CHAPTER IV
As the sun rose, it bathed a tranquil world in its warm glow, casting a gentle light upon the peaceful village like a blessing. After breakfast, Aunt Polly held family worship. She began with a prayer crafted from a solid foundation of Scriptural quotations, seamlessly joined by her own insights; and from this base, she delivered an earnest chapter from the Mosaic Law.
Tom then prepared himself to study his verses. Sid had already learned his lesson days before, so Tom focused all his efforts on memorizing five verses, choosing part of the Sermon on the Mount due to their brevity. Half an hour later, he grasped a general idea of his lesson but was distracted by thoughts that wandered through various topics and hands occupied with other activities.
Mary came over to help him recite, so Tom tried to navigate through the confusion:
“Blessed are the—a—a—”
“Poor—”
“Yes—poor; blessed are the poor in spirit—for they—they—”
“Theirs!”
“For theirs. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they—they—”
“Shh.”
“For they—a—”
“S, H, A!”
“For they S, H—Oh, I don’t know what it is!”
“Shall!”
“Oh, shall! For they shall—for they shall—a—a—shall mourn—a—a—blessed are those who shall—they that—an—they that shall mourn, for they shall—a—shall what? Why don’t you tell me, Mary? What do you want to be so mean for?”
“Oh, Tom, you poor thing, I’m not teasing. You must learn it again. Don’t be discouraged, Tom; if you succeed, I’ll give you something special. There now, that’s a good boy.”
“All right! What is it, Mary? Tell me what it is.”
“Never mind, Tom. Just trust me when I say it’s nice.”
“You bet it is, Mary. All right, I’ll tackle it again.”
With renewed determination and the promise of a reward—a brand-new “Barlow” knife worth twelve and a half cents—Tom approached his lesson with such spirit that he achieved great success. Although the knife couldn’t cut anything, its symbolic value was immense for Tom.
Next, Mary gave him a basin of water and some soap to wash up before Sunday school. Outside the door, Tom stood over the basin, hesitating briefly before finally beginning. His efforts were earnest but imperfect, leaving streaks of dirt behind. Mary then helped him achieve true cleanliness, transforming his appearance until he looked neat and presentable.
After dressing in his Sunday clothes—his “other clothes”—Mary made final adjustments to his attire. He wore a neatly buttoned roundabout, turned down collar, and brushed hair—all despite feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the formality of being fully dressed and clean.
As Tom prepared for church, he encountered a friend named Billy and traded small items for yellow tickets—a pastime they both enjoyed.
Entering the Sunday school, Tom found himself amidst lively children who were restless and noisy. His class struggled to recite their lessons perfectly but managed with prompting, earning blue tickets as rewards—each representing two verses memorized. Collectively, ten blue tickets could be traded for a red ticket; similarly, ten red tickets led to a yellow one. Ultimately, ten yellow tickets earned the student a Bible from the superintendent—a coveted prize.
During the service, Mr. Walters, the earnest superintendent with his signature sandy beard and stiff collar, delivered an encouraging speech, which was occasionally interrupted by restless children. This Sunday, visitors joined them, including the prominent Judge Thatcher, who commanded respect among the students. The presence of these guests intensified the day’s significance.
Suddenly, Tom Sawyer stepped forward with a collection of tickets sufficient to earn him a Bible—a surprising development that astonished everyone. His achievement brought mixed emotions: admiration and envy from his peers who had unknowingly contributed to his success by trading tickets with him in past weeks.
The presentation was emotional; Walters delivered the prize with genuine pride despite sensing an underlying mystery about Tom’s accomplishment. For Tom, meeting the Judge was a daunting yet thrilling experience, marking a proud moment of recognition and achievement.
As Mr. Walters invited Tom to share some of his memorized verses, he hesitated, nervously blushing under Amy Lawrence’s watchful eyes who observed him with pride. When asked about the first two disciples, Tom humorously replied, “David and Goliah,” leading to a lighthearted moment that drew laughter from everyone present.
In this chapter, themes of hard work, recognition, and the complexities of childhood interactions are explored, capturing both the innocence and ambition of young Tom Sawyer.