good girls go bad

TheStoryoftheBadLittleBoy

ByMarkTwain,1875

OncetherewasabadlittleboywhonamewasJim-though,ifyou

willnotice,youwillfindthatbadlittleboysarenearlyalwayscalled

trange,butstillitwas

truethatthisonewascalledJim.

Hedidn'thaveanysickmothereither-asickmotherwhowaspious

andhadtheconsumption,andwouldbegladtoliedowninthegrave

andbeatrestbutforthestronglovesheboreherboy,andthe

anxietyshefeltthattheworldmightbeharshandcoldtowardshim

dboysintheSunday-booksarenamed

James,andhavesickmothers,whoteachthemtosay,"Now,Ilay

medown,"gthemtosleepwithsweet,plaintivevoices,

andthenkissthemgood-night,andkneeldownbythebedsideand

amedJim,and

therewasn'tanythingthematterwithhismother-noconsumption,

ratherstoutthanotherwi,and

shewasnotpious;moreover,shewasnotanxiousonJim'saccount.

Shesaidifheweretobreakhisneckitwouldn'

alwaysspankedJimtosleep,andsheneverkisdhimgood-night;

onthecontrary,sheboxedhiarswhenshewasreadytoleavehim.

Oncethislittlebadboystolethekeyofthepantry,andslippedin

thereandhelpedhimlftosomejam,andfilleduptheveslwith

tar,sothathismotherwouldneverknowthedifference;butallat

onceaterriblefeelingdidn'tcomeoverhim,andsomethingdidn't

emtowhispertohim,"Isitrighttodisobeymymother?Isn'tit

sinfultodothis?Wheredobadlittleboysgowhogobbleuptheir

goodkindmother'sjam?"andthenhedidn'tkneeldownallalone

andprominevertobewickedanymore,andriupwithalight,

happyheart,andgoandtellhismotherallaboutit,andbegher

forgiveness,andbeblesdbyherwithtearsofprideand

;thatisthewaywithallotherbadboys

inthebooks;butithappenedotherwiwiththisJim,strangely

hatjam,andsaiditwasbully,inhissinful,vulgar

way;andheputinthetar,andsaidthatwasbullyalso,andlaughed,

andobrved"thattheoldwomanwouldgetupandsnort"whenshe

founditout;andwhenshedidfinditout,hedeniedknowing

anythingaboutit,andshewhippedhimverely,andhedidthe

hingaboutthisboywascurious-everything

turnedoutdifferentlywithhimfromthewayitdoestothebad

Jamesinthebooks.

OnceheclimbedupinFarmerAcorn'sapple-treetostealapples,and

thelimbdidn'tbreak,andhedidn'tfallandbreakhisarm,andget

tornbythefarmer'sgreatdog,andthenlanguishonasickbedfor

weeks,!no;hestoleasmany

applesashewantedandcamedownallright;andhewasallready

forthedogtoo,andknockedhimendwayswithabrickwhenhe

erystrange-nothinglikeiteverhappened

inthomildlittlebookswithmarbledbacks,andwithpicturesin

themofmenwithswallow-tailedcoatsandbell-crownedhats,and

pantaloonsthatareshortinthelegs,andwomenwiththewaistsof

theirdressundertheirarms,glikeitin

anyoftheSunday-schoolbooks.

Oncehestoletheteacher'spen-knife,and,whenhewasafraidit

wouldbefoundoutandhewouldgetwhipped,heslippeditinto

GeorgeWilson'scap-poorWidowWilson'sson,themoralboy,the

goodlittleboyofthevillage,whoalwaysobeyedhismother,and

nevertoldanuntruth,andwasfondofhislessons,andinfatuated

ntheknifedroppedfromthecap,and

poorGeorgehunghisheadandblushed,asifinconsciousguilt,and

thegrievedteacherchargedthetheftuponhim,andwasjustinthe

veryactofbringingtheswitchdownuponhistremblingshoulders,a

white-hairedimprobablejusticeofthepeacedidnotsuddenlyappear

intheirmidst,andstrikeanattitudeandsay,"Sparethisnobleboy-

therestandsthecoweringculprit!Iwaspassingtheschool-doorat

recess,andunenmylf,Isawthetheftcommitted!"AndthenJim

didn'tgetwhaled,andthevenerablejusticedidn'treadthetearful

schoolahomilyandtakeGeorgebythehandandsaysuchaboy

dervedtobeexalted,andthentellhimtocomeandmakehishome

withhim,andsweepouttheoffice,andmakefires,andrunerrands,

andchopwood,andstudylaw,andhelphiswifetodohouhold

labors,andhaveallthebalanceofthetimetoplay,andgetforty

centsamonth,;itwouldhavehappenedthatway

inthebooks,butitdidn'lingold

clamofajusticedroppedintomaketrouble,andsothemodelboy

Georgegotthrashed,andJimwasgladofitbecau,youknow,Jim

dhewas"downonthemmilk-sops."Such

wasthecoarlanguageofthisbad,neglectedboy.

ButthestrangestthingthateverhappenedtoJimwasthetimehe

wentboatingonSunday,anddidn'tgetdrowned,andthatothertime

thathegotcaughtoutinthestormwhenhewasfishingonSunday,

anddidn',youmightlook,andlook,all

throughtheSunday-schoolbooksfromnowtillnextChristmas,and

;youwould

findthatallthebadboyswhogoboatingonSundayinvariablyget

drowned;andallthebadboyswhogetcaughtoutinstormswhen

withbadboysinthemalwaysuptonSunday,anditalwaysstorms

sJimeverescaped

isamysterytome.

ThisJimboreacharmedlife-thatmusthavebeenthewayofit.

gavetheelephantinthemenagerie

aplugoftobacco,andtheelephantdidn'tknockthetopofhishead

daroundthecupboardafteresnceof

peppermint,anddidn'

stolehisfather'sgunandwenthuntingontheSabbath,anddidn't

ckhislittlesisteronthe

templewithhisfistwhenhewasangry,andshedidn'tlingerinpain

throughlongsummerdays,anddiewithsweetwordsofforgiveness

;

ffandwenttoaatlast,anddidn'tcome

backandfindhimlfsadandaloneintheworld,hislovedones

sleepinginthequietchurchyard,andthevine-emboweredhomeof

!no;hecame

homeasdrunkasapiper,andgotintothestation-houthefirst

thing.

Andhegrewupandmarried,andraidalargefamily,andbrained

themallwithanaxeonenight,andgotwealthybyallmannerof

cheatingandrascality;andnowheistheinfernalistwickedest

scoundrelinhisnativevillage,andisuniversallyrespected,and

belongstotheLegislature.

SoyouethereneverwasabadJamesintheSunday-schoolbooks

thathadsuchastreakofluckasthissinfulJimwiththecharmedlife.