English
TOMjoinedtheneworderofCadetsofTemperance,beingattractedbytheshowycharacteroftheir"regalia."
Hepromisedtoabstainfromsmoking,chewing,andprofanityaslongasheremainedamember.
Nowhefoundoutanewthing—namely,thattopromisenottodoathingisthesurestwayintheworldtomakeabodywanttogoanddothatverything.
Tomsoonfoundhimselftormentedwithadesiretodrinkandswear;thedesiregrewtobesointensethatnothingbutthehopeofachancetodisplayhimselfinhisredsashkepthimfromwithdrawingfromtheorder.
FourthofJulywascoming;buthesoongavethatup—gaveitupbeforehehadwornhisshacklesoverforty–eighthours—andfixedhishopesuponoldJudgeFrazer,justiceofthepeace,whowasapparentlyonhisdeathbedandwouldhaveabigpublicfuneral,sincehewassohighanofficial.
DuringthreedaysTomwasdeeplyconcernedabouttheJudge'sconditionandhungryfornewsofit.
Sometimeshishopesranhigh—sohighthathewouldventuretogetouthisregaliaandpractisebeforethelooking–glass.
ButtheJudgehadamostdiscouragingwayoffluctuating.
Atlasthewaspronounceduponthemend—andthenconvalescent.
Tomwasdisgusted;andfeltasenseofinjury,too.
Hehandedinhisresignationatonce—andthatnighttheJudgesufferedarelapseanddied.
Tomresolvedthathewouldnevertrustamanlikethatagain.
Thefuneralwasafinething.TheCadetsparadedinastylecalculatedtokillthelatememberwithenvy.
Tomwasafreeboyagain,however—therewassomethinginthat.
Hecoulddrinkandswear,now—butfoundtohissurprisethathedidnotwantto.
Thesimplefactthathecould,tookthedesireaway,andthecharmofit.
Tompresentlywonderedtofindthathiscovetedvacationwasbeginningtohangalittleheavilyonhishands.
Heattemptedadiary—butnothinghappenedduringthreedays,andsoheabandonedit.
Thefirstofallthenegrominstrelshowscametotown,andmadeasensation.TomandJoeHarpergotupabandofperformersandwerehappyfortwodays.
EventheGloriousFourthwasinsomesenseafailure,foritrainedhard,therewasnoprocessioninconsequence,andthegreatestmanintheworld(asTomsupposed),Mr.Benton,anactualUnitedStatesSenator,provedanoverwhelmingdisappointment—forhewasnottwenty–fivefeethigh,norevenanywhereintheneighborhoodofit.
Acircuscame.Theboysplayedcircusforthreedaysafterwardintentsmadeofragcarpeting—admission,threepinsforboys,twoforgirls—andthencircusingwasabandoned.
Aphrenologistandamesmerizercame—andwentagainandleftthevillagedulleranddrearierthanever.
Thereweresomeboys–and–girls'parties,buttheyweresofewandsodelightfulthattheyonlymadetheachingvoidsbetweenachetheharder.
BeckyThatcherwasgonetoherConstantinoplehometostaywithherparentsduringvacation—sotherewasnobrightsidetolifeanywhere.
Thedreadfulsecretofthemurderwasachronicmisery.Itwasaverycancerforpermanencyandpain.
Thencamethemeasles.
DuringtwolongweeksTomlayaprisoner,deadtotheworldanditshappenings.
Hewasveryill,hewasinterestedinnothing.
Whenhegotuponhisfeetatlastandmovedfeeblydown–town,amelancholychangehadcomeovereverythingandeverycreature.
Therehadbeena"revival,"andeverybodyhad"gotreligion,"notonlytheadults,buteventheboysandgirls.
Tomwentabout,hopingagainsthopeforthesightofoneblessedsinfulface,butdisappointmentcrossedhimeverywhere.
HefoundJoeHarperstudyingaTestament,andturnedsadlyawayfromthedepressingspectacle.
HesoughtBenRogers,andfoundhimvisitingthepoorwithabasketoftracts.
HehuntedupJimHollis,whocalledhisattentiontothepreciousblessingofhislatemeaslesasawarning.
Everyboyheencounteredaddedanothertontohisdepression;andwhen,indesperation,heflewforrefugeatlasttothebosomofHuckleberryFinnandwasreceivedwithaScripturalquotation,hisheartbrokeandhecrepthomeandtobedrealizingthathealoneofallthetownwaslost,foreverandforever.
Andthatnighttherecameonaterrificstorm,withdrivingrain,awfulclapsofthunderandblindingsheetsoflightning.
Hecoveredhisheadwiththebedclothesandwaitedinahorrorofsuspenseforhisdoom;forhehadnottheshadowofadoubtthatallthishubbubwasabouthim.
Hebelievedhehadtaxedtheforbearanceofthepowersabovetotheextremityofenduranceandthatthiswastheresult.
Itmighthaveseemedtohimawasteofpompandammunitiontokillabugwithabatteryofartillery,butthereseemednothingincongruousaboutthegettingupsuchanexpensivethunderstormasthistoknocktheturffromunderaninsectlikehimself.
Byandbythetempestspentitselfanddiedwithoutaccomplishingitsobject.Theboy'sfirstimpulsewastobegrateful,andreform.Hissecondwastowait—fortheremightnotbeanymorestorms.
Thenextdaythedoctorswereback;Tomhadrelapsed.
Thethreeweekshespentonhisbackthistimeseemedanentireage.
Whenhegotabroadatlasthewashardlygratefulthathehadbeenspared,rememberinghowlonelywashisestate,howcompanionlessandforlornhewas.
HedriftedlistlesslydownthestreetandfoundJimHollisactingasjudgeinajuvenilecourtthatwastryingacatformurder,inthepresenceofhervictim,abird.
HefoundJoeHarperandHuckFinnupanalleyeatingastolenmelon.Poorlads!they—likeTom—hadsufferedarelapse.
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