THEsunroseuponatranquilworld, , AuntPollyhadfamilyworship: itbeganwithaprayerbuiltfromthegroundupofsolidcoursesofScripturalquotations, weldedtogetherwithathinmortaroforiginality; andfromthesummitofthisshedeliveredagrimchapteroftheMosaicLaw, asfromSinai.
ThenTomgirdeduphisloins, sotospeak, andwenttoworkto "gethisverses." , andhechosepartoftheSermonontheMount, , butnomore, forhismindwastraversingthewholefieldofhumanthought, , andhetriedtofindhiswaythroughthefog:
"Blessedarethe—a—a—"
"Poor"—
"Yes—poor; blessedarethepoor—a—a—"
"Inspirit—"
"Inspirit; blessedarethepoorinspirit, forthey—they—"
"Theirs—"
", , forthey—they—"
"Sh—"
"Forthey—a—"
"S, H, A—"
"FortheyS, H—Oh, Idon’tknowwhatitis!"
"Shall!"
"Oh, shall! fortheyshall—fortheyshall—a—a—shallmourn—a—a—blessedaretheythatshall—theythat—a—theythatshallmourn, fortheyshall—a—shallwhat? Whydon’tyoutellme, Mary?—whatdoyouwanttobesomeanfor?"
"Oh, Tom, youpoorthick-headedthing, I’’’tyoubediscouraged, Tom, you’llmanageit—andifyoudo, I’, now, that’sagoodboy."
"Allright! Whatisit, Mary, tellmewhatitis."
"Neveryoumind, ’snice, itisnice."
"Youbetyouthat’sso, , I’lltackleitagain."
Andhedid "tackleitagain"—-new "Barlow" knifeworthtwelveandahalfcents; , theknifewouldnotcutanything, butitwasa "sure-enough" Barlow, andtherewasinconceivablegrandeurinthat—thoughwheretheWesternboysevergottheideathatsuchaweaponcouldpossiblybecounterfeitedtoitsinjuryisanimposingmysteryandwillalwaysremainso, , andwasarrangingtobeginonthebureau, whenhewascalledofftodressforSunday-school.
