Tom Sawyer

Tom Sawyer

Tom Sawyer was a boy, not one of the sort that you read about in good books, but a little devil, never malicious and always at some trick, and in the course of years he engaged in a multitude, all of which are here recorded in Twain's style. He had special aversions for church, Sunday school, pious people, devout conversation and the company of his sedate but good old aunt. In spite of his efforts to escape from such inflictions he had to suffer them once in a while, but in his efforts to get some diversion on such occasions he more than once made lively sensations. Too lazy to get his Sunday school lessons, he managed by sharp trading to buy up a lot of the tickets given to the best pupils, and when a distinguished visitor came the children were requested to step forward with their tickets so that the one who had the most should receive the prize. To the astonishment of all Tom Sawyer was the hero, and, after a great time had been made over him, the visitor thought Tom should have a chance to show his learning, so he asked him who were the first two of the twelve Apostles to follow Jesus, it being presumed that the prize boy knew such things perfectly, for the lesson of the term had been in the study of the four Gospels. Tom felt the necessity of giving some answer, and his was "David and Goliath," to the surprise of the visitor, the consternation of the head teacher and the amusement of the school.

When Tom went to church he took a large snapping bug...