MakingⒶalteration in the MS them pens was a distressid toughⒶhistorical collation job, and so was the saw; and Jim allowed the inscription was going to beⒶalteration in the MS the toughest of all. That’sⒶemendation the one which the prisoner has to scrabble on the wall. But we had to have it; Tom said we’d got to:Ⓐhistorical collation there warn’t no case of a state prisoner not scrabblingⒶalteration in the MS his inscription to leave behind, and his coat of arms.
“Look at ladyⒶhistorical collation Jane Grey,” he says; “look at Gilford Dudley; look at old NorthumberlandⒺexplanatory note!Ⓐemendation Why, Huck, spose it is considerbleⒶemendation trouble?—what you going to do?—how you going to get around it? Jim’s got to do his inscription and coat of arms. They all do.”
Jim says:
“WhyⒶemendation, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom, I hain’t got noⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation coat o’ armsⒶalteration in the MS; I hain’t gotⒶalteration in the MS nuffnⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation but dish-yerⒶhistorical collation oleⒶalteration in the MS shirt, en you knowsⒶalteration in the MS I got to keepⒶalteration in the MS de journal on dat.”
“OⒶhistorical collation, you don’t understand, Jim; a coat of arms is very different.”
“Well,” I says, “Jim’s right, anyway, when he says he hain’t got no coat of arms, because heⒶemendation hain’t.”
“I reckon I knowed that,” Tom says, “but you bet he’ll have one before he goes out of this—because he’s going out right, and there ain’t going to be no flaws in his record.”
SoⒶalteration in the MS whilst me and JimⒶalteration in the MS filed away at the pens on a brickbat apiece, Jim a makingⒶemendation his’nⒶalteration in the MS out of the brass and I making mine out of the [begin page 322] spoon, Tom set to work to think out the coat of armsⒺexplanatory note.Ⓐalteration in the MS By and byⒶhistorical collation he said he’dⒶemendation struck so many good ones he didn’t hardlyⒶalteration in the MS know which to take, but there was one which he reckoned he’dⒶemendation decide on. He says:
“On the scutcheon we’ll have a bend or in the dexter base, a saltire murrey in the fess, with a dog, couchantⒶalteration in the MS, for common charge, and under his foot a chain embattled, for slavery, with a chevron vert in a chief engrailed, and three invected lines on a field azure, with the nombril points rampant on a dancette indented; crest, a runaway nigger, sable, with his bundle over his shoulder on a bar sinister;Ⓐhistorical collation and aⒶalteration in the MS couple of gules for supporters, which is you and me; motto, Maggiore fretta, minore atto Ⓔexplanatory note. Got it out of a book—means, the more haste, the less speed.”
“Geewhillikins,” I says, “but what does the rest of it mean?”
“We ain’t got no time to bother over that,” he says, “we got to dig in like all git-out.”
“Well, anyway,” I says, “what’sⒶemendation some of it? What’s a fess?”
“A fess—a fessⒶalteration in the MS is—you don’t need to know what a fess is.Ⓐemendation I’llⒶalteration in the MS show him how to make it when he gets to it.”
“Shucks, Tom,” I says, “IⒶemendation think you might tell a person. What’s a bar sinister?”
“Oh, I don’t know. But he’s got to have it. All the nobility does.”
That was just his way. If it didn’t suit him to explain a thing to you, he wouldn’t do it. You might pump at him a week it wouldn’t make no difference.
He’d got all that coat of arms business fixed, so now he started in to finish up the rest of thatⒶalteration in the MS part of the work, which was to plan out a mournful inscription—said Jim got to have one, like they all done. He made up a lot, and wrote them out on a paper, and read them off, so:Ⓐemendation
1. Here Ⓐalteration in the MS a captive heart busted.
2. Here a poor prisoner, forsook by the world and friends, fretted out his sorrowful life.
3. Here a lonely heart broke, and a worn spirit went to its rest, after thirty seven Ⓐhistorical collation years of solitary Ⓐemendation captivity.
4. Here, homeless and friendless, after thirty-seven years of bitter captivity, perished a noble stranger, natural son of Louis XIV Ⓐemendation.
Tom’s voice trembled, whilstⒶalteration in the MS he was reading them, and he most [begin page 323] broke down. When he got done, he couldn’t no way make up his mind which one forⒶalteration in the MS Jim to scrabble ontoⒶemendation the wall, they was all so good; but at last he allowed he would let him scrabble them all on. Jim said it would take him a year to scrabble such a lot of truck ontoⒶemendation the logs with a nail,Ⓐalteration in the MS and he didn’t know how to make letters, besides; but Tom said he would block them out for him, and then he wouldn’t have nothing to do but just follow the lines. Then pretty soon he says:
“Come to think, the logs ain’t agoing to do; they don’t have log walls in a dungeon: we got to digⒶalteration in the MS the inscriptionsⒶalteration in the MS into a rock. We’ll fetch a rock.”
Jim said the rock was worse than the logs; he said it would take him such a pison long time to dig them into a rock,Ⓐemendation he wouldn’t ever get out. But Tom said he would let me help him do it. Then he took a lookⒶalteration in the MS to see how me and Jim was getting along with the pens. It was most pesky tedious hard work and slow, and didn’t give my hands no show to get well of the sores, and we didn’t seem to make no headway, hardly. So Tom says:
“I know how to fix it. We got to have a rock for the coat of arms and mournful inscriptions, and we can kill two birds with thatⒶalteration in the MS same rock. There’s a gaudy big grindstone down at the mill, and we’ll smouch it, andⒶalteration in the MS carve the things on it, and file out the pens and the saw on it, too.”
It warn’t no slouch of an idea; andⒶalteration in the MS it warn’t no slouch of a grindstone,Ⓐhistorical collation nutherⒶemendation; but we allowed we’d tackle it. It warn’t quite midnight, yet, so we cleared out for the mill, leaving Jim at work. We smouched the grindstone, and set out to roll herⒶemendation homè, but it was a most nation tough job. Sometimes, do what we could, we couldn’t keep herⒶemendation from falling over, and sheⒶemendation come mighty near mashing us, every time. Tom said sheⒶemendation was going to get one of us, sure, before we got through. We got her half way; and then we was plumb played out, and most drowndedⒶalteration in the MS with sweat. We see it warn’t no use, we got to go and fetch Jim. So heⒶemendation raised up his bed and slid the chain off ofⒶalteration in the MS the bed-legⒶalteration in the MS, and wrapt it round and round his neck, and we crawled out through our hole andⒶalteration in the MS down there, and Jim and me laid into that grindstone and walked herⒶemendation along like nothing; and Tom superintended.Ⓐalteration in the MS He could out-superintend any boy I ever see. He knowed how to do everything.
[begin page 324]
Our hole was pretty big, but it warn’tⒶalteration in the MS big enough to get the grindstone through; but Jim heⒶemendation took the pick and soon made it big enough. Then Tom marked out them things on it with the nail, and set JimⒶalteration in the MS to work on them, with the nail for a chisel and an iron bolt from the rubbage in the lean-toⒶemendation for a hammer, and told him to work till the rest of his candle quit on him, and then he could go to bed, and hide the grindstone underⒶalteration in the MS his straw tick and sleep on it. Then we helped him fix his chain back,Ⓐhistorical collation on the bedlegⒶhistorical collation, and wasⒶalteration in the MS ready for bed ourselves. But Tom thought of something, and says:
“You got any spiders in here, Jim?”
“No, sah, thanks to goodness I hain’tⒶemendation, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom.”
“All right, we’ll get you some.”
“But bless you, honey, I doanⒶhistorical collation want none. I’s afeard un um. I jis’ ’sⒶemendation soon have rattlesnakesⒶemendation aroun’.”
Tom thought a minute or two, and says:
“It’s a good idea. And I reckon it’s been done. It must a been done:Ⓐhistorical collation it stands to reason. Yes, it’s a prime good idea. Where could you keep it?”
“Keep what, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom?”
[begin page 325] “Why, a rattlesnake.”
“De goodness gracious alive, marsⒶhistorical collation TomⒶalteration in the MS! Why, if dey was a rattlesnake to come in heah, I’d take en bust right out thoo dat log wall, I would, wid my head.”
“Why, Jim, you wouldn’t be afraid of it, after a little. You could tame it.”
“Tame it!”
“Yes—easy enough. Every animal is grateful for kindness and petting, and they wouldn’t think of hurting a person that pets them. Any book will tell you that. You try—that’s all I ask; just try for two or three days. Why, you can get him so, in a little while, that he’llⒶemendation love you; and sleep with you; and won’t stay away from you a minute;Ⓐalteration in the MS and will let you wrap him round your neck and put his head in your mouth.”
“Please, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom—doan’ talk so! I can’t stan’ it! He’d let me shove his head in my moufⒶemendation—ferⒶemendation a favor, hain’t it?Ⓐalteration in the MS I lay he’d wait a pow’ful long time ’fo’ I ast him. En mo’ en dat, I doan’ want him to sleep wid me.”Ⓐalteration in the MS
“Jim, don’t act so foolish. A prisoner’s got to have some kind of a dumb pet, and if a rattlesnake hain’t ever been tried, whyⒶhistorical collation there’s more glory to be gained in yourⒶemendation being the first to ever try it thanⒶemendation any other way you could ever think of to save your life.”
“WhyⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom, I doan’ want no sich glory. Snake take ’nⒶemendation bite Jim’s chin off, den whah is de glory? NoⒶalteration in the MS, sah, I doan’Ⓐalteration in the MS want no sich doin’sⒶemendation.”
“Blame it, can’t you try? I only want you to tryⒶemendation—you needn’t keep it up if it don’t work.”
“But de trouble all done, ef de snake bite me whileⒶemendation I’s a-tryin’Ⓐhistorical collation him. Mars Tom, I’s willin’ to tackle mos’Ⓐalteration in the MS anything ’atⒶalteration in the MS ain’t onreasonable, but ef you en Huck fetches a rattlesnake in heah forⒶalteration in the MS me to tame, I’sⒶalteration in the MS gwyne to leave, dat’s shore.”
“Well, then, let it go, let it go, if you’re so bullheaded about it. We can get youⒶalteration in the MS some garter-snakes and you canⒶalteration in the MS tie some buttons on their tails, and let on they’re rattlesnakes, and I reckon that’ll have to do.”
“I k’nⒶemendation stan’ dem, marsⒶhistorical collation TomⒶalteration in the MS, but blame’ ’fⒶemendation I couldn’ gitⒶhistorical collation along widout um, I tell you dat. I never knowed,Ⓐhistorical collation b’fo’Ⓐemendation, ’tⒶemendation was so much bother and trouble to be a prisoner.”
[begin page 326]
“Well, it always is, when it’s done right. You got any rats around here?”
“No, sah, I hain’t seed none.”
“Well, we’ll get you some rats.”
“Why, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom, I doanⒶhistorical collation want no rats. Dey’s de dad-blamedestⒶemendation creturs to ’sturb a body, en rustleⒶemendation roun’ over ’imⒶemendation, en bite his feet, when he’s tryin’ to sleep, I ever see. No, sahⒶalteration in the MS, gimme g’yarter snakesⒶhistorical collation, ’fⒶemendation I’s got to have ’m, but doan’ gimme no rats, I ain’ got no use f’rⒶemendation um, skasely.”
“But Jim, you got to have ’em,Ⓐhistorical collation—they all do. So don’t make no more fuss about it. Prisoners ain’t ever without ratsⒺexplanatory note. There ain’t no instance of it. And they train them, and pet them, and learn them tricks, and they get to be as sociable as flies.Ⓐalteration in the MS But you got to play music to them. You got anything to play music on?”
“I ain’Ⓐalteration in the MS got nuffnⒶalteration in the MS but a coase comb en a piece o’ paper, en a juice-harp; but I reck’nⒶemendation dey wouldn’ take no stock in a juice-harpⒶemendation.”
“YesⒶalteration in the MS they would. They don’t care what kind of music ’tis. A jewsharp’sⒶhistorical collation plenty good enough for a rat.Ⓐalteration in the MS All animals likes music—in a prison;Ⓐhistorical collation they dote on it. SpeciallyⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation, painfulⒶalteration in the MS music; and you can’t getⒶalteration in the MS no other kind out ofⒶalteration in the MS a jewsharpⒶemendation. ItⒶalteration in the MS always interests them; they come out to see what’s the matter with you.Ⓐalteration in the MS Yes, you’re all right; you’re fixedⒶalteration in the MS very well. You want to set on your bed, nights, before you go to sleep, and early in the mornings, and play your jewsharpⒶhistorical collation; play The Last Link is Broken—that’s the thing that’ll scoopⒶalteration in the MS a rat, [begin page 327] quicker’n anything else: and when you’ve played about two minutes, you’ll see all the rats, and the snakes, and spidersⒶalteration in the MS, and things begin to feel worried about you,Ⓐalteration in the MS and come. And they’ll just fairly swarm over you, and haveⒶalteration in the MS a noble good time.”
“Yes, dey will, I reck’n,Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation marsⒶhistorical collation Tom, but what kine er time is Jim havin’?Ⓐalteration in the MS Blest if I kin see de pint. But I’ll do it,Ⓐhistorical collation ef I got to. I reck’nⒶemendation I better keep de animalsⒶalteration in the MS satisfied, en not have no trouble in de house.”
Tom waited to think over, and see if there wasn’tⒶalteration in the MS nothingⒶemendation else; and pretty soon he says:
“Oh—there’s one thing I forgot. Could you raise a flower here, do you reckon?”
“I doan’ know but maybe I could, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom; but it’s tolable dark in heah, en IⒶalteration in the MS ain’ got no use f’rⒶemendation no flower, nohow,Ⓐalteration in the MS en she’d be a powfulⒶhistorical collation sight o’Ⓐalteration in the MS trouble.”
“Well, you try it, anyway. Some otherⒶalteration in the MS prisoners has done it.”
“One er dem big cat-tail-lookin’ mullen-stalks would grow in heah, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom, I reck’nⒶemendation, but she wouldn’ be wuth half de trouble she’d coss.”
“Don’t you believe it. We’ll fetch you a little one, and you plant it in the corner, overⒶalteration in the MS there, and raise it.Ⓐalteration in the MS And don’t call it mullen, call it PitchiolaⒺexplanatory note—that’s its right name, when it’s in a prison. And you wantⒶalteration in the MS to water it with your tears.”
“Why, I got plenty spring water, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom.”
“You don’t want Ⓐalteration in the MS spring water; you want to water it with your tears. It’s the way they always do.”
[begin page 328] “WhyⒶhistorical collation marsⒶhistorical collation Tom, I lay I kin raise one er dem mullen-stalks twyste wid spring water whiles another man’s a start’nⒶhistorical collation one wid tears.”
“That ain’t the idea. You got to do it with tears.”
“She’ll die on my han’s, marsⒶhistorical collation Tom, she sholy will; kaseⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation I doan’Ⓐemendation skasely ever cry.”
So Tom was stumped. But he studied itⒶalteration in the MS over, and thenⒶalteration in the MS said Jim would have to worry along the best he could with an onion. He promised he would go to the nigger cabins andⒶalteration in the MS drop one, private, in Jim’s coffee potⒶhistorical collation, in the morning. Jim said he would “jis’ ’sⒶemendation soon have tobacker in his coffee;”Ⓐalteration in the MS and found so much fault with it, and with the work and bother of raising the mullen, and jewsharpingⒶhistorical collation the rats, and pettingⒶalteration in the MS and flattering up the snakes and spidersⒶalteration in the MS and things, on top of all the other work heⒶalteration in the MS had to do on pens, and inscriptions, and journals, and things, which made it more trouble and worry and responsibility to be a prisoner than anything he ever undertook, that Tom most lost all patience with him; and said he wasⒶemendation just loadenedⒶemendation down with more gaudier chances than a prisoner ever had in the world to make a name for himself, and yet he didn’t know enough to appreciate them, and they was just about wasted on him. So Jim he was sorry, and said he wouldn’t behave so no more, and then me and Tom shoved for bed.