The sun was up so high when I waked, that I judged it was after eight o’clockⒶemendation. I laid there in the grass and the cool shade, thinkingⒶalteration in the MS about things and feeling rested and rutherⒶemendation comfortable and satisfied. I could see the sun out at one or two holes, but mostly it was big trees all about, and gloomy in there amongst them. There was freckledⒶalteration in the MS places on the ground where the light sifted down through the leaves, and the freckled places swapped about,Ⓐhistorical collation a little, showing there wasⒶemendation a little breeze up there. A couple of squirrels set on a limb and jabbered at me very friendlyⒺexplanatory note.
I was powerful lazy and comfortable—didn’t want to get up and cook breakfast. Well, I was dozingⒶalteration in the MS off againⒶhistorical collation when I thinks I hearsⒶemendation a deep sound ofⒶemendation “BoomⒶhistorical collation!” away up the river. I rousesⒶemendation up and restsⒶemendation on my elbow and listensⒶemendation; pretty soon I hearsⒶemendation it again. I hopped up and went and looked out at a hole in the leaves, and I see a bunch of smokeⒶalteration in the MS laying on the water a long ways up—about abreast the ferry. And there was the ferry boatⒶhistorical collation full of people, floating along downⒶemendation. I knowed what was the matter, now. “Boom!” I see the white smoke squirtⒶemendation out of the ferryboat’sⒶemendation side. You see, they was firing cannonsⒶhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note over the water, trying to make my carcass come to the topⒺexplanatory note.
I was pretty hungry, but it warn’t going to do for me to start a fire, because they might see the smoke. So I set there and watched the cannon-smokeⒶemendation and listened to the boom. The river was a mile wide, there, and it always looks pretty on a summer morning—so I was [begin page 46] having a good enough time seeing them hunt for my remainders, if I only had a bite to eatⒶalteration in the MS. Well, then I happenedⒶalteration in the MS to thinkⒶalteration in the MS how they always put quicksilverⒶemendation in loaves of bread and float them off because they always go right to the drownded carcassⒺexplanatory note and stop there. So says I, I’ll keep a look-out;Ⓐhistorical collation and if any of them’s floating around after me, I’ll give them a show. I changedⒶalteration in the MS to the Illinois edge of the island to see what luck I could have, and I warn’t disappointed. A big double-loafⒶemendation come along, and I most got it, with a long stick,Ⓐalteration in the MS but my foot slipped and she floated out further. Of course I was where the current set in the closestⒶemendation to the shoreⒶemendation—I knowed enough for that. But by and byⒶhistorical collation along comes another one, and this time I won.Ⓐalteration in the MS I took out the plug and shook out the little dab of quicksilver, and setⒶalteration in the MS my teeth in. ItⒶemendation was “baker’sⒶemendation bread”—what the quality eat—none of your low-down corn-pone.Ⓐemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS
I got a good place amongst the leaves, and set there on a logⒶhistorical collation [begin page 47] munching the bread, andⒶemendation watchingⒶalteration in the MS the ferry-boat, and veryⒶalteration in the MS well satisfied. And then something struck me. I says,Ⓐalteration in the MS now I reckon the widow or the parson or somebody prayed that this bread would find me, and hereⒶalteration in the MS it hasⒶalteration in the MS gone and done it. So there ain’t no doubt but there isⒶemendation something in that thing. That is, there’s something in it when a body like the widow or the parson prays, but it don’t work for me, and I reckon it don’t work for only just the right kind.
I lit a pipe and had a good long smoke and wentⒶalteration in the MS on watchingⒶalteration in the MS. TheⒶemendation ferry-boat was floating with the current, and I allowed I’d have a chanceⒶemendation to see who was aboard when she come along, because she would come in close, where the bread did. When she’d got pretty well along down towards meⒶemendation, I put out my pipe and went to where I fished out the breadⒶhistorical collation and laid down behind a logⒶemendation onⒶalteration in the MS the bank in a little open place. Where the log forked I could peep through.
By and byⒶhistorical collation she come along, and she drifted in so closeⒶalteration in the MS that they could a run out a plank and walked ashore. Most everybody was on the boat. Pap, and Judge Thatcher, and BeckyⒶemendation Ⓐtextual note ThatcherⒺexplanatory note, and Jo Harper, and Tom SawyerⒶhistorical collation and his old auntⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation PollyⒶtextual note, and SidⒶalteration in the MS Ⓔexplanatory note and Mary, and plentyⒶalteration in the MS more. Everybody was talking about the murder, but the captain broke in and says:
“Look sharp, now; the current sets in the closest here, and maybe he’s washed ashoreⒶalteration in the MS and got tangled amongst the brush at the water’s edge—IⒶhistorical collation hope soⒶalteration in the MS, anyway.”
IⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation didn’t hope so. They all crowded up and leaned over the rails, nearlyⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation in my face, and kept still, watching with all their mightⒶemendation. I could see them first-rate,Ⓐalteration in the MS but they couldn’t see me. Then the captain sung out:
“Stand away!” and the cannon let off such aⒶalteration in the MS blast right before meⒶalteration in the MS that it made me deefⒶemendation with the noise and pretty nearⒶemendation blind with the smoke, and I judged I was gone.Ⓐalteration in the MS If they’d aⒶemendation hadⒶalteration in the MS some bullets inⒶhistorical collation I reckon they’dⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation a got the corpse they was after. Well, I see I warn’t hurt,Ⓐalteration in the MS thanks to goodness. The boat floated on and went out of sight around the shoulder of the island. I could hearⒶemendation the booming, now and then, further and further offⒶemendation, and by and byⒶhistorical collation after an hour,Ⓐalteration in the MS I didn’t hear it noⒶemendation more. The island was three mile long. I judged they hadⒶalteration in the MS got to the foot, and was giving it up. But they didn’t,Ⓐhistorical collation yet awhileⒶhistorical collation. They turned around the foot of the island and started up the channel on the Missouri side, under steam, and booming once inⒶemendation a while as [begin page 48] they went. I crossed overⒶemendation to that side and watched them. When they got abreast the head of the island they quit shooting and dropped over to the Missouri shore and went home to the townⒶemendation.
I knowed I was all right now. Nobody else wouldⒶalteration in the MS come a-hunting after me. I got my traps out of the canoe and made me a nice camp in the thick woods. I made a kind of a tent out of my blankets to put my things under so the rain couldn’t get at them. I catchedⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation a catfishⒶhistorical collation and haggled him open with my saw, and towards sundown I started my camp fire and hadⒶemendation supper. Then I set out a line to catch some fish for breakfast.
When it was dark I set by my camp fire smoking, and feeling pretty satisfiedⒶemendation; but by and byⒶhistorical collation it got sort of lonesome, and soⒶemendation I went and set on the bank and listened to the currentsⒶemendation washing alongⒶemendation, and counted the stars and drift-logs and rafts that come down, and then went to bed; there ain’t no better way to put in time when you are lonesome; you can’t stay so, you soon get over it.Ⓐalteration in the MS
AndⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation so for three days and nights. No difference—just the sameⒶalteration in the MS thing. But the next day I went exploring aroundⒶemendation down through the island. I was boss of it; it all belonged to me, soⒶalteration in the MS to sayⒶemendation, and I wanted to know all about it; but mainly I wanted to put in the time. I found plentyⒶemendation strawberries, ripe and prime; andⒶemendation green summer-grapes, and green razberries;Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation and the green blackberriesⒶemendation wasⒶemendation just beginning to show. They would all come handyⒶemendation by and byⒶhistorical collation, I judged.Ⓐalteration in the MS
Well, I went fooling along in the deep woods till I judged I warn’t far from the foot of the island. I had my gun along, but I hadn’t shot nothingⒶemendation; it was for protection; thought I wouldⒶemendation kill some game nighⒶemendation home. About this time I mighty near stepped on a good sized snake, and it went sliding off through the grass and flowers, and I after it, trying to get a shot at itⒶemendation. I clipped along, and all of a sudden I boundedⒶemendation right ontoⒶhistorical collation the ashes of a camp fire that was still smokingⒶalteration in the MS Ⓔexplanatory note.Ⓐemendation
My heart jumped upⒶalteration in the MS amongst my lungsⒶemendation. I never waited forⒶemendation to lookⒶemendation further, but uncocked my gun and went sneaking back on my tip-toes as fast as ever I couldⒶemendation. Every nowⒶemendation and then I stopped,Ⓐhistorical collation a second, amongst the thick leaves, and listened; but my breath come so hard I couldn’t hear nothing else. I slunkⒶalteration in the MS along another pieceⒶemendation further, then listened again; and so on, and so on; if I seeⒶemendation a stump, I took it for a man; if I trod on a stick and broke it, it made me feel like a person had cut one of my breaths in two and I only got half, and the short half, too.Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation
[begin page 49] When I got to camp I warn’t feeling very brash, there warn’t much sand in my crawⒶemendation; but IⒶalteration in the MS says,Ⓐalteration in the MS this ain’t noⒶalteration in the MS time to be fooling around. So I gotⒶalteration in the MS all my traps into my canoe again so as to have them out of sight, and IⒶalteration in the MS put out the fire and scattered the ashes around to lookⒶemendation like an old last-year’sⒶhistorical collation camp, and then clumb a tree.
I reckon I was upⒶemendation in the tree two hours; but I didn’t see nothingⒶemendation, I didn’t hear nothingⒶemendation—I only thought I heard and seen as much asⒶalteration in the MS a thousand things. WellⒶhistorical collation I couldn’t stay upⒶalteration in the MS there forever; so at last I got down, but I kept in the thickⒶemendation woods and on the lookout all the time. All I could get to eat was berries andⒶalteration in the MS what was left over from breakfast.
By the time it was night I was pretty hungry. So when it was good and darkⒶhistorical collation I slid out from shore before moonriseⒶalteration in the MS and paddled over to the Illinois bank—about a quarter of a mile. I went out inⒶemendation the woods and cooked a supper, and I had about made up my mind I wouldⒶemendation stay there all night, when I hearⒶalteration in the MS a plunkety-plunk, plunkety-plunk, and [begin page 50] says to myself, horses comingⒶemendation; and next I hearⒶemendation people’s voicesⒶalteration in the MS. I got everything into the canoeⒶalteration in the MS as quick as I could, and then went creepingⒶalteration in the MS through the woods to see what I could find out. I hadn’t got far when I hearⒶemendation a man say:
“We betterⒶemendation camp hereⒶemendation, if we can find a good place; the horses isⒶemendation about beat out. Let’s look around.”
I didn’t wait, but shoved out and paddled away easyⒶemendation. I tied up in the old place, and reckoned I would sleep in the canoe.
I didn’t sleep much. I couldn’t, somehow, for thinking. And every time I waked up I thought somebody had me by the neck. So the sleep didn’t do me no good. By and byⒶhistorical collation I says to myself, I can’t live this way; I’m agoingⒶemendation to find out who it is that’s here on the island with me; I’ll find it out or bustⒶemendation. Well, I felt better, right off.
So I took my paddle and slid out from shore just a step or twoⒶhistorical collation and then let the canoe dropⒶemendation along down amongstⒶemendation the shadows. The moon was shining,Ⓐemendation and outsideⒶalteration in the MS ofⒶalteration in the MS the shadows itⒶalteration in the MS made it most as light as day. I poked alongⒶemendation well onto an hour, everything still as rocks and sound asleepⒶemendation. Well by this time I was mostⒶemendation down to the foot of the island. A littleⒶalteration in the MS ripplyⒶhistorical collation cool breeze begun to blowⒶemendation, and that was as good as saying the night was about doneⒶemendation. I give her a turn with the paddle and brungⒶemendation her nose to shore; then I got my gun and slipped out and into the edge of theⒶalteration in the MS woods. I set down there on a log and looked out through the leaves. I seeⒶemendation the moon go off watch and the darkness begin to blanketⒶemendation the river. But in a little while I see aⒶemendation pale streak overⒶemendation the tree topsⒶhistorical collation, and knowedⒶemendation the day was coming. SoⒶemendation I tookⒶemendation my gun and slipped offⒶemendation towards where I had run across that camp fire, stopping every minute or two toⒶemendation listen. ButⒶemendation I hadn’t noⒶemendation luck, somehow; I couldn’t seem to find the place. But by and byⒶhistorical collation, sure enough, I catched a glimpse of fire, away through the trees. I went for it, cautious and slow.Ⓐalteration in the MS By and byⒶhistorical collation I was close enough to have a look, and there laid a man on the ground. It most give me the fan-tods.Ⓐalteration in the MS HeⒶemendation had a blanket around his head, and his head was nearlyⒶalteration in the MS in the fire. I set there behind a clump of bushes, in aboutⒶemendation sixⒶalteration in the MS footⒶalteration in the MS of him,Ⓐemendation Ⓐtextual note and kept my eyes on him steady.Ⓐalteration in the MS It was getting grayⒶemendation daylight, now. Pretty soon he gapped, andⒶemendation stretched himself,Ⓐemendation and hoveⒶemendation off the blanket, and it was Miss Watson’s Jim! I bet I was glad to see him. I says:
“Hello, Jim!” and skipped out.
[begin page 51] He bounced up and stared at me wildⒶemendation. Then he dropsⒶemendation down on his kneesⒶhistorical collation and putsⒶemendation his hands together and says:
“Doan’Ⓐemendation hurtⒶalteration in the MS me—don’t!Ⓐemendation I hain’t everⒶemendation done no harm to a ghos’. IⒶemendation awluzⒶemendation liked dead people, en doneⒶemendation all I could for ’em. You go en gitⒶemendation in de riverⒶemendation agin, whah you b’longs,Ⓐalteration in the MS en doan’Ⓐemendation do nuffnⒶemendation to oleⒶhistorical collation Jim, ’at’uz awluzⒶemendation yo’Ⓐalteration in the MS fren’.”
Well, I warn’t long making him understand I warn’t dead. I was ever soⒶalteration in the MS glad to see Jim. I warn’t lonesomeⒶhistorical collation now. I told him I warn’t afraid of him Ⓐemendation telling the people where I was. I talked along, but he only set there and looked at me; never said nothingⒶemendation. Then I saysⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation:
“It’s good daylight. Le’s getⒶemendation breakfast.Ⓐalteration in the MS Make up your camp fire good.”
“What’s de use erⒶalteration in the MS makin’Ⓐemendation up de camp fire to cook strawbries enⒶemendation sich truck? But you got a gun—Ⓐhistorical collationhain’t you? Den we kin gitⒶalteration in the MS sumfnⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation better den strawbriesⒶemendation.”
“Strawberries and such truck,” I says. “IsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation that what you live on?”
“I couldn’Ⓐemendation git nuffnⒶemendation else,” he says.
“Why, how long you been on the island, Jim?”
“I come heahⒶemendation de night arterⒶalteration in the MS you’sⒶemendation killed.”
“What, all thatⒶalteration in the MS time?”
[begin page 52] “Yes-indeedyⒶemendation.”
“And ain’tⒶemendation you had nothingⒶemendation but that kind of rubbage to eat?”
“No, sahⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation— nuffnⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation else.”
“Well, you must be most starved, ain’t you?”Ⓐhistorical collation
“I reck’nⒶemendation I could eat a hoss. I think I could. How long youⒶemendation ben on de islan’?Ⓐemendation”
“Since the night I gotⒶemendation killed.”
“No! W’yⒶemendation what has youⒶalteration in the MS lived on? But you got a gun. OⒶhistorical collation, yes, you got a gun. Dat’s good. Now you kill sumfnⒶalteration in the MS,Ⓐemendation enⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation I’ll make up de fire.”Ⓐemendation
So we went over to where the canoe was, and while he built a fire in a grassy open place amongst the trees, I fetched meal and bacon and coffee, and coffee potⒶhistorical collation and frying panⒶhistorical collation, and sugar and tin cups, and the nigger was set back considerable, because he reckoned it was all done with witchcraftⒶemendation. I catched a good big catfishⒶhistorical collation, too, and Jim cleaned him with his knifeⒶhistorical collation and fried him.
WhenⒶemendation breakfast was ready, we lolled on the grass and eat it smoking hot. Jim laid it in with all his might, for he was most about starved. Then whenⒶalteration in the MS we had got pretty well stuffed, we laid off and laziedⒶemendation.
By and byⒶhistorical collation Jim says:
“But looky-hereⒶhistorical collation, Huck, who wuzⒶemendation it datⒶalteration in the MS ’uzⒶemendation killed in dat shanty, efⒶemendation it warn’t you?”
Then I told him the whole thing, and he saidⒶalteration in the MS itⒶemendation was smartⒶalteration in the MS. He said Tom Sawyer couldn’t getⒶemendation up no better plan than what I had. Then I says:
“How do you come to be here, Jim, and how’dⒶemendation you get here?”
He looked pretty uneasy, and didn’t say nothingⒶemendation for a minute. Then he says:
“Maybe I better not tell.”
“Why, Jim?”
“Well, dey’s reasons. But you wouldn’Ⓐemendation tell on me efⒶemendation I ’uzⒶemendation to tell you, would you, Huck?”
“Blamed if I would, Jim.”
“Well, I b’lieveⒶemendation you, Huck. I—I run off Ⓐemendation.”
“Jim!”Ⓐalteration in the MS
“But mind, you said you wouldn’t tell—you know you said you wouldn’t tell, Huck.”
“Well, I did. I said I wouldn’t, and I’ll stick to it. Honest injun,Ⓐemendation I will.Ⓐalteration in the MS PeopleⒶemendation would call me a low-down ablitionistⒶhistorical collation and despise me [begin page 53] for keeping mumⒺexplanatory note—but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t agoingⒶemendation to tell, and I ain’t agoingⒶemendation back there,Ⓐhistorical collation anyways. So now, le’sⒶemendation knowⒶalteration in the MS all about it.”
“Well, you see, it ’uzⒶemendation dis way. Ole missusⒶhistorical collation—dat’s Miss Watson—she pecks on me all de time, enⒶemendation treats me pootyⒶemendation rough, but she awluzⒶemendation said she wouldn’Ⓐemendation sell me down to OrleansⒺexplanatory note. ButⒶemendation I noticed dey wuzⒶemendation a nigger trader roun’Ⓐemendation de place considable, lately, enⒶemendation I begin to git oneasy. Well, one night I creeps to de do’, pootyⒶemendation late, enⒶalteration in the MS de do’ warn’t quite shet, enⒶemendation I hear ole missus tell de widder she gwyne to sell me down to Orleans,Ⓐalteration in the MS but she didn’Ⓐemendation want to, but she could git eight hund’dⒶemendation dollars for meⒶhistorical collation Ⓔexplanatory note enⒶemendation it ’uzⒶemendation sich a big stack o’Ⓐemendation money she couldn’Ⓐemendation resis’. De widder she tryⒶemendation to git her to say she wouldn’Ⓐemendation do it, but I never waited to hear de res’. I lit out,Ⓐhistorical collation mighty quick, I tell you.
“I tuckⒶemendation out en shinⒶemendation down de hill enⒶalteration in the MS ’specⒶemendation to steal a skift ’longⒶemendation de sho’ som’ersⒶtextual note ’boveⒶemendation de town, but dey wuzⒶemendation people a-stirrin’Ⓐemendation, yit, so I hid in de oleⒶemendation tumble-down cooper shop on de bank to wait for everybody to go ’way. Well, I wuzⒶemendation dah all night. Dey wuzⒶemendation somebody roun’Ⓐemendation all de time. ’LongⒶemendation ’bout six in de mawnin’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation skifts begin to go by, enⒶalteration in the MS ’bout eight erⒶemendation nine every skift dat went ’long wuz talkin’Ⓐemendation ’bout how yo’Ⓐalteration in the MS papⒶemendation comeⒶalteration in the MS over to de town en say you’sⒶemendation killed. DeseⒶalteration in the MS las’ skiftsⒶalteration in the MS wuzⒶemendation full o’Ⓐemendation ladies enⒶalteration in the MS genlmenⒶemendation agoin’Ⓐemendation over for to seeⒶalteration in the MS de place. Sometimes dey’d pull up at de sho’ enⒶalteration in the MS take a res’ b’fo’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation dey started acrost, so by de talk I got to know all ’boutⒶalteration in the MS de killin’Ⓐalteration in the MS. I ’uzⒶemendation powerful sorry you’sⒶemendation killed, Huck, but I ain’t no mo’, now.
“I laid dah under de shavin’sⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation all day. I ’uz hungryⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation, but I warn’t afeard; bekaseⒶemendation I knowed ole missusⒶemendation enⒶalteration in the MS de widder wuz goin’Ⓐemendation to start to de camp-meetn’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation right arterⒶalteration in the MS breakfas’Ⓐemendation en beⒶalteration in the MS gone all day, en deyⒶalteration in the MS knows I goes off wid de cattle ’bout daylight, so dey wouldn’ ’specⒶemendation to see me roun’Ⓐemendation de place, enⒶalteration in the MS so dey wouldn’Ⓐemendation miss me tell arterⒶalteration in the MS dark in de evenin’Ⓐalteration in the MS. De yutherⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation servants wouldn’Ⓐemendation miss me, kaseⒶemendation dey’d shin out enⒶalteration in the MS take holiday, soon as de ole folks ’uzⒶemendation out’n deⒶalteration in the MS way.
“Well, when it come dark I tuckⒶemendation out up de riverⒶemendation roadⒶhistorical collation enⒶalteration in the MS went ’boutⒶalteration in the MS two mile erⒶemendation more,Ⓐhistorical collation to whahⒶalteration in the MS dey warn’t no houses. I’d made up my mineⒶemendation ’bout what I’s agwyneⒶemendation to do. You see,Ⓐhistorical collation efⒶemendation I kep’ on tryin’ to git away afoot, de dogs ’udⒶemendation track me; efⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation I stole a skiftⒶalteration in the MS to cross over, dey’d miss dat skift, you see,Ⓐemendation enⒶalteration in the MS dey’d know ’boutⒶalteration in the MS whahⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation I’d lan’Ⓐalteration in the MS on de yutherⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation side enⒶemendation whahⒶalteration in the MS to pick up my track. So I says, a raffⒶemendation is what I’s arterⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation; it doan’ make Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation no track.
“I see a light a-comin’Ⓐalteration in the MS roun’Ⓐemendation de p’int, bymebyⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation, so I wade’Ⓐemendation in enⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐalteration in the MS [begin page 54] shove’Ⓐemendation a log ahead o’Ⓐemendation meⒶhistorical collation en swumⒶemendation more’nⒶalteration in the MS half wayⒶhistorical collation acrost de riverⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS en gotⒶalteration in the MS in ’mongstⒶemendation de drift woodⒶhistorical collation enⒶalteration in the MS kep’Ⓐalteration in the MS my head down lowⒶhistorical collation en kinderⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation swum aginⒶemendation de current tell de raffⒶemendation come along. Den I swum to de stern uvⒶemendation itⒶhistorical collation enⒶalteration in the MS tuck aholtⒶemendation. It clouded up en ’uzⒶalteration in the MS pootyⒶemendation dark for a little while.Ⓐalteration in the MS SoⒶemendation I clumb up enⒶalteration in the MS laid down on de planks. De men ’uzⒶemendation all ’way yonder in de middle, whah de lantern wuzⒶemendation. De river wuz arisin’Ⓐemendation enⒶalteration in the MS dey wuzⒶemendation a good current; so I reck’n’d ’atⒶemendation by fo’Ⓐemendation in de mawnin’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation I’d beⒶalteration in the MS twenty-fiveⒶalteration in the MS mile down de riverⒶemendation, enⒶalteration in the MS den I’d slip in, jis’Ⓐalteration in the MS b’fo’Ⓐemendation daylight, en swimⒶalteration in the MS asho’ en takeⒶalteration in the MS to de woods on de IllinoiⒶemendation sideⒺexplanatory note.
“But I didn’Ⓐemendation have no luck. When we ’uzⒶemendation mos’Ⓐalteration in the MS down to de head erⒶalteration in the MS de islan’Ⓐemendation, a man begin to come aft wid de lantern. I see it warn’t no use ferⒶalteration in the MS to wait, so I slid overboadⒶemendation, en struckⒶalteration in the MS out ferⒶemendation de islan’Ⓐemendation. Well, I had a notionⒶemendation I could lan’Ⓐalteration in the MS mos’Ⓐalteration in the MS anywhersⒶemendation, but I couldn’t—bank too bluff. I ’uzⒶemendation mos’Ⓐalteration in the MS to de foot erⒶalteration in the MS de islan’ b’fo’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation I foun’Ⓐalteration in the MS a good place. I went into de woods enⒶalteration in the MS jedgedⒶemendation I wouldn’Ⓐemendation fool wid raffsⒶemendation no mo’, long as deyⒶalteration in the MS move de lantern roun’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation so. I had my pipeⒶalteration in the MS enⒶalteration in the MS a plug erⒶalteration in the MS dog-legⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation enⒶalteration in the MS some matches in my cap, enⒶalteration in the MS dey warn’t wet, so I ’uzⒶemendation all right.”
“And so you ain’t had no meat nor bread to eat all this time? Why didn’t you get mud turklesⒶemendation?”
“How you gwyne to git’mⒶemendation? You can’t slip up on umⒶemendation en grabⒶalteration in the MS umⒶemendation; en how’sⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation a body gwyne to hit umⒶemendation wid a rock? How could a body do it in de night? EnⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation IⒶalteration in the MS warn’t gwyne to show mysefⒶalteration in the MS on de bank in de daytime.”
“Well, that’s so. You’ve had to keep in the woods all the time, of course. Did you hear ’emⒶalteration in the MS shooting the cannon?”
“OⒶhistorical collation yes. I knowed dey was arterⒶalteration in the MS you. I see umⒶemendation go by heahⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation; watched umⒶemendation thooⒶalteration in the MS de bushes.”
Some young birds come along, flying a yard or two at a time and lighting. JimⒶemendation said it was a sign it was going to rain. He said it was a sign when young chickens flew that way, and so he reckoned it was the same wayⒶemendation when young birds done it. I was goingⒶalteration in the MS to catch someⒶemendation of them, but Jim wouldn’t let me. He said it was deathⒺexplanatory note. He said his father laid mighty sick once, and some of them catched a bird, and his old granny said his father would die, and he did.Ⓐalteration in the MS
And Jim said you mustn’tⒶhistorical collation count the things you areⒶalteration in the MS going to cook for dinner, because that would bring bad luckⒺexplanatory note. The sameⒶalteration in the MS if you shook the table-clothⒶemendation after sundownⒺexplanatory note. And he saidⒶemendation if a man owned a bee hiveⒶhistorical collation, and that man died, theⒶalteration in the MS bees must be toldⒺexplanatory note about it before [begin page 55] sun-up next morning, or else the bees would all weaken down and quit work and die. Jim said bees wouldn’t sting idiotsⒺexplanatory note; but I didn’t believe that, because I had tried them lots of times myself, and they wouldn’t sting me.
IⒶemendation had heard about some of theseⒶalteration in the MS things before, but not all of them. JimⒶhistorical collation knowed all kinds of signs. He said he knowed mostⒶhistorical collation everything. I said it looked to me likeⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation all the signs was about bad luck, and so I asked him if there warn’t any good-luck signs. He says:Ⓐemendation
“MightyⒶalteration in the MS few—an’ dey ain’Ⓐemendation no use to a bodyⒶemendation. What you want to know when good luck’s a-comin’Ⓐalteration in the MS for? WantⒶhistorical collation to keep it off?” AndⒶemendation he said: “EfⒶemendation you’s got hairy arms enⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS a hairy breas’, it’s a sign datⒶalteration in the MS you’s agwyneⒶemendation to be richⒺexplanatory note. Well, dey’s some use in a sign like dat, ’kaseⒶemendation it’s so fur ahead. You see, maybeⒶhistorical collation you’s got to be po’ a long time fust, enⒶalteration in the MS so you might git discourage’ enⒶalteration in the MS kill yo’sefⒶalteration in the MS ’fⒶemendation you didn’Ⓐemendation know by de sign dat youⒶemendation gwyne to be rich bymebyⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS.”
“Have you got hairy arms and a hairy breast, Jim?”
“What’s de use to ax dat question? Don’Ⓐemendation you see I has?”
“Well, areⒶalteration in the MS you rich?”
“No;Ⓐhistorical collation but I ben rich wunstⒶemendation andⒶalteration in the MS gwyne to be rich agin.Ⓐemendation WunstⒶemendation I had foteenⒶemendation dollars, but I tuckⒶemendation to specalat’n’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation, enⒶemendation got busted outⒺexplanatory note.”
“What did you speculate in, Jim?”
“Well, fust I tackled stock.”
“What kind of stock?”
“Why, live stock. Cattle, you know. IⒶalteration in the MS put ten dollars in a cow. But I ain’Ⓐemendation gwyne to resk no mo’Ⓐalteration in the MS money in stock. De cow up ’n’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation died on my han’s.”
“So you lost the ten dollars.”
“No,Ⓐhistorical collation I didn’Ⓐemendation lose it all. I on’yⒶemendation los’Ⓐalteration in the MS ’bout nine of it. I soleⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation de hide enⒶalteration in the MS taller for a dollarⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation enⒶalteration in the MS ten cents.”
“You had five dollars and ten cents left. Did you speculate any more?”
“Yes. You know dat one-laiggedⒶemendation nigger dat b’longs to oleⒶhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note MistoⒶemendation BradishⒺexplanatory note? WellⒶhistorical collation, he sot up a bank, enⒶalteration in the MS sayⒶemendation anybody dat put in a dollarⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS would gitⒶalteration in the MS fo’Ⓐalteration in the MS dollarsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation mo’ at de en’Ⓐemendation erⒶalteration in the MS de year. Well, all de niggers went in, but dey didn’Ⓐemendation have much. I wuzⒶemendation de on’yⒶemendation one dat had much. So I stuck out for mo’ dan fo’Ⓐalteration in the MS dollarsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation, enⒶalteration in the MS I said ’fⒶemendation I didn’Ⓐemendation git it I’d start a bank mysefⒶalteration in the MS. WellⒶhistorical collation o’Ⓐalteration in the MS course dat nigger wantⒶhistorical collation to keep me out erⒶalteration in the MS de business, bekaseⒶemendation he sayⒶemendation dey warn’t business ’nough for two banks, [begin page 56] so he sayⒶemendation I could put in my five dollarsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation enⒶalteration in the MS he payⒶemendation me thirty-five at de en’Ⓐalteration in the MS erⒶalteration in the MS de year.
“SoⒶalteration in the MS I done it. Den I reck’n’dⒶemendation I’d inves’ de thirty-five dollarsⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation right off enⒶalteration in the MS keep things a-movin’. Dey wuzⒶemendation a nigger name’ Bob, dat had ketched a wood-flat, en his marster didn’ know it;Ⓐemendation en IⒶalteration in the MS bought it off’n himⒶhistorical collation enⒶalteration in the MS toleⒶhistorical collation him to take de thirty-five dollars when de en’Ⓐalteration in the MS erⒶalteration in the MS de year come; but somebody stole de wood-flatⒶalteration in the MS dat night, enⒶalteration in the MS nex’Ⓐemendation day de one-laiggedⒶemendation nigger say de bank’sⒶemendation busted. So dey didn’Ⓐemendation none uvⒶemendation us git noⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation money.”
“What did you doⒶemendation with the ten cents, Jim?”
“Well, I ’uzⒶemendation gwyne to spen’ it, but I had a dream, enⒶalteration in the MS de dream tole me to give it to a nigger name’ Balum—Balum’s AssⒺexplanatory note dey call himⒶhistorical collation for short,—Ⓐhistorical collationhe’sⒶalteration in the MS one erⒶalteration in the MS dem chuckleheadsⒶemendation, you know.Ⓐalteration in the MS But he’s luckyⒶalteration in the MS, dey say, enⒶalteration in the MS I see I warn’t lucky. De dream say let Balum inves’ de ten centsⒶemendation enⒶalteration in the MS he’d make a raise for me. Well, Balum he tuckⒶemendation de money, [begin page 57] enⒶalteration in the MS when he wuzⒶemendation in church he hearⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation de preacher say dat whoever give to de po’ len’ to de Lord, enⒶalteration in the MS boun’ to git his money back a hund’dⒶalteration in the MS times. So Balum he tuckⒶemendation en giveⒶalteration in the MS de ten cents to de po’Ⓐhistorical collation enⒶalteration in the MS laid low to see what wuzⒶemendation gwyne to come of it.”
“Well, what did come of it, Jim?”
“ Nuffn’Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation never come of it. I couldn’Ⓐemendation manage to k’leckⒶemendation dat money no way; enⒶalteration in the MS Balum he couldn’Ⓐemendation. I ain’Ⓐemendation gwyne to len’ no mo’Ⓐemendation money ’doutⒶemendation I seeⒶemendation deⒶalteration in the MS security.Ⓐalteration in the MS Boun’ to git yo’Ⓐalteration in the MS money back a hund’dⒶalteration in the MS times, de preacher says! EfⒶemendation I could git de ten cents Ⓐemendation back, I’dⒶemendation call it squahⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation, enⒶalteration in the MS be glad erⒶalteration in the MS de chanstⒶalteration in the MS.”
“Well, it’s allⒶalteration in the MS right, anyway, Jim, longⒶemendation as you’re going to be rich again some time or other.”
“Yes—enⒶalteration in the MS I’s rich now, come to look at it. I owns mysefⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation, en I’s wuthⒶemendation eightⒶalteration in the MS hund’dⒶalteration in the MS dollars. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn’ want no mo’.Ⓐemendation Ⓐtextual note”
illustration] Kemble’s drawing of Jim quotes unmistakably from one of the most widely known graphic symbols of the campaign to abolish slavery:
The image is of a kneeling African man, all but naked, his hands and feet chained, his gaze directed heavenward, and is usually captioned, “Am I Not a Man and a Brother?” It was originally adopted in the 1780s as the seal of the Society for the Abolition of Slavery in England. . . . Beginning in the 1820s, American [begin page 396] abolitionists blanketed the Northeast with this image. It was printed on countless pamphlets, on stationery (advertised and sold through antislavery newspapers), and on handbills. It was also emblazoned on pottery and other goods.
The most famous version of this image appeared on a broadside of John Greenleaf Whittier’s poem “My Countryman in Chains,” first published in 1837 and sold, beginning in March of that year, from the Anti-Slavery Offices in Boston and New York. (Reilly, 54–55)
Mark Twain alluded to the slogan (“Am I not a man and a brother?”) in chapter 4 of Tom Sawyer. When cousin Mary undertakes to wash Tom before church, he emerges from the cleansing as “a man and a brother, without distinction of color” ( ATS , 28, 263).
People would call me a low-down ablitionist . . . for keeping mum] In 1847, Tom Blankenship’s older brother, Benson, shunned the fifty-dollar reward offered for a runaway slave he found hiding on Sny Island, near the Illinois shore. He “kept the runaway over there in the marshes all summer. The negro would fish and Ben would carry him scraps of other food” ( MTB , 1:63–64; see also Wecter, 148). This kindness must have been the more impressive because Benson’s family was itself so poor. “In those old slave-holding days the whole community was agreed as to one thing,” Mark Twain wrote in 1895,
the awful sacredness of slave property. To help steal a horse or a cow was a low crime, but to help a hunted slave, or feed him or shelter him, or hide him, or comfort him, in his troubles, his terrors, his despair, or hesitate to promptly betray him to the slave-catcher when opportunity offered was a much baser crime, & carried with it a stain, a moral smirch which nothing could wipe away. That this sentiment should exist among slave-owners is comprehensible—there were good commercial reasons for it—but that it should exist & did exist among the paupers, the loafers the tag-rag & bobtail of the community, & in a passionate & uncompromising form, is not in our remote day realizable. (Notebook 35, TS p. 35, CU-MARK, in Blair 1960a, 144)
The strong local sentiment about “the awful sacredness of slave property” was amply demonstrated in 1841 when three abolitionists from around Quincy, Illinois (across the river from Hannibal), tried to induce three Missouri slaves to escape. The slaves betrayed and helped capture their would-be liberators, who narrowly escaped lynching. After a brief trial, the jury—which included Clemens’s father, John Marshall Clemens—found them guilty, and the judge imposed a sentence of twelve years’ imprisonment at hard labor. Sharp clashes with abolitionists continued in the 1840s as anti-abolitionist vigilance committees were appointed in every township of Marion County. As a teenager, Clemens clearly shared his community’s view of the “infernal abolitionists,” as he wrote in an 1853 letter to his mother (24 Aug 53, L1 , 4). Over the next ten or fifteen years, however, his attitudes underwent a fundamental change. When he died in 1910, William Dean Howells characterized him as “the most desouthernized Southerner I ever [begin page 397] knew. No man more perfectly sensed and more entirely abhorred slavery” (Howells 1910, 35; Holcombe, 256–59, 262–64; Blair 1960a, 109–10; Foner, 192–210).
sell me down to Orleans] Being sold “down the river” was the worst of fates for any slave: not only would he be permanently separated from his family, he would likely face a life of hard labor on a sugar or cotton plantation in Louisiana. In 1890 or 1891, in an attempt to explain how his “kind-hearted and compassionate” mother could tolerate slavery, Mark Twain wrote that
there was nothing about the slavery of the Hannibal region to rouse one’s dozing humane instincts to activity. It was the mild domestic slavery, not the brutal plantation article. Cruelties were very rare, and exceedingly and wholesomely unpopular. To separate and sell the members of a slave family to different masters was a thing not well liked by the people, and so it was not often done, except in the settling of estates. . . . The “nigger trader” was loathed by everybody. He was regarded as a sort of human devil who bought and conveyed poor helpless creatures to hell—for to our whites and blacks alike the southern plantation was simply hell; no milder name could describe it. If the threat to sell an incorrigible slave “down the river” would not reform him, nothing would—his case was past cure. (“Jane Lampton Clemens,” Inds , 88)
Clemens’s memory of how slaves and slave families were treated in Hannibal is somewhat at odds with the statistics for Missouri as a whole. In the 1850s, for instance, perhaps thirty percent of Missouri slaves sold locally “were children under fifteen who were sold without either parent” (Tadman, 138).