Robert C.

Evans
Department of English
Auburn University Montgomery
3573 Mayfair Road
Montgomery A! 3"#$%
litpage&aol.'om revans&aum.edu
MARK TWAIN
PUDDNHEAD WILSON
(ometimes titled The Tragedy of Puddnhead Wilson and sometimes 'alled
simply Puddnhead Wilson: A Tale this boo) by Mar) *+ain ,(amuel Clemens- tells a
fairly simple story that is rooted in the tangled 'omple.ities of ra'ial dis'rimination.
Roxy Appeals to Tom
Context: /n the follo+ing passage +hi'h appears a bit more than half0+ay through
Chapter 1 Ro.y has returned to Da+son2s !anding +here she appeals for assistan'e to
*om Dris'oll +ho is no+ a gro+n young man. Although Ro.y )no+s that she is really
his mother the fair0s)inned *om thin)s that she is merely the 3bla')4 slave +ho served
as his 3mammy4 +hen he +as an infant and boy.
My lan, how you is growed, honey! Clah to goodness I wouldnt a
knowed you, Marse Tom! deed I wouldnt! Look at me good; does you
member ole Roxy ! does you know yo ole nigger mammy, honey "ell,
now, I kin lay down en die in #ea$e, $a%e Is seed !&
Cut it short, damn it, $ut it short! "hat is it you want&
'ou heah dat (es de same old Marse Tom, allays so gay and
)unnin wid de ole mammy* I u% +es as shore !&
Cut it short, I tell you, and get along! "hat do you want&
This was a bitter disa##ointment* Roxy had )or so many days
nourished and )ondled and #etted her notion that Tom would be glad to see
his old nurse and would make her #roud and ha##y to the marrow with a
$ordial word or two, that it took two rebu))s to $on,in$e her that he was not
)unning and that her beauti)ul dream was a )ond and )oolish ,anity, a
shabby and #iti)ul mistake* -he was hurt to the heart, and so ashamed that
)or a moment she did not .uite know what to do or how to a$t* Then her
breast began to hea,e, the tears $ame, and in her )orlornness she was
mo,ed to try that other dream o) hers ! an a##eal to her boys $harity; and
so, u#on the im#ulse, and without re)le$tion, she o))ered her su##li$ation !
#
/h, Marse Tom, de #o ole mammy is in si$h hard lu$k, dese days;
en shes kinder $ri##led in de arms en $ant work, en i) you $ould gimme a
dollah ! ony +es one little dol0&
Tom was on his )eet so suddenly that the su##li$ant was startled
into a +um# hersel)*
1 dollar! ! gi,e you a dollar! I,e a notion to strangle you! Is that
your errand here Clear out! and be .ui$k about it!&
Analysis: 5ne of *+ain2s great talents as a +riter is his ability to +rite 'onvin'ing
diale't espe'ially (outhern diale't ,as he proved +ith the voi'e of 6u') in Huckleberry
Finn- and also the diale't of (outhern bla') slaves ,as he proved +ith the voi'e of 7im in
that same novel-. 6is gifts as a +riter of diale't are also on display in Puddnhead
Wilson parti'ularly in his depi'tion of Ro.y one of the most vivid and vital of all his
fi'tional 'hara'ters. 6er spee'h al+ays sounds perfe'tly 'redible yet one of the great
ironies of the boo) of 'ourse is that although her +ords sound li)e those of a
stereotypi'al 3bla')4 slave in physi'al appearan'e she is essentially +hite. !i)e+ise
although *om spea)s li)e a 'onventionally edu'ated 3+hite4 man he is by the standards
of his time te'hni'ally 3bla').4 *he bi8arre ra'ial 'ategories of *+ain2s time seem all
the more bi8arre if +e 'onstantly )eep in mind that Ro.y +ho 3loo)s4 +hite 3sounds
bla')49 that *om +ho is 3really4 bla') 3sounds +hite49 and that Chambers +ho is
3+hite4 spea)s the same 3bla')4 diale't as Ro.y. *+ain2s s)ill in reprodu'ing the
di'tion rhythms and synta. of 3bla')4 spee'h 'an parado.i'ally tempt us to forget
sometimes that all three of the ma:or 'hara'ters :ust mentioned share mu'h the same
light0toned s)in 'olor.
Ro.y2s opening spee'h here begins +ith a subtle irony and indeed ironies
pervade the entire episode. *hus +hen Ro.y opens by e.'laiming 3My lan24 it seems
+orth remembering that Ro.y as a slave 'ould never really be a land0o+ner9 in fa't as a
slave she +ould be 'onsidered as mu'h a pie'e of property as any pie'e of real estate.
(he admires ho+ mu'h *om 3is gro+ed4 but of 'ourse this +hole vignette +ill
demonstrate that despite his physi'al gro+th he has deteriorated ethi'ally and in some
+ays he is even more 'hildish no+ than he +as as an infant +hen he +as at least 'apable
of re'eiving and returning love. Ro.y 'alls him 3honey4 a term any 3mammy4 might
use in addressing the young master she had helped raise but of 'ourse in this 'ase the
term 3honey4 has spe'ial resonan'e in Ro.y2s mind. *he affe'tion she feels for this
young man is not merely 'onventional but genuine. *om may 'onsider the term a bit of
self0interested flattery but +hen Ro.y 'alls him 3honey4 that +ord to her is not simply
an empty 'ompliment but a heart0felt e.pression of love ; a fa't that ma)es his
subse<uent treatment of her all the more appalling.
/ronies 'ontinue +hen Ro.y says that she +ould hardly have )no+n *om sin'e he
has 'hanged so mu'h physi'ally sin'e she last sa+ him. 6e has of 'ourse 'hanged
even more signifi'antly in other more important +ays as he is about to prove. =y the
end of this episode Ro.y +ill truly feel as if she does not really )no+ the son she bore
and raised. At present ho+ever +hen she affe'tionately as)s him +hether he )no+s his
old 3mammy4 she 'annot imagine the depth of his a'tual ignoran'e ,in several senses of
that +ord-. >hen *om begins to abuse his old 3mammy4 his treatment of her +ould
seem sho')ing and repulsive no matter +ho she +as9 it seems all the more disgusting
?
given the fa't that she +as the slave +ho raised and nursed him and it seems even more
si')ening given the fa't that she is indeed his o+n biologi'al mother. /roni'ally he treats
her at first in +ays that seem not mu'h +orse than his treatment of other bla')s ,+ays
that are bad enough-9 it is only +hen she as)s him for money that the e.treme abuse
begins. *om is repulsive not simply be'ause he is so harshly ra'ist but also be'ause he is
so 'rudely materialisti'. 6e is obsessed +ith money ,as the rest of the novel +hi'h
depi'ts him as a gambler and thief amply demonstrates- and indeed his ra'ism and his
materialism are ultimately 'onne'ted. 6is +hole purpose in life is to )eep and a'<uire
money and property and he thin)s of other people ; espe'ially slaves but even his foster
father ; as instruments to use to+ard that a'hieving that goal. 6e steals from his o+n
family neighbors and 3friends4 ,although in fa't of 'ourse he has no real friends-.
!ittle +onder then that he feels no 'ompun'tion about abusing his old 3mammy4
espe'ially +hen she as)s him for money. Money is the 'enter of *om2s +orld and it
goes +ithout saying that the impulse to value money more than human beings +as also
the essential root of slavery as a so'ial system. *om in some +ays seems to be a
parti'ularly nasty and evil human being ,he seems in fa't at times almost the villain in a
'heap melodrama- but he is also in other respe'ts simply the embodiment of the profit
motive ; a motive that led some people to enslave others and treat them as pie'es of
property. Ro.y tries to appeal to his 3'harity4 but it is pre'isely 3'harity4 ; in all the
senses of that signifi'ant +ord +hi'h 'an refer both to e'onomi' generosity and to real
Christian love ; that *om fundamentally la')s. *om is in'apable of generosity in any
sense. 6e is selfish to the bone but his selfishness is partly the result of the privileged
position he has en:oyed throughout his life. 6is egotism then is not merely a personal
defe't but refle'ts in part the 'orruption of an entire so'ial system from +hi'h he has
benefited and +hose privileges he has learned to ta)e for granted.
Questions for writing or discussion:
#. >hen *om tells Ro.y to 3'ut it short4 ho+ do his o+n +ords serve that very
purpose@ /n some editions the +ord 3damn4 is repla'ed by a dash9 +hat does this fa't
suggest about the for'e of that +ord in *+ain2s era and ho+ does the use of that +ord
therefore help to 'hara'teri8e *om@ *om seems in some +ays almost a 'rude 'ari'ature
of an evil slave0master but +hy might *+ain have deliberately presented him as less
than a fully rounded fully 'omple. human being@ >hat might su'h a presentation
suggest about the impa't of slave0holding on slave0masters as +ell as on slaves@
?. >hat are several possible e.planations for Ro.y2s suggestion that *om may only be
3funnin24 +ith her@ >hy does *+ain 'all Ro.y 3Ro.y4 rather than 3Ro.ana4 here@
6o+ does the former name help affe't our o+n attitudes to+ard her@ >hen *+ain +rites
that Ro.y had 3for so many days nourished and fondled and petted4 something +here
does the senten'e at first seem headed but ho+ does the 'on'lusion of the senten'e prove
surprising@ /n +hat various +ays +as Ro.y *om2s old 3nurse4@ /n +hat various senses
+as Ro.y2s dreams about *om 3fond4@ 6o+ does *+ain2s language in this episode
subtly but repeatedly allude to blood and +hy are su'h allusions signifi'ant@ /n +hat
various senses does Ro.y probably feel 3ashamed4 no+@
AAAAA
3
Roxy Treatens Tom
Context: /n the follo+ing passage +hi'h appears near the beginning of Chapter %
having been mistreated by *om and having +itnessed him mistreating Chambers
suddenly 'onfronts him +ith the various truths of his real identity.
-he rose, and gloomed abo,e him like a )ate*
I mean dis ! en its de Lords truth* 'ou aint no more kin to ole
Marse 2ris$oll den I is! dats what I mean!& and her eyes )lamed with
trium#h*
"hat!&
'assir, en dat aint all! 'ou is a nigger! bawn a nigger en a slave!
! en yous a nigger en a sla,e dis minute; en i) I o#ens my mou), ole Marse
2ris$oll ll sell you down de ri,er be)o you is two days older den what you
is now!&
Its a thundering lie, you miserable old blatherskite!&
It aint no lie, nuther* Its +es de truth, en nothn but de truth, so
he# me* 'assir ! yous my son !&
'ou de,il! !&
! en dat #o boy dat yous been ki$kin en a $u))in to3day is 4er$y
2ris$olls son en yo marster !&
'ou beast!&
! en his names Tom 2ris$oll en yo names 5allet de Chambers, en
you aint got no )ambly name, be$a%e niggers dont have em!&
Tom s#rang u# and sei%ed a billet o) wood and raised it; but his
mother only laughed at him and said !
-et down, you #u#! 2oes you think you kin skyer me It aint in
you, nor de likes o) you* I re$kon youd shoot me in de ba$k, maybe, i) you
got a $han$e, )or dats +ist yo style* I knows you, thoo en thoo ! but I dont
mind gittn killed, be$a%e all dis is down in writin, en its in sa)e hands, too,
en de man dats got it knows whah to look )or de right man when I gits
killed* /h, bless yo soul, i) you #uts yo mother u# )or as big a )ool as you
is, yous #ow)ul mistaken, I kin tell you! 6ow den, you set still en beha,e
yosel); en dont you git u# agin till I tell you!&
Analysis: Ro.y has often been 'onsidered one of the most intriguing of all *+ain2s
'hara'ters and 'ertainly she is one his most intriguing +omen. *hroughout this boo)
she o''upies a parado.i'al position of e.treme po+er and po+erlessness. (he is
po+erless be'ause she is a slave9 she is po+erful be'ause she )no+s the 3real4 identities
of *om and Chambers and thus holds the fates of both young men in her hands. At the
same time of 'ourse if she +ere ever to reveal those identities publi'ly she +ould
automati'ally lose her po+er in several +ays ; not only be'ause *om ,her o+n son-
+ould instantly be'ome a slave and not only be'ause Chambers ,her real 3master4-
might very +ell prove vindi'tive but also be'ause to reveal their identities to everyone
B
+ould also mean revealing her o+n original 'rime of s+it'hing the babies ; a 'rime that
might very +ell lead her to suffer the punishment of being 3sold do+n the river4 if not
+orse. (he 'hooses then to reveal *om2s identity to *om alone. =y doing so she 'an
preserve both his po+er ,+hi'h 'an be useful to her- as +ell as her o+n.
*hroughout this boo) and espe'ially in s'enes su'h as this one Ro.y emerges as
an espe'ially 'ompli'ated 'hara'ter parti'ularly in the 'omple.ity of her ethi's. Anyone
'an understand +hy she is angry at *om and +hy she is tempted to lord over him the
po+er that she possesses espe'ially in vie+ of his re'ent abusive treatment of her. *om
moreover is hardly a sympatheti' figure and he seems in many +ays to deserve any
'ontempt his mother sho+s him. *om in fa't is so obviously evil and mean0spirited
than he seems almost a 'artoonish figure ,and fre<uently spea)s li)e one- so that it is
hard to ta)e him ,or his feelings- very seriously. /n this respe't Ro.y is the far more
'ompelling 'hara'ter of the t+o. (he is a fundamentally good +oman +ho has learned
that she has to loo) out for herself even if doing so means threatening and bullying her
o+n son. *he harshness of her language here and the pleasure she ta)es in her po+er in
this s'ene diminish her a bit in stri't moral terms but her 'ondu't in this episode is
perfe'tly 'redible and 'onvin'ing in +ays that *om2s spee'h and 'ondu't rarely are to
the same degree. *om is a 'ari'ature ; a stage villain. Ro.y is a real human being.
At first ho+ever she seems almost a figure from mythology ; a 3fate4 +ho holds
*om2s fate in her hands. (he stands above him both literally and figuratively and she
spea)s +ith an almost divine authorityC 3/ mean dis ; en it2s de !ord2s truth.4 As she
reveals ea'h fa'et of *om2s real identity the revelations go from bad to +orse. Dirst she
tells him that he is not related to 7udge Dris'oll ,bad-. *hen she tells him that he +as
born bla') ,+orse-. *hen she tells him that he +as born not only bla') but a slave ,+orse
still- and then she announ'es that if she reveals his identity he +ill instantly be sold do+n
the river ,almost the +orst of all-. Dinally she reveals that she is his mother )no+s all
his se'rets and 'an reveal them anytime she 'hooses. /n the spa'e of a fe+ se'onds
then *om goes from being one of the most po+erful men in to+n to being a figure of
unusual vulnerability ; all be'ause of a tiny drop of bla') an'estry. 6is life is no+ at
huge ris) and all ,parado.i'ally- be'ause his mother had long ago tried to prote't him. /f
*om had stayed the slave he +as born to be he might never have fa'ed any real prospe't
of being sold do+n the river. Eo+ he almost 'ertainly +ill suffer that fate ,and indeed he
ultimately does- as soon as his identity is revealed. /t +ould be easy to feel sorry for
*om if he +ere not su'h a 'ontemptuous person. As it is it is hard to +ish his potential
fate on anyone ; even him.
As Ro.y spea)s her eyes flame 3+ith triumph4 ; a rare feeling for her in her
dealings +ith anyone ever in her life. Eo +onder she savors the moment. Eever before
has Ro.y possessed su'h po+er and she obviously en:oys +ielding it. 6er +ords seem
utterly authenti' +hereas *om remains a 'rude 'artoon ,3you miserable old
blathers)iteF4-. Ro.y delivers her spee'h +ith the natural talent of a born orator adding
ea'h ne+ fa't one0by0one and building 'lima. upon 'lima.. All *om 'an do in response
is reply +ith lame 'li'hGsC 3Hou devilF . . . Hou beastF4 *hese a''usations of 'ourse
seem ri'hly ironi' in light of his o+n behavior throughout this novel espe'ially in vie+
of his re'ent treatment of Ro.y and Chambers. *he fa't that Ro.y e.presses sympathy
for Chambers ,3dat po2 boy dat you2s been a )i')in2 en a 'uffin2 to0day4- ma)es Ro.y
herself seem more appealing and less personally vindi'tive and in +ays su'h as this
5
*+ain 'ontinually adds to our sense of the 'omple.ity of her 'hara'ter. /f in this
episode +e +itness a 3dar)er4 side to Ro.y2s personality +e have to remember that any
apparent meanness she e.hibits is the result of in:ured and disappointed love.
Questions for writing or discussion:
#. 6o+ and +hy is 3gloomed4 an espe'ially effe'tive verb@ >ho +ere the fates in
'lassi'al mythology and +hy is that allusion espe'ially appropriate in this 'ase@ 6o+
does some of Ro.y2s phrasing here foreshado+ the 'ourtroom s'enes at the end of the
boo)@ >here and ho+ does *+ain even in a s'ene as dramati' as this manage to
preserve a some+hat 'omi' tone@
?. 6o+ and +hy is the phrase 3a )i')in2 en a 'uffin24 memorable and emphati' simply in
terms of its sound and rhythm@ >hy is the +ord 3billet4 effe'tive@ >hat more
'ommonpla'e less pre'ise +ord 'ould *+ain have used instead@ >here and ho+ does
*+ain 'reate effe'tive suspense@ >here and ho+ does Ro.y no+ spea) to *om as if he
+ere on'e again a little boy@


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
!My lan"# IA!READH =EJ/E( *5 EKEML!/DH *>A/E2( (M/!!DU! U(E
5D D/A!EC* E(LEC/A!!H *6E D/A!EC* 5D L55R =!ACM(. /R5E/C
EKLRE((/5E DR5M A LER(5E >65 /( E5* 5E!H /ECALA=!E 5D 5>E/EJ
LR5LER*H =U* /( !EJA!!H *6E LR5LER*H 5D 5*6ER(N ow you is growed#
I/R5E/C (/ECE 6E 6A( JR5>E L6H(/CA!!H =U* 6A( /E A (EE(E
DE*ER/5RA*ED E*6/CA!!H. M5RA!!H 6E /( >5R(E A( AE ADU!* *6AE
6E >A( A( A C6/!D >6EE 6E >A( A* !EA(* CALA=!E 5D RECE/O/EJ
AED RE*URE/EJ !5OEN oney$ IOERH /R5E/C9 *6E M/ED 5D *ERM A
MAMMH M/J6* U(E >/*6 6ER MA(*ER =U* /E *6/( CA(E /* 6A(
(LEC/A! RE(5EAECE D5R 6ER. *6E(E ARE E5* MERE!H *6E EML*H
C5ML!/MEE*( A (!AOE M/J6* DEE! C5MLE!!ED *5 5DDER9 *6EH ARE
(ER/5U( EKLRE((/5E( 5D 6ER JEEU/EE ADDEC*/5EN "Cla to goodness I
wouldn"t a %nowed you# Marse Tom$ I/R5E/C /E >AH( (6E >/!! (55E
D/(C5OER (/ECE /E A REA! (EE(E (6E >/!! E5* =E A=!E *5 REC5JE/PE
6/MN "deed I wouldn"t$ &oo% at me good' does you "mem(er ole Roxy) * does you
%now yo" ole nigger mammy# oney) I6/J6!H /R5E/C QUE(*/5E. E5 6E
D5E(E2* ME5> 6ER AED /EDEED 6E >/!! REDU(E *5 ME5> 6ER /E AEH
CALAC/*H E/*6ER A( A 3MAMMH4 5R A( 6/( REA! M5*6ER. 6/( MEAE0
(L/R/*ED *REA*MEE* 5D 6ER /( *HL/CA! 5D 6/( E((EE*/A! (E!D/(6EE((.
/R5E/CA!!H A* D/R(* 6E *REA*( 6ER E5 >5R(E *6AE 6E *REA*( M5(*
5*6ER =!ACM(N Well# now# I %in lay down en die in peace# ca+e I"s seed *,
"
!Cut it sort# damn it# cut it sort$ IE/CEC 6E /E DAC* CU*( /* (65R*
6/M(E!D AED EOEE U(E( A (65R* (EE*EECE *5 D5 (5. (UC6 CUR(/EJ
>5U!D 6AOE =EEE M5RE (65CM/EJ /E LR/E* /E *>A/E2( DAH *6AE /*
/( /E 5UR(9 /E DAC* /E (5ME EAR!H ED/*/5E( 3DAME4 /( REL!ACED =H
A DA(6N Wat is it you want), IA!M5(* A CRUDE CAR/CA*URE 5D *6E
EO/! (!AOEMA(*ER =U* LAR* 5D *6E /R5EH 5D *6E (H(*EM /( *6A* /*
6E!LED R5= =5*6 (!AOE( AED MA(*ER( 5D *6E/R DU!! C5ML!EK/*H
AED D/JE/*H A( 6UMAE =E/EJ(N
!-ou ea dat) .es" de same old Marse Tom# allays so gay and funnin" wid
de ole mammy/ I "u+ 0es" as sore *, I/R5E/C E(LEC/A!!H *6E 3JAH AED
DUEE/E24 =/*9 LAR*!H (6E D5E(E2* >AE* *5 =E!/EOE /*9 LAR*!H (6E
MAH >AE* *5 *URE 6/( M55D AR5UED9 LAR*!H (6E (/ML!H CAE2*
RE(L5ED >/*6 /ED/JEA*/5E 5R EOEE >/*6 6UR*. (6E MEAE( E5*6/EJ
*5 6/M9 D5E(E2* EOEE (65> *6E C5EOEE*/5EA! (EE*/MEE*A!
RE(LEC* D5R 6/( 5!D 3MAMMH4N
!Cut it sort# I tell you# and get along$ Wat do you want), I*5M /(
A!M5(* R/D/CU!5U(!H /ML5!/*E9 E5* EOEE AEH LRE*EE(E 5D
C/O/!/*HN
Tis was a (itter disappointment/ I/R5E/C UEDER(*A*EMEE*N Roxy
I/ED5RMA! EAME MAME( 6ER (EEM EOEE M5RE (HMLA*6E*/C.
/R5E/CA!!H 6ER EAME MEAE( 3(*AR =R/J6* DA>E4N ad for so many
days nourised and fondled and petted IA* D/R(* MAME( U( *6/EM 5D 6ER
EAR!H *REA*MEE* 5D 6/M A( A =A=H9 *6EE *6E (6/D* *5 36ER
E5*/5E4 UEDERCU*( *6A* /DEA9 REM/ED( U( 5D 6ER 5>E CALAC/*H
D5R C5MLA((/5E AED !5OEN er notion tat Tom would (e glad to see is old
nurse I!/*ERA!!H 6/( EUR(E /E (EOERA! (EE(E(C (UCM!ED 6/M CARED
D5R 6/( 6EA!*6N and would ma%e er proud and appy to te marrow wit a
cordial I3MARR5>4 AED 3C5RD/A!4 =5*6 >5RD( A((5C/A*ED
/R5E/CA!!H >/*6 =!55DN word or two# tat it too% two re(uffs to con1ince er
tat e was not funning and tat er (eautiful dream was a fond and foolis 1anity#
I3D5ED4 /E *6E D5U=!E (EE(E9 EDDEC*/OE A!!/*ERA*/5EN a sa((y and
pitiful mista%e/ I3L/*/DU!4 /E *6E !/*ERA! AED D/JURA*/OE (EE(E(N 2e
was urt to te eart# IEDDEC*/OE U(E 5D A!!/*ERA*/5E AJA/EN and so
asamed IA(6AMED =ED5RE *5M =U* LER6AL( A!(5 A(6AMED =ED5RE
J5D D5R 6AO/EJ (>/*C6ED *6E =A=/E( /E *6E D/R(* L!ACEN tat for a
moment se did not 3uite %now wat to do or ow to act/ IEDDEC*/OE!H
=A!AECED D/EA! L6RA(E(. *>A/E2( (*H!E /( (/ML!E C!EAR D/REC*
=U* R6H*6M/CA!N Ten er (reast (egan to ea1e# te tears came# and in er
forlornness IE5* MERE!H A (EE(E 5D =E/EJ !5(* =U* 5D DEE!/EJ
C5ML!E*E!H !5(*N se was mo1ed to try tat oter dream of ers * an appeal to
er (oy"s carity' I/E A* !EA(* A D5U=!E (EE(EC JEEER5(/*H =U* A!(5
!5OE AED (LEC/D/CA!!H C6R/(*/AE !5OEN and so# upon te impulse# and
witout reflection# se offered er supplication * IA((5C/A*ED >/*6
MEEE!/EJN
!4# Marse Tom# de po" ole mammy is in sic ard luc%# dese days' en se"s
%inder crippled in de arms en can"t wor%# en if you could gimme a dolla * on"y 0es"
7
one little dol5, I*6/( M/ED 5D ALLEA! M/J6* M5OE C5MLA((/5E D5R
AEH5EE !E* A!5EE 6/( 5!D MAMMHN
Tom was on is feet so suddenly tat te supplicant was startled into a 0ump
erself/ IEDDEC*/OE!H =R/ED LARAJRAL6N
!A dollar$ * gi1e you a dollar$ I"1e a notion to strangle you$ IAJA/E *5M
(EEM( AE A!M5(* ME!5DRAMA*/C O/!!A/E9 6ARD *5 *AME 6/M
C5ML!E*E!H (ER/5U(!H. *HL/CA! 5D *6E AM=/JU5U( *5EE 5D *6E
E5OE! >6/C6 DEA!( >/*6 M5RA!!H C5ML!EK AED (ER/5U( /((UE(
=U* EEOER (EEM( *55 DARM 5R 6EAOHN Is that your errand ere) Clear out$
and (e 3uic% a(out it$, 6pp/ 7897:; IEKLE!( 6ER 5E!H AD*ER (6E A(M( D5R
M5EEH. 6E /( A* R55* A MA*ER/A!/(*.N
<<<<<
2e rose# I!/*ERA!!H AED D/JURA*/OE!H (ULER/5R =5*6 /E
L5>ER AED /E M5RA!/*HN and gloomed IEDDEC*/OE OER=9 *5 ALLEAR
DARM D/M (5=ER *5 DR5>E *5 !55M (AD D/(MA! 5R DE7EC*ED9 E5*
C!EAR HE* >6E*6ER 6ER A**/*UDE /( 5EE 5D *5*A! 65(*/!/*H 5R
LAR*/A! REJRE*N a(o1e im li%e a fate/ IALLR5LR/A*E!H A >5RD
A((5C/A*ED E*HM5!5J/CA!!H >/*6 (LEAM/EJ DE(*/EH9 A!(5 !/EMED
A( E5UE >/*6 L5>ERDU! DEMA!EN
!I mean dis * en it"s de &ord"s trut/ I/EO5ME( *6E EAME 5D *6E
U!*/MA*E DA*6ER A( (5URCE 5D 6ER AU*65R/*HN -ou ain"t no more %in to
ole Marse =riscoll den I "is$ I=AD EE5UJ6 =U* /* >/!! JE* EOEE >5R(E.N
dats wat I mean$, and er eyes flamed wit triump/ IA RARE DEE!/EJ D5R
6ER E5 MA**ER >6A* 6ER RE!A*/5E(6/L >/*6 *5MN
!Wat$, I(65CM D/(=E!/ED AEJERN
!-assir# en dat ain"t all$ -ou is a nigger! bawn a nigger en a slave$ IDR5M
=AD *5 >5R(E *5 >5R(*C =AD EE5UJ6 E5* *5 =E D2( (5E9 EOEE
>5R(E *5 =E =5RE =!ACM9 >5R(* 5D A!! *5 =E =5RE A =!ACM (!AOEN
* en you"s a nigger en a sla1e dis minute' I>5R(E HE*C 6/( DREED5M E5*
EOEE LURC6A(EDN en if I opens my mouf# ole Marse =riscoll "ll sell you down de
ri1er (efo" you is two days older den wat you is now$, IEOEE >5R(E A!M5(*
>5R(* 5D A!!. OERH !/ME!H *6A* *6/( >5U!D 6ALLEE9 E5* AE /D!E
*6REA*9 /R5E/C 5D C5UR(E /E !/J6* 5D 6ER 5>E !A*ER DA*E. R5KH
5EE 5D *>A/E2( M5(* C5ML!/CA*ED >5MEE AED M5(* C5ML!/CA*ED
=!ACM(. CALA=!E 5D REA! AEJER AED REA! OEEJEAECE. 6ER AEJER
MAME( 6ER LAR*!H UE(HMLA*6E*/C =U* A!(5 MAME( 6ER C5ML!EK
AED CRED/=!EN
!It"s a tundering lie# you misera(le old (laters%ite$, I6ARD *5 *AME
6/M (ER/5U(!H9 (LEAM( !/ME A O/!!A/E /E A ME!5DRAMA. /E MAEH
>AH( A R/D/CU!5U( C6ARAC*ER >65(E (*A*U( DELEED( EE*/RE!H 5E
>EA!*6 AED RACE. E((EE*/A!!H CA!!( 6ER A O5!U=!E LR5DUCER 5D
(6/*. A**ACM( E5> E5* 7U(* 6ER RACE =U* 6ER AJEN
1
!It ain"t no lie# nuter/ It"s 0es" de trut# en not"n but de trut# so e"p me/
ID5RE(6AD5>( *6E !EJA! (CEEE( !A*ERN -assir * you"s my sn *, I*6/(
REOE!A*/5E /( CAREDU!!H L5(*L5EED AED EDDEC*/OE!H A=RUL*
>6EE DE!/OERED.N
!-ou de1il$ *, I/R5E/C /E O/E> 5D 6/( 5>E C5EDUC*N
* !en dat po" (oy dat you"s (een %ic%in" en a cuffin" to9day is >ercy =riscoll"s
son en yo" !arster *, I3L55R4 /E OAR/5U( (EE(E(9 EDDEC*/OE
A!!/*ERA*/5E9 LER6AL( /ML!/E( 6ER 5>E (5RR5> D5R LU**/EJ *6E
=5H /E *6A* L5(/*/5EN
!-ou (east$, IE(LEC/A!!H /R5E/C /E !/J6* 5D *6E LRECED/EJ
(EE*EECEN
* !en his name"s Tom =riscoll en " name"s ?allet de Cam(ers# I*HL/CA!
5D *>A/E2( C5MEDHN en you ain"t gt no fam(ly name# (eca+e niggers don"t
have "em$, I6ER AEJER /( DUE!ED =H 6ER D/(ALL5/E*ED !5OEN
Tom sprang up and sei+ed a (illet IM5RE LREC/(E *6AE 3L/ECE4. 6E
(*AED( UL !/*ERA!!H =U* (/EM( !5> D/JURA*/OE!HN of wood and raised
it' (ut is moter only lauged at im and said * IEDDEC*/OE DRAMA AED
(U(LEE(E 6E/J6*EEED =H *6E /(5!A*ED (E**/EJ AED =H *6E DAC*
*6A* E5 5EE E!(E ALLAREE*!H ME5>( A=5U* *6E (ECRE*.N
!2et down# you pup$ =oes you tin% you %in s%"yer me) It ain"t in you# nor
de li%es of you/ I rec%on you"d soot me in de (ac%# may(e# if you got a cance# for
dat"s 0ist yo" style/ I6E >/!! /EDEED !A*ER *REA* 6ER /E A DECE/*DU!
C5>ARD!H DA(6/5EN I %nows you# too en too * I*>A/E2( D/A!EC* /(
EEOER /EC5MLRE6EE(/=!E 5R 6ARD *5 D5!!5>9 EEOER LRE(EE*( AEH
REA! LR5=!EM *5 UEDER(*AED/EJ A( /( (5ME*/ME( *RUE 5D *6E
D/A!EC* 5D 5*6ER >R/*ER(N (ut I don"t mind gitt"n %illed# (eca+e all dis is
down in writin"# en it"s in safe ands# too# en de man dat"s got it %nows wa to loo%
for de rigt man wen I gits %illed/ I/( *6/( *RUE 5R /( (6E =!UDD/EJ@N 4#
(less yo" soul# if you puts yo" moter up for as (ig a fool as "u is# you"s pow"ful
mista%en# I %in tell you$ Now den# you set still en (ea1e yo"self' en don"t you git up
agin till I tell you$, 6pp/ 7@97A; I(LEAM( *5 6/M E5> A( /D 6E >ERE (*/!! A
!/**!E D/(5=ED/EE* =5HN
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