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portrayed that every boy and man reader finds the tale fitting into his
own remembered years； as if it had grown there。 Every boy has played off
sick to escape school； every boy has reflected in his heart Tom's picture
of himself being brought home dead； and gloated over the stricken
consciences of those who had blighted his young life； every boyof that
day； at leastevery normal； respectable boy； grew up to 〃fear God and
dread the Sunday…school；〃 as Howells puts it in his review。
As for the story itself； the narrative of it； it is pure delight。 The
pirate camp on the island is simply boy heaven。 What boy； for instance；
would not change any other glory or boon that the world holds for this：
They built a fire against the side of a great log twenty or thirty
steps within the somber depths of the forest； and then cooked some
bacon in the frying…pan for supper； and used up half of the corn
〃pone〃 stock they had brought。 It seemed glorious sport to be
feasting in that wild； free way in the virgin forest of an
unexplored and uninhabited island； far from the haunts of men； and
they said they never would return to civilization。 The climbing
fire lit up their faces and threw its ruddy glare upon the pillared
tree…trunks of their forest…temple； and upon the varnished foliage
and the festooning vines。
There is a magic in it。 Mark Twain； when he wrote it； felt renewed in
him all the old fascination of those days and nights with Tom
Blankenship； John Briggs； and the Bowen boys on Glasscock's Island。
Everywhere in Tom Sawyer there is a quality； entirely apart from the
humor and the narrative； which the younger reader is likely to overlook。
No one forgets the whitewashing scene； but not many of us； from our early
reading； recall this delicious bit of description which introduces it：
The locust…trees were in bloom； and the fragrance of the blossoms
filled the air。 Cardiff Hill； beyond the village and above it； was
green with vegetation； and it lay just far enough away to seem a
delectable land； dreamy； reposeful； and inviting。
Tom's night visit home； the graveyard scene； with the murder of Dr。
Robinson； the adventures of Tom and Becky in the cavethese are all
marvelously invented。 Literary thrill touches the ultimate in one
incident of the cave episode。 Brander Matthews has written：
Nor is there any situation quite as thrilling as that awful moment
in the cave when the boy and girl are lost in the darkness； and when
Tom suddenly sees a human hand bearing a light； and then finds that
the hand is the hand of Indian Joe； his one mortal enemy。 I have
always thought that the vision of the hand in the cave in Tom Sawyer
was one of the very finest things in the literature of adventure
since Robinson Crusoe first saw a single footprint in the sand of
the sea…shore。
Mark Twain's invention was not always a reliable quantity； but with that
eccentricity which goes with any attribute of genius； it was likely at
any moment to rise supreme。 If to the critical； hardened reader the tale
seems a shade overdone here and there； a trifle extravagant in its
delineations； let him go back to his first long…ago reading of it and see
if he recalls anything but his pure delight in it then。 As a boy's story
it has not been equaled。
Tom Sawyer has ranked in popularity with Roughing It。
Its sales go steadily on from year to year； and are likely to continue so
long as boys and girls do not change； and men and women remember。
＇Col。 Henry Watterson； when he finished Tom Sawyer； wrote： 〃I have
just laid down Tom Sawyer； and cannot resist the pressure。 It is
immense！ I read every word of it； didn't skip a line； and nearly
disgraced myself several times in the presence of a sleeping…car full of
honorable and pious people。 Once I had to get to one side and have a
cry； and as for an internal compound of laughter and tears there was no
end to it。。。。 The 'funeral' of the boys； the cave business； and the hunt
for the hidden treasure are as dramatic as anything I know of in fiction；
while the pathosparticularly everything relating to Huck and Aunt
Pollymakes a cross between Dickens's skill and Thackeray's nature；
which； resembling neither； is thoroughly impressive and original。〃＇
CX
MARK TWAIN AND BRET HARTE WRITE A PLAY
It was the fall and winter of '76 that Bret Harte came to Hartford and
collaborated with Mark Twain on the play 〃Ah Sin；〃 a comedy…drama； or
melodrama； written for Charles T。 Parsloe； the great impersonator of
Chinese character。 Harte had written a successful play which
unfortunately he had sold outright for no great sum； and was eager for
another venture。 Harte had the dramatic sense and constructive
invention。 He also had humor； but he felt the need of the sort of humor
that Mark Twain could furnish。 Furthermore； he believed that a play
backed by both their reputations must start with great advantages。
Clemens also realized these things； and the arrangement was made。
Speaking of their method of working； Clemens once said：
〃Well； Bret came down to Hartford and we talked it over； and then Bret
wrote it while I played billiards； but of course I had to go over it to
get the dialect right。 Bret never did know anything about dialect。〃
Which is hardly a fair statement of the case。 They both worked on the
play； and worked hard。
During the； period of its construction Harte had an order for a story
which he said he must finish at once； as he needed the money。 It must be
delivered by the following night； and he insisted that he must be getting
at it without a moment's delay。 Still he seemed in no haste to begin。
The evening passed； bedtime came。 Then he asked that an open fire might
be made in his room and a bottle of whisky sent up； in case he needed。
something to keep him awake。 George attended to these matters； and
nothing more was heard of Harte until very early next morning； when he
rang for George and asked for a fresh fire and an additional supply of
whisky。 At breakfast…time he appeared； fresh； rosy； and elate； with the
announcement that his story was complete。
That forenoon the Saturday Morning Club met at the Clemens home。 It was
a young women's club； of which Mark Twain was a sort of honorary member
a club for the purpose of intellectual advancement； somewhat on the order
of the Monday Evening Club of men； except that the papers read before it
were not prepared by members； but by men and women prominent in some
field of intellectual progress。 Bret Harte had agreed to read to them on
this particular occasion； and he gaily appeared and gave them the story
just finished； 〃Thankful Blossom；〃 a tale which Mark Twain always
regarded as one of Harte's very best。
The new play； 〃Ah Sin；〃 by Mark Twain and Bret Harte； was put on at
Washington； at the National Theater； on the evening of May 7； 1877。 It
had been widely exploited in the newspapers； and the fame of the authors
insured a crowded opening。 Clemens was unable to go over on account of a
sudden attack of bronchitis。 Parsloe was ner