mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第7部分

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sense　of　pity　was　abnormal。　　She　refused　to　kill　even　flies；　and　punished
the　cat　for　catching　mice。　　She；　would　drown　the　young　kittens；　when
necessary；　but　warmed　the　water　for　the　purpose。　　On　coming　to　Hannibal；
she　joined　the　Presbyterian　Church；　and　her　religion　was　of　that　clean…
cut；　strenuous　kind　which　regards　as　necessary　institutions　hell　and
Satan；　though　she　had　been　known　to　express　pity　for　the　latter　for　being
obliged　to　surround　himself　with　such　poor　society。　　Her　children　she
directed　with　considerable　firmness；　and　all　were　tractable　and　growing
in　grace　except　Little　Sam。　　Even　baby　Henry　at　two　was　lisping　the
prayers　that　Sam　would　let　go　by　default　unless　carefully　guarded。　　His
sister　Pamela；　who　was　eight　years　older　and　always　loved　him　dearly；
usually　supervised　these　spiritual　exercises；　and　in　her　gentle　care
earned　immortality　as　the　Cousin　Mary　of　Tom　Sawyer。　　He　would　say　his
prayers　willingly　enough　when　encouraged　by　sister　Pamela；　but　he　much
preferred　to　sit　up　in　bed　and　tell　astonishing　tales　of　the　day's
adventuretales　which　made　prayer　seem　a　futile　corrective　and　caused
his　listeners　to　wonder　why　the　lightning　was　restrained　so　long。　　They
did　not　know　they　were　glimpsing　the　first　outcroppings　of　a　genius　that
would　one　day　amaze　and　entertain　the　nations。　　Neighbors　hearing　of
these　things　（also　certain　of　his　narrations）　remonstrated　with　Mrs。
Clemens。

〃You　don't　believe　anything　that　child　says；　I　hope。〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　know　his　average。　　I　discount　him　ninety　per　cent。　　The　rest
is　pure　gold。〃　　At　another　time　she　said：　〃　Sammy　is　a　well　of　truth；　but
you　can't　bring　it　all　up　in　one　bucket。〃

This；　however；　is　digression；　the　incidents　may　have　happened　somewhat
later。

A　certain　Miss　E。　Horr　was　selected　to　receive　the　payment　for　taking
charge　of　Little　Sam　during　several　hours　each　day；　directing　him
mentally　and　morally　in　the　mean　time。　　Her　school　was　then　in　a　log
house　on　Main　Street　（later　it　was　removed　to　Third　Street）；　and　was　of
the　primitive　old…fashioned　kind；　with　pupils　of　all　ages；　ranging　in
advancement　from　the　primer　to　the　third　reader；　from　the　tables　to　long
division；　with　a　little　geography　and　grammar　and　a　good　deal　of
spelling。　　Long　division　and　the　third　reader　completed　the　curriculum　in
that　school。　　Pupils　who　decided　to　take　a　post…graduate　course　went　to　a
Mr。　Cross；　who　taught　in　a　frame　house　on　the　hill　facing　what　is　now　the
Public　Square。

Miss　Horr　received　twenty…five　cents　a　week　for　each　pupil；　and　opened
her　school　with　prayer；　after　which　came　a　chapter　of　the　Bible；　with
explanations；　and　the　rules　of　conduct。　　Then　the　A　B　C　class　was　called；
because　their　recital　was　a　hand…to…hand　struggle；　requiring　no
preparation。

The　rules　of　conduct　that　first　day　interested　Little　Sam。　　He　calculated
how　much　he　would　need　to　trim　in；　to　sail　close　to　the　danger…line　and
still　avoid　disaster。　　He　made　a　miscalculation　during　the　forenoon　and
received　warning；　a　second　offense　would　mean　punishment。　　He　did　not
mean　to　be　caught　the　second　time；　but　he　had　not　learned　Miss　Horr　yet；
and　was　presently　startled　by　being　commanded　to　go　out　and　bring　a　stick
for　his　own　correction。

This　was　certainly　disturbing。　　It　was　sudden；　and　then　he　did　not　know
much　about　the　selection　of　sticks。　　Jane　Clemens　had　usually　used　her
hand。　　It　required　a　second　command　to　get　him　headed　in　the　right
direction；　and　he　was　a　trifle　dazed　when　he　got　outside。　　He　had　the
forests　of　Missouri　to　select　from；　but　choice　was　difficult。　　Everything
looked　too　big　and　competent。　　Even　the　smallest　switch　had　a　wiry；
discouraging　look。　　Across　the　way　was　a　cooper…shop　with　a　good　many
shavings　outside。

One　had　blown　across　and　lay　just　in　front　of　him。　　It　was　an
inspiration。　　He　picked　it　up　and；　solemnly　entering　the　school…room；
meekly　handed　it　to　Miss　Herr。

Perhaps　Miss　Horr's　sense　of　humor　prompted　forgiveness；　but　discipline
must　be　maintained。

〃Samuel　Langhorne　Clemens；〃　she　said　（he　had　never　heard　it　all　strung
together　in　that　ominous　way）；　〃I　am　ashamed　of　you！　　Jimmy　Dunlap；　go
and　bring　a　switch　for　Sammy。〃　　And　Jimmy　Dunlap　went；　and　the　switch　was
of　a　sort　to　give　the　little　boy　an　immediate　and　permanent　distaste　for
school。　　He　informed　his　mother　when　he　went　home　at　noon　that　he　did　not
care　for　school；　that　he　had　no　desire　to　be　a　great　man；　that　he
preferred　to　be　a　pirate　or　an　Indian　and　scalp　or　drown　such　people　as
Miss　Horr。　　Down　in　her　heart　his　mother　was　sorry　for　him；　but　what　she
said　was　that　she　was　glad　there　was　somebody　at　last　who　could　take　him
in　hand。

He　returned　to　school；　but　he　never　learned　to　like　it。　　Each　morning　he
went　with　reluctance　and　remained　with　loathingthe　loathing　which　he
always　had　for　anything　resembling　bondage　and　tyranny　or　even　the
smallest　curtailment　of　liberty。　　A　School　was　ruled　with　a　rod　in　those
days；　a　busy　and　efficient　rod；　as　the　Scripture　recommended。　　Of　the
smaller　boys　Little　Sam's　back　was　sore　as　often　as　the　next；　and　he
dreamed　mainly　of　a　day　when；　grown　big　and　fierce；　he　would　descend　with
his　band　and　capture　Miss　Horr　and　probably　drag　her　by　the　hair；　as　he
had　seen　Indians　and　pirates　do　in　the　pictures。　　When　the　days　of　early
summer　came　again；　when　from　his　desk　he　could　see　the　sunshine　lighting
the　soft　green　of　Holliday's　Hill；　with　the　purple　distance　beyond；　and
the　glint　of　the　river；　it　seemed　to　him　that　to　be　shut　up　with　a
Webster's　spelling…book　and　a　cross　old　maid　was　more　than　human　nature
could　bear。　　Among　the　records　preserved　from　that　far…off　day　there
remains　a　yellow　slip；　whereon　in　neat　old…fashioned　penmanship　is
inscribed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MISS　PAMELA　CLEMENS

　　　　　Has　won　the　love　of　her　teacher　and　schoolmates　by　her　amiable
　　　　　deportment　and　faithful　application　to　her　various　studies。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　E。　Horr；　Teacher。

If　any　such　testimonial　was　ever　awarded　to　Little　Sam；　diligent　search
has　failed　to　reveal　it。　　If　he　won　the　love　of　his　teacher　and　playmates
it　was　probably　for　other　reasons。

Yet　he　must　have　learned；　somehow；　for　he　could　read　presently　and　was
soon　regarded　as　a　good　speller　for　his　years。　　His　spelling　came　as　a
natural　gift；　as　did　most　of　his　attainments；　then　and　later。

It　has　already　been　mentioned　that　Miss　Horr　opened　her　school　with
prayer　and　Scriptural　readings。　　Little　Sam　did　not　especially　delight　in
these　things；　but　he　respected　them。　　Not　to　do　so　was　dangerous。　　Flames
were　being　kept　brisk　for　little　boys　who　were　heedless　of　sacred
matters；　his　home　teaching　convinced　him　of　that。　　He　also　respected　Miss
Horr　as　an　example　of　orthodox　faith；　and　when　she　read　the　text　〃Ask　and
ye　shall　receive〃　and　assured　them　that　whoever　prayed　for　a　thing
earnestly；　his　prayer　would　be　answered；　he　believed　it。　　A　small
schoolmate；　the　balker's　daughter；　brought　gingerbread　to　school　every
morning；　and　Little　Sam　was　just　〃honing〃　for　some　of　it。　　He　wanted　a
piece　of　that　baker's　gingerbread　more　than　anything　else　in　the　world；
and　he　decided　to　pray　for　it。

The　little　girl　sat　in　front　of　him；　but　always　until　that　morning　had
kept　the　gingerbread　out　of　sight。　　Now；　however；　when　he　finished　his
prayer　and　looked　up；　a　small　morsel　of　the　precious　food　lay　in　front　of
him。　　Perhaps　the　little　girl　could　no　longer　stand　that　hungry　look　in
his　eyes。　　Possibly　she　had　heard　his　petition；　at　all　events　his　prayer
bore　fruit　and　his　faith　at　that　moment　would　have　moved　Holliday's　Hill。
He　decided　to　pray　for　everything　he　wanted；　but　when　he　tried　the
gingerbread　supplication　next　morning　it　had　no　result。　　Grieved；　but
still　unshaken；　he　tried　next　morning　again；　still　no　gingerbread；　and
when　a　third　and　fourth　effort　left　him　hungry　he　grew　despairing　and
silent；　and　wore　the　haggard　face　of　doubt。　　His　mother　said：

〃What's　the　matter；　Sammy；　are　you　sick？〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　don't　believe　in　saying　prayers　any　more；　and　I'm
never　going　to　do　it　again。〃

〃Why；　Sammy；　what　in　the　world　has　happened？〃　she　asked；　anxiously。　　Then
he　broke　down　and　cried　on　her　lap　and　told　her；　for　it　was　a　serious
thing　in　that　day　openly　to　repudiate　faith。　　Jane　Clemens　gathered　him
to　her　heart　and　comforted　him。

〃I'll　make　you　a　whole　pan　of　gingerbread；　better　than　that；〃　she　said；
〃and　school　will　soon　be　out；　too；　and　you　can　go　back　to　Uncle　John's
farm。〃

And　so　passed　and　ended　Little　Sam's　first　school…days。




X

EARLY　VICISSITUDE　AND　SORROW

Prosperity　came　laggingly　enough　to　the　Clemens　household。　　The　year　1840
brought　hard　times：　the　business　venture　paid　little　or　no　return；　law
practice　was　not　much　more　remunerative。　　Judge　Clemens　ran　for　the
office　of　justice　of　the　peace　and　was　elected；　but　fees　were　neither
large　nor　frequent。　　By　the　end　of　the　year　it　became　necessary　to　part
with　Jennie；　the　slave…girla　grief　to　all　of　them；　for　they　were　fond
of　her　in　spite　of　her　wilfulness；　and　she　regarded　them　as　〃her　family。〃
She　was　tall；　well　formed；　nearly　black；　and　brought　a　good　price。　　A
Methodist　minister　in　Hannibal　sold　a　negro　child　at　the　same　time　to
another　minister　who　took　it　to　his　home　farther　South。　　As　the　steamboat
moved　away　from　the　landing　the　child's　mother　stood　at　the　water's　edge；
shrieking　her　anguish。　　We　are　prone　to　consider　these　things　harshly
now；　when　slavery　has　been　dead　for　nearly　half　a　century；　but　it　was　a
sacred　institution　then；　and　to　sell　a　child　from　its　mother　was　little
more　than　to　sell　to…day　a　calf　from　its　lowing　dam。　　One　could　be　sorry；
of　course；　in　both　instances；　but　necessity　or　convenience　are　matters
usually　considered　before　sentiment。　　Mark　Twain　once　said　of　his　mother：

〃Kind…hearted　and　compassionate　as　she　was；　I　think　she　was　not　conscious
that　slavery　was　a　bald；　grotesque；　and　unwarranted　ursurpation。　　She　had
never　heard　it　assailed　in　any　pulpit；　but　had　heard　it　defended　and
sanctified　in　a　thousand。　　As　far　as　her　experience　went；　the　wise；　the
good；　and　the　holy　were　unanimous　in　the　belief　that　slavery　was　ri