Part 15 (1/2)

To, and answered carelessly--

”Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain't All I know is, it suits Tom Sawyer”

”Oh, come now, you don't mean to let on that you like it?”

The brush continued to htn't to like it Does a boy get a chance to ash a fence every day?”

That put the thing in a new light Ben stopped nibbling his apple Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth--stepped back to note the effect--added a touch here and there--criticised the effect again, Ben watching everymore and more interested, more and more absorbed Presently he said--

”Say, Tom, let me ash a little”

Tom considered; was about to consent; but he altered his mind: ”No, no; I reckon it wouldn't hardly do, Ben You see, Aunt Polly's awful particular about this fence--right here on the street, you know--but if it was the back fence I wouldn't mind, and she wouldn't Yes, she's awful particular about this fence; it's got to be done very careful; I reckon there ain't one boy in a thousand, ot to be done”

”No--is that so? Oh, come now; lemme just try, only just a little I'd let you, if you was me, Tom”

”Ben, I'd like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly--well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn't let him Sid wanted to do it, but she wouldn't let Sid Now, don't you see how I a was to happen to it--”

”Oh, shucks; I'll be just as careful Now leive you the core of my apple”

”Well, here No, Ben; now don't; I'ave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart And while Ben worked and sweated in the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, dangled his legs, hter of more innocents There was no lack ofevery little while; they came to jeer, but reed out, Toood repair; and when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in for a dead rat and a string to swing it with; and so on, and so on, hour after hour And when thea poor, poverty-stricken boy in thein wealth

He had, besides the things I have mentioned, twelve lass to look through, a spool-cannon, a key that wouldn't unlock anything, a fraglass stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, six fire-crackers, a kitten with only one eye, a brass door-knob, a dog-collar--but no dog--the handle of a knife, four pieces of orange-peel, and a dilapidated old -sash He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while--plenty of company--and the fence had three coats of ash on it! If he hadn't run out of ash, he would have bankrupted every boy in the village

Tom said to himself that it was not such a holloorld after all He had discovered a great law of hu it, na, it is only necessary to reat and wise philosopher, he would have coed_ to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is _not_ obliged to do

MARK TWAIN: ”The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”

BURIAL OF SIR JOHN MOORE

Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, As his corpse to the raed his farewell shot O'er the grave where our hero we buried

We buried hi; By the struggling

No useless coffin inclosed his breast, Nor in sheet nor in shroud ound hi his rest, With his martial cloak around him

Few and short were the prayers we said, And we spoke not a word of sorrow; But we steadfastly gazed on the face that was dead, And we bitterly thought of the ht as we hollowed his narrow bed, And ser would tread o'er his head, And we far away on the billow

Lightly they'll talk of the spirit that's gone, And o'er his cold ashes upbraid hirave where a Briton has laid him