"
"I declare," he said, as the meaning of those words dawned upon him, "I'd
like that! they'll never be too warm again. It was a pretty nice story
she told us about that boy. He couldn't have had a very good time; his
father was a drunkard. I wish I knew just about what kind of a fellow he
was; he turned right square round after that man talked to him. Now he is
a minister; I suppose lots of people like him. It must be kind of nice,
the whole of it. I would like to be somebody, as true as I live, I would.
I'd like to have the people say, 'There goes Tip Lewis; he's the best boy
in town.' Bless me! that would be funny; I don't believe they could ever
say it; they are so used to calling me the worst, they couldn't help it.
What if I should reform? I declare I don't know but I will."
And Tip rolled over on his back, and looked up into the blue, cloudless
sky; lying there, he certainly had some of the most sober thoughts,
perhaps the only really sober ones he had ever known in his life. And
when at last he slowly picked himself up, turned his back upon the
darting fishes, and walked towards the school-house, he had in his mind
some vague notion that perhaps he would be different from that time
forth.
Pages:
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28