. (MS2,A)  ●  not in  (Cent) 
  me (MS2,A)  ●  em (Cent) 
  her; she . . . hands and says: (MS2)  ●  her; she . . . hands, and says (A)  her (Cent) 
  O (MS2)  ●  Oh (A Cent) 
  dear, dear, (MS2,A)  ●  dear, dear! (Cent) 
  Laws, (MS2 Cent)  ●  Laws  (A) 
  think, (MS2)  ●  think  (A Cent) 
  excited (MS2 Cent)  ●  excited, (A) 
  myself, (MS2)  ●  myself  (A Cent) 
  off, (MS2)  ●  off  (A Cent) 
  place, (MS2)  ●  place  (A Cent) 
  says, (MS2,A)  ●  says; (Cent) 
  if (MS2)  ●  If (A Cent) 
  all— (MS2,A)  ●  all; (Cent) 
  couple (MS2 Cent)  ●  couples (A) 
  now, (MS2)  ●  now  (A Cent) 
  up, (MS2)  ●  up  (A Cent) 
  water, (MS2)  ●  water  (A Cent) 
  along,— (MS2)  ●  along,  (A Cent) 
  a-blazing (MS2 Cent)  ●  a blazing (A) 
  time— (MS2)  ●  time, (A Cent) 
  times—and (MS2,A)  ●  times. And (Cent) 
  or— (MS2)  ●  or—— (A Cent) 
  you?” laying (MS2)  ●  you?” Laying (A)  you?”—laying (Cent) 
  mine (MS2 Cent)  ●  mind (A) 
  says; “now (MS2,A)  ●  says. “Now (Cent) 
  a while (MS2,A)  ●  awhile (Cent) 
  right, (MS2,A)  ●  right; (Cent) 
  him  (MS2)  ●  him, (A Cent) 
  Well (MS2)  ●  Well, (A Cent) 
  maybe (MS2,A)  ●  may be (Cent) 
  frauds: (MS2)  ●  frauds; (A Cent) 
  jailed, (MS2)  ●  jailed  (A Cent) 
  half-past, (MS2,A)  ●  half-past (Cent) 
  eleven, (MS2,A)  ●  eleven; (Cent) 
  up, (MS2 Cent)  ●  up  (A) 
  up, (MS2)  ●  up  (A Cent) 
  shan’t (MS2)  ●  sha’n’t (A Cent) 
  shan’t (MS2)  ●  sha’n’t (A Cent) 
  that, (MS2)  ●  that  (A Cent) 
  witnesses—why (MS2,A)  ●  witnesses. Why (Cent) 
  Mary. And (MS2,A)  ●  Mary; and (Cent) 
  right, (MS2,A)  ●  right  (Cent) 
  money— (MS2,A)  ●  money; (Cent) 
  it (MS2,A)  ●  it, (Cent) 
  niggers, (MS2,A)  ●  niggers  (Cent) 
  breakfast, (MS2)  ●  breakfast  (A Cent) 
  all, (MS2)  ●  all  (A) 
  than (MS2)  ●  that (A) 
  “Why? . . . print. (MS2,A)  ●  not in  (Cent) 
  never— (MS2)  ●  never—— (A Cent) 
  awhile (MS2 Cent)  ●  a while (A) 
  tonight (MS2)  ●  to-night (A Cent) 
  shan’t (MS2)  ●  sha’n’t (A Cent) 
  so— (MS2,A)  ●  so. (Cent) 
  no . . . nothing. (MS2,A)  ●  not in  (Cent) 
  out, (MS2,A)  ●  out  (Cent) 
  them; (MS2 Cent)  ●  them: (A) 
  O (MS2)  ●  Oh (A Cent) 
  it— (MS2,A)  ●  it; (Cent) 
  it; (MS2,A)  ●  it— (Cent) 
  your (MS2 Cent)  ●  you (A) 
  and I . . . stomach. (MS2,A)  ●  not in  (Cent) 
  So, (MS2)  ●  So (A)  so (Cent) 
  O (MS2)  ●  Oh (A Cent) 
  little, (MS2,A)  ●  little  (Cent) 
  Good-bye— (MS2,A)  ●  Good-by. (Cent) 
  shan’t (MS2)  ●  sha’n’t (A Cent) 
  back-down (MS2 Cent)  ●  back- | down (A) 
  since; (MS2)  ●  since, (A Cent) 
  a thought (MS2,A)  ●  thought (Cent) 
  a done (MS2,A)  ●  ’a’ done (Cent) 
  reckon, (MS2)  ●  reckon; (A Cent) 
  you-all (MS2)  ●  you. all (A)  you all (Cent) 
  Proctors, (MS2,A)  ●  Proctors  (Cent) 
  it’s— (MS2)  ●  it’s—— (A Cent) 
  her? (MS2 Cent)  ●  her! (A) 
  granny!—they (MS2)  ●  granny! They (A Cent) 
  whooping cough (MS2)  ●  whooping-cough (A Cent) 
  catching (MS2,A)  ●  ketching (Cent) 
  If . . . good. (MS2,A)  ●  not in  (Cent) 
  uncle (MS2)  ●  Uncle (A Cent) 
  and— (MS2)  ●  and—— (A Cent) 
  O (MS2)  ●  Oh (A Cent) 
  maybe (MS2,A)  ●  may be (Cent) 
  they ’d (MS2)  ●  they’d (A Cent) 
  clerk? (MS2,A)  ●  clerk— (Cent) 
  Harvey— (MS2)  ●  Harvey—— (A Cent) 
  here (MS2,A)  ●  here, (Cent) 
  England (MS2,A)  ●  England, (Cent) 
  maybe (MS2,A)  ●  may be (Cent) 
  all, (MS2,A)  ●  all  (Cent) 
  they’d (MS2)  ●  they’d  (A Cent) 
  maybe (MS2,A)  ●  may be (Cent) 
  uncle (MS2)  ●  Uncle (A Cent) 
  uncle (MS2)  ●  Uncle (A Cent) 
  Mr.’— (MS2)  ●  Mr.— (A Cent) 
  names, (MS2,A)  ●  names! (Cent) 
  come; (MS2)  ●  come, (A Cent) 
  morning, (MS2 Cent)  ●  morning  (A) 
  so, (MS2,A)  ●  so  (Cent) 
  right, (MS2)  ●  right  (A Cent) 
  doctor (MS2)  ●  Doctor (A)  Dr. (Cent) 
  neat— (MS2,A)  ●  neat; (Cent) 
  a done (MS2,A)  ●  ’a’ done (Cent) 
  neater, (MS2)  ●  neater  (A Cent) 
  it, (MS2,A)  ●  it; (Cent) 
  auction, (MS2)  ●  auction  (A Cent) 
  and strung along, (MS2,A)  ●  and strung along; (Cent) 
  piousest (MS2)  ●  pisonest (A Cent) 
  longside (MS2,A)  ●  alongside (Cent) 
  kind, (MS2,A)  ●  kind; (Cent) 
  by and by (MS2 Cent)  ●  by-and-by (A) 
  sold. Everything (MS2,A)  ●  sold—everything (Cent) 
  graveyard. So (MS2,A)  ●  graveyard; so (Cent) 
  off— (MS2,A)  ●  off. (Cent) 
  minutes, (MS2)  ●  minutes  (A Cent) 
  a whooping (MS2,A)  ●  a-whooping (Cent) 
  on, (MS2,A)  ●  on. (Cent) 
  Here’s (MS2)  ●  here’s (A) 
  and singing . . . choice!” (MS2,A)  ●  not in  (Cent) 
Editorial Emendations Chapter XXVIII.
  Chapter XXVIII. (A)  ●  not in (MS2 Cent) 
  girls’ (A Cent)  ●  girls’s (MS2) 
  done it (A Cent)  ●  did (MS2) 
  She said (A Cent)  ●  Said (MS2) 
  any more (A Cent)  ●  again (MS2) 
  will— (A Cent)  ●  will!  (MS2) 
  says I. (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  she throws (A Cent)  ●  slam comes (MS2) 
  told (A Cent)  ●  she kissed me right on the mouth, and told (MS2) 
  spoke . . . much (A Cent)  ●  shot my mouth off once too often (MS2) 
  close (A Cent)  ●  mighty close (MS2) 
  very (A Cent)  ●  mighty (MS2) 
  handsome (A Cent)  ●  beautiful (MS2) 
  kind of (A Cent)  ●  kinder (MS2) 
  resks; (C)  ●  risks; (MS2)  resks, (A Cent) 
  here’s (A Cent)  ●  here’s  (MS2) 
  blest (A Cent)  ●  blamed (MS2) 
  actuly (A)  ●  actually (MS2)  actully (Cent) 
  kind of strange (A Cent)  ●  curious (MS2) 
  nothing (A Cent)  ●  anything (MS2) 
  I says (A Cent)  ●  says I (MS2) 
  I’m agoing to (A)  ●  dog my cats if I don’t (MS2)  I’m a-going to (Cent) 
  though (A Cent)  ●  or bust—though (MS2) 
  just (A Cent)  ●  just out of curiosity (MS2) 
  you’ll (A Cent)  ●  you will  (MS2) 
  Never (A Cent)  ●  Never you (MS2) 
  here, (C)  ●  here, (MS2)  here (A Cent) 
  word (A Cent)  ●  word  (MS2) 
  I druther (A Cent)  ●  I’d druther (MS2) 
  Then I come . . . again, and (A Cent)  ●  Which I done. Then I (MS2) 
  man (A Cent)  ●  major (MS2) 
  you want . . . it (A Cent)  ●  it ain’t got no resemblance to pie, neither, so don’t you be disappointed (MS2) 
  went (A Cent)  ●  warbled (MS2) 
  clear (A Cent)  ●  plumb (MS2) 
  Cert’nly (A Cent)  ●  Exackly (MS2) 
  O,” she says, “what (C)  ●  O, what (MS2)  Oh,” she says, “what (A Cent) 
  Don’t (A Cent)  ●  Don’t  (MS2) 
  I druther (A Cent)  ●  druther (MS2) 
  if you . . . claws, and (A Cent)  ●  although this town would get me out of their hands if you was to blow on them, (MS2) 
  big (A Cent)  ●  awful (MS2) 
  good (A Cent)  ●  first-rate (MS2) 
  in (A Cent)  ●  into (MS2) 
  see (A Cent)  ●  see in a minute (MS2) 
  me and Jim (A Cent)  ●  Jim and me (MS2) 
  the (A Cent)  ●  them (MS2) 
  leave. (A Cent)  ●  give them the slip! (MS2) 
  daytime (Cent)  ●  day- | time (MS2)  day-time (A) 
  plan (A Cent)  ●  circus (MS2) 
  working (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  nuther (A Cent)  ●  neither (MS2) 
  fur (A Cent)  ●  far (MS2) 
  along (A Cent)  ●  ’long (MS2) 
  lay low (A Cent)  ●  just lay low and keep shady (MS2) 
  fetch (A Cent)  ●  rustle (MS2) 
  wait (A Cent)  ●  all right—wait (MS2) 
  then  (A Cent)  ●  then (MS2) 
  it means (A Cent)  ●  consider that (MS2) 
  come (A Cent)  ●  hop (MS2) 
  around, (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  Good,” she says, “I’ll (A)  ●  Good—I’ll (MS2)  Good,” she says. “I’ll (Cent) 
  it. (A Cent)  ●  it! (MS2) 
  happens so (A Cent)  ●  so happens (MS2) 
  don’t (A Cent)  ●  miss fire, and don’t (MS2) 
  by (A Cent)  ●  by  (MS2) 
  you, indeed I will. (A)  ●  you! (MS2)  you! indeed I will. (Cent) 
  head!” she says, and I see . . . snap when she said it, too. (A)  ●  head!” [¶] Well, I always liked to see . . . snap, that way. (MS2)  head!” she says. (Cent) 
  something (A Cent)  ●  something  (MS2) 
  what (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  There (A Cent)  ●  There, now (MS2) 
  Royal Nonesuch  (Cent)  ●  Burning Shame  (MS2)  Royal None- |  such  (A) 
  away (A Cent)  ●  in your pocket (MS2) 
  two (A Cent)  ●  two pills (MS2) 
  men (A Cent)  ●  boys (MS2) 
  Royal Nonesuch, (A)  ●  Burning Shame, (MS2)  ‘Royal Nonesuch,’ (Cent) 
  entire (A Cent)  ●  en-tire (MS2) 
  hardly (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  a-biling (A Cent)  ●  a-bilin’ (MS2) 
  too (A Cent)  ●  too, you hear me  (MS2) 
  now. So (A)  ●  now. (MS2)  now; so (Cent) 
  don’t (A Cent)  ●  don’t you (MS2) 
  they (A Cent)  ●  you bet these chaps (MS2) 
  the way it was with (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  back (A Cent)  ●  back here (MS2) 
  they (A Cent)  ●  these rascals (MS2) 
  fix, Miss Mary (A Cent)  ●  fix (MS2) 
  means; (A Cent)  ●  means. I want you to (MS2) 
  What (A)  ●  Now what (MS2) 
  for, Miss Mary (A)  ●  for (MS2) 
  leather-face (A)  ●  leather-faced (MS2) 
  set (A)  ●  just set (MS2) 
  off (A)  ●  right off (MS2) 
  go and (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  when . . . kiss you (A Cent)  ●  and take your regular three or four (MS2) 
  good-morning (A Cent)  ●  good-morning smacks (MS2) 
  don’t! (A Cent)  ●  don’t! I’d rather go hang myself than ever see them again. (MS2) 
  They (A Cent)  ●  These ducks (MS2) 
  nor your . . . nobody (A Cent)  ●  and I don’t want you to see anybody (MS2) 
  town—if (MS2,A)  ●  town. If (Cent) 
  No, (MS2,A)  ●  No; (Cent) 
  all of them (A Cent)  ●  these ducks (MS2) 
  went (A Cent)  ●  gone (MS2) 
  for to (A Cent)  ●  to (MS2) 
  have (A Cent)  ●  have  (MS2) 
  them. (A Cent)  ●  them! (MS2) 
  in it (A)  ●  in that (MS2) 
  it wouldn’t (A)  ●  wouldn’t (MS2) 
  who’s (A Cent)  ●  who has (MS2) 
  it? (A Cent)  ●  it. (MS2) 
  give (A Cent)  ●  give it (MS2) 
  honest (A Cent)  ●  indeed (MS2) 
  run (A Cent)  ●  git  (MS2) 
  stop (A Cent)  ●  come, stop (MS2) 
  I didn’t (A Cent)  ●  Blame it, I didn’t (MS2) 
  again (A Cent)  ●  again, and her poor old dead uncle (MS2) 
  get (A)  ●  frame (MS2) 
  made (A Cent)  ●  kinder made (MS2) 
  for me (A Cent)  ●  for me—good land (MS2) 
  take (A Cent)  ●  tackle (MS2) 
  bet (A Cent)  ●  bet you (MS2) 
  Judus (A)  ●  Judas Iscarott (MS2)  Judas, (Cent) 
  to her, I judge (A Cent)  ●  to her, if I know a girl by the rake of her stem; and I think I do (MS2) 
  want to (A Cent)  ●  please (MS2) 
  she (A Cent)  ●  that girl (MS2) 
  full (A Cent)  ●  full  (MS2) 
  and (A Cent)  ●  and  (MS2) 
  goodness too (A)  ●  goodness (MS2)  goodness, too (Cent) 
  of (A Cent)  ●  at (MS2) 
  door (A Cent)  ●  door, like light and comfort agoing out of a body’s life (MS2) 
  blamed (A Cent)  ●  I’m dum’d (MS2) 
  bust. [¶] Well (A Cent)  ●  bust. ||  extra line space [¶] Well (MS2) 
  hare-lip (A Cent)  ●  hair-lip (MS2) 
  leastways (A Cent)  ●  at least (MS2) 
  Hanner?  (A Cent)  ●  Hanner!  (MS2) 
  sorry (A Cent)  ●  rotten sorry (MS2) 
  it,” I says, “but (A Cent)  ●  it, but (MS2) 
  with (A Cent)  ●  of (MS2) 
  How’s (A Cent)  ●  How is (MS2) 
  erysiplas (A Cent)  ●  dysentery (MS2) 
  nation (A Cent)  ●  very nation (MS2) 
  ther’ (A Cent)  ●  they (MS2) 
  numskull (A Cent)  ●  mullet-head (MS2) 
  ther’ (A Cent)  ●  they (MS2) 
  ther’ (A Cent)  ●  they (MS2) 
  nuther (A)  ●  neither (MS2) 
  awful (A Cent)  ●  jest perfectly awful (MS2) 
  hare-lip (A)  ●  hair- | lip (MS2)  hare- | lip (Cent) 
  why (A Cent)  ●  why  (MS2) 
  see (A Cent)  ●  see why (MS2) 
  obleeged (A Cent)  ●  obliged (MS2) 
  journey (A Cent)  ●  awful journey (MS2) 
  fur (A Cent)  ●  far (MS2) 
  clerk?  (A)  ●  clerk? (MS2)  clerk  (Cent) 
  matters . . . can (A Cent)  ●  and my affairs must suffer (MS2) 
  never mind (A Cent)  ●  still (MS2) 
  fooling (A Cent)  ●  a-fooling (MS2) 
  got (A Cent)  ●  ketched (MS2) 
  muggins (A Cent)  ●  regular muggins (MS2) 
  Listen at that, now. You (A Cent)  ●  My, but you (MS2) 
  Ther’ (A Cent)  ●  They (MS2) 
  judge (A Cent)  ●  believe (MS2) 
  a while (A)  ●  for a while (MS2)  awhile (Cent) 
  he (A Cent)  ●  they (MS2) 
  won’t (MS2 Cent)  ●  wont (A) 
  she (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  love (A Cent)  ●  dear dear love (MS2) 
  Apthorps (A Cent)  ●  Apthorps  (MS2) 
  course; bother (A)  ●  course; blame (MS2)  course. Bother (Cent) 
  allowed (A Cent)  ●  thought (MS2) 
  uncles (A Cent)  ●  cussed uncles (MS2) 
  tell them (A Cent)  ●  tell the old principal hog (MS2) 
  say nothing, (C)  ●  squeak, (MS2)  say nothing (A Cent) 
  go to (A Cent)  ●  git for (MS2) 
  king and the duke (A Cent)  ●  dead beats (MS2) 
  working (A Cent)  ●  legging (MS2) 
  Robinson (A Cent)  ●  Robinson’s meddlings (MS2) 
  very good; I (A)  ●  good; I (MS2)  very good. I (Cent) 
  it (A Cent)  ●  that thing (MS2) 
  a throwed (A)  ●  a slung (MS2)  ’a’ throwed (Cent) 
  do that (A Cent)  ●  sling style (MS2) 
  it. [¶] Well (A Cent)  ●  it.  ||  extra line space [¶] Well (MS2) 
  and looking (A Cent)  ●  a looking (MS2) 
  of (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
  Scripture, (A)  ●  dab of Scripture, (MS2)  Scripture (Cent) 
  saying, (A)  ●  remark, (MS2)  saying (Cent) 
  generly (A Cent)  ●  generally (MS2) 
  trifling (A Cent)  ●  ten-cent (MS2) 
  the (A Cent)  ●  that (MS2) 
  was (A Cent)  ●  not in  (MS2) 
Alterations in the Manuscript Chapter XXVIII.
 come] follows canceled ‘was’.
 the girls’] the MS reads ‘the girls’s’ (emended); interlined above canceled ‘Mary Jane’s’.
 Mary Jane] interlined above canceled ‘her’.
 old hair] interlined.
 “Miss . . . had spoke] the MS reads ‘ “Miss . . . had shot my’ (emended). The two MS pages on which these words are written, originally numbered 372 and 373, follow page 326. Apparently Mark Twain inadvertently reversed the last two numerals of 327, making 372, and followed it with 373 before he realized his error and corrected it.
 She said the] the MS reads ‘Said the’ (emended); originally ‘Said she didn’t’; ‘t’ written over ‘s’ of ‘she’; ‘didn’t’ canceled.
 more—] originally ‘more.’; the dash written over the period.
 then] interlined.
 than] interlined above canceled ‘and’.
 think!] the exclamation point possibly squeezed in.
 happy and . . . out.] originally ‘happy.’; the period canceled, and ‘and . . . out.’ interlined.
 I reckon] follows canceled ‘a’.
 a body] follows canceled ‘that’.
 ups and] ‘up and’ interlined; then ‘s’ added to the interlineation.
 truth] followed by a canceled comma.
 better] follows canceled ‘better than a lie’.
 strange] the MS reads ‘curious’ (emended); interlined following canceled ‘queer’, which was interlined above canceled ‘curious’.
 a little ways,] originally ‘ten or fifteen mile,’; ‘or fifteen’ canceled, and ‘five or’ interlined before ‘ten’; then ‘five or ten mile,’ canceled, and ‘a little ways,’ interlined.
 I’ll] ‘ ’ll’ interlined.
 two] written over wiped-out ‘three’.
 “Four days] written over wiped-out ‘ “Three da’.
 she] originally ‘see’; ‘he’ written over wiped-out ‘ee’.
 bolt] written over wiped-out ‘lo’.
 middling] follows canceled ‘pretty’.
 was] follows canceled ‘had’.
 —her . . . time—and] interlined, following interlined and canceled ‘and’.
 up] written over wiped-out ‘to’.
 “Cert’nly. But do] the MS reads ‘ “Exackly. But do’ (emended); ‘Exackly. But’ interlined; ‘D’ of MS ‘Do’ not reduced to ‘d’.
 won’t] follows canceled ‘will’ and what appears to be canceled ‘be’ or ‘te’.
 so] ‘o’ written over two unrecovered letters.
 “it’s] quotation marks possibly squeezed in.
 two] ‘w’ written over ‘o’.
 them.”] followed by canceled ‘Now another thing—the bag of money’, which is followed by canceled [¶] ‘I thought a while, and I had a mighty notion to tell her to’.
 I see] follows canceled ‘It was this.’
 then] interlined.
 do—] the dash possibly written over a period.
 four] interlined below canceled ‘ten’ after the interlineation reported in the next entry was made.
 miles—right . . . here.”] originally ‘miles.” ’; the period following ‘miles’ canceled, and ‘—right . . . here.’ interlined.
 nine] follows canceled ‘ten’.
 put . . . up,] interlined above canceled ‘and don’t find me here,’, which follows canceled ‘wait’.
 wait] originally ‘wil’; ‘ait’ written over wiped-out ‘il’.
 just] written over wiped-out ‘s’.
 nostrils] follows canceled ‘eyes’; ‘n’ possibly written over ‘e’.
 “If I . . . shan’t] originally ‘I shan’t’; ‘f’ added to ‘I’, and ‘I get away, I’ interlined.
 it] interlined.
 better] follows canceled ‘and’.
 a piece] follows canceled ‘I’ll write it’.
 something] written over wiped-out ‘these two pill’, which follows what appears to be canceled ‘who’.
 why] follows canceled ‘you’ll have the’.
 wink, Miss Mary.] originally ‘wink.’; the comma added, and ‘Miss Mary Jane’ interlined; then ‘Jane’ canceled, and the period after ‘Mary’ added; two periods inadvertently left standing.
  before] originally ‘before’; the underline added.
 They’ve] mended from ‘I’.
 if] follows canceled ‘the’.
 uncles] follows canceled ‘dear’.
 or to see a friend,] interlined.
 “Gone . . . friend] interlined above canceled ‘ “The rest’.
 It was . . . nothing.] added on the verso of the MS page with instructions to turn over.
 it’s] originally ‘in’; ‘t’s’ written over wiped-out ‘n’.
 that smoothes] follows canceled ‘that keeps’.
 and it wouldn’t cost nothing.] the MS reads ‘and wouldn’t cost nothing.’ (emended); ‘nothing’ followed on the same line by a long canceled flourish.
 don’t.] followed by wiped-out quotation marks.
 and . . . allow it] interlined.
 fault.] followed by canceled quotation marks.
 for a] ‘a’ written over wiped-out ‘I’.
 nothing] written over wiped-out ‘any’.
 too] follows canceled ‘too!’.
 she] originally ‘she’d a’; ‘ ’d a’ canceled.
 more] interlined.
 she] written over wiped-out ‘y’.
 It . . . flattery.] interlined.
 lays] the ‘s’ apparently added.
 door; no] the MS reads ‘door, like light and comfort agoing [begin page 1081] out of a body’s life; no’ (emended); ‘like light. . . . life;’ interlined above canceled ‘and turn at the stairs and kinder throw a kiss back at me;’.
 hare-lip] the MS reads ‘hair-lip’ (emended); follows canceled ‘Hair-’.
 goes] interlined above canceled ‘go’.
 Jane she . . . she’s gone] originally ‘Jane’s gone’; ‘ ’s’ of ‘Jane’s’ canceled, and ‘she . . . she’s’ interlined.
 know;] originally ‘know. She didn’t say.” ’; the first period mended to a semicolon and ‘She . . . say.” ’ canceled.
 “I’m sorry] the MS reads ‘ “I’m rotten sorry’ (emended); ‘rotten’ interlined.
 My goodness] written over wiped-out ‘ “Is she’.
 It . . . it.] interlined.
 that,] originally ‘that!” ’; the comma added and the exclamation point and quotation marks canceled.
 off] followed by a canceled comma.
 “They . . . These] added to replace canceled ‘ “But these’.
 Why] follows canceled ‘Is a’.
 If] written over wiped-out ‘Y’.
 a harrow, as] ‘a’ interlined.
 And do] ‘And’ interlined; ‘D’ of MS ‘Do’ not reduced to ‘d’.
 yourselves] originally ‘yourself’; ‘ves’ written over wiped-out ‘f’.
 the dreadful pluribus-unum] interlined above canceled ‘the new’, which follows canceled ‘the new mumps, in comparison of the catchingness of which’.
 got] the MS reads ‘ketched’ (emended); written over wiped-out ‘ca’.
 “Listen at that, now. You] the MS reads ‘My, but you’ (emended); originally ‘My sakes, you’; the comma following ‘My’ added, and ‘but’ interlined above canceled ‘sakes,’.
 natural] interlined.
 give] follows canceled ‘tell’.
 see] followed by a canceled dash.
 for to] ‘to’ interlined.
 and] interlined above canceled ‘and she’.
 uncles,] the comma written over a wiped-out period.
 give] follows canceled ‘tell’.
 than] originally ‘that’; ‘n’ written over wiped-out ‘t’.
 neater, himself.] originally ‘neater.” ’; the comma added, ‘himself’ interlined, and the quotation marks canceled.
 he] written over ‘s’.
 along . . . afternoon,] interlined.
  little Scripture] the MS reads ‘little dab of Scripture’ [begin page 1082] (emended); ‘little’ is followed by canceled ‘dab’, which is followed by canceled ‘Scrip’.
 spreading] written over wiped-out ‘g’.
 the] written over ‘s’.
 singing] follows canceled ‘they’.
Textual Notes Chapter XXVIII.
 shaming] One critic argues that Mark Twain’s manuscript was in error and that he could not have meant to write that the king and the duke were “shaming” Mary Jane (making her feel ashamed), but rather that he inadvertently omitted an m from “shamming” (cheating, tricking, deceiving, deluding her with false pretenses; Byers 1973–74). The manuscript reading makes perfect contextual sense, however, if “shaming” is understood to mean heaping shame upon her by deceiving her (as in Jim’s “trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren’s en makes ’em ashamed”, 105.11–12; see Oehlschlaeger 1981).
 piousest] The first edition reading, “pisonest”, is not adopted here, because Mark Twain probably made the change to correct a typist’s error. If the typist misread Mark Twain’s manuscript u as an n, producing “pionsest”, this simple error may well have prompted the author to think he had originally written “pisonest”, which he then supplied by transposing s and on in the typescript. Huck does use “pison” elsewhere, to mean “poison” (“If I had a yaller dog . . . I would pison him”, 290.21–23), or as an intensifier meaning “extremely” (“the funeral sermon was very good, but pison-long and tiresome”, 233.8–9; [begin page 829] “Jim said . . . it would take him such a pison long time to dig them [inscriptions] into a rock”, 323.12–13). Nicodemus Dodge in chapter 23 of A Tramp Abroad uses it similarly to mean “most intense or extreme” (“he’s ben the pizenest kind of a Free-will Babtis’ for forty year. They ain’t no pizener ones ’n’ what he is”). Although in Huckleberry Finn the substitution makes a rough kind of sense—the king was looking his very most intense—it makes distinctly less sense than looking his very most “pious”.
Explanatory Notes Chapter XXVIII.
 the dreadful pluribus-unum mumps] Huck’s source for this impressive diagnosis is the United States motto. In chapter 24 of The Prince and the Pauper, Miles Hendon similarly uses irrelevant Latin phrases to frighten a man.
 Here’s your two sets o’ heirs] A chapter in Fuller’s Noted French Trials: Impostors and Adventurers, “The False Martin Guerre,” tells how an impostor, after passing himself off as a lost relative, disposes of most of the opposition and is about to establish his alleged identity when “a new Martin Guerre” arrives “just at the right time to drag the judges back into uncertainty” (Fuller, 21).
 you pays your money and you takes your choice] This expression seems to have been current in England in the 1840s. Its earliest known occurrence in print was in 1846, in the English humor weekly Punch, as a cartoon caption referring to the shift in power from Sir Robert Peel’s ministry to that of Lord John Russell (Punch 10:17; Wilson, 615).