{"id":"01KG16R6TFXZKZ5Y4TXF5CPD1H","cid":"bafkreigghef3ef2s46cobiff33sjb6nzdk6njxii2r63tt64ixidzsxmfq","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":1501,"extracted_at":"2026-01-28T02:26:05.047Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 4","source_file":"01KG0K71QZ8KK7RGEGSNTB5534","start_line":1453,"text":"was a rare and noteworthy circumstance; the successful pupil was so\r\ngreat and conspicuous for that day that on the spot every scholar’s\r\nheart was fired with a fresh ambition that often lasted a couple\r\nof weeks. It is possible that Tom’s mental stomach had never really\r\nhungered for one of those prizes, but unquestionably his entire being\r\nhad for many a day longed for the glory and the eclat that came with it.\r\n\r\nIn due course the superintendent stood up in front of the pulpit, with\r\na closed hymn-book in his hand and his forefinger inserted between its\r\nleaves, and commanded attention. When a Sunday-school superintendent\r\nmakes his customary little speech, a hymn-book in the hand is as\r\nnecessary as is the inevitable sheet of music in the hand of a singer\r\nwho stands forward on the platform and sings a solo at a concert—though\r\nwhy, is a mystery: for neither the hymn-book nor the sheet of music\r\nis ever referred to by the sufferer. This superintendent was a slim\r\ncreature of thirty-five, with a sandy goatee and short sandy hair; he\r\nwore a stiff standing-collar whose upper edge almost reached his ears\r\nand whose sharp points curved forward abreast the corners of his mouth—a\r\nfence that compelled a straight lookout ahead, and a turning of the\r\nwhole body when a side view was required; his chin was propped on a\r\nspreading cravat which was as broad and as long as a bank-note, and had\r\nfringed ends; his boot toes were turned sharply up, in the fashion\r\nof the day, like sleigh-runners—an effect patiently and laboriously\r\nproduced by the young men by sitting with their toes pressed against a\r\nwall for hours together. Mr. Walters was very earnest of mien, and very\r\nsincere and honest at heart; and he held sacred things and places\r\nin such reverence, and so separated them from worldly matters, that\r\nunconsciously to himself his Sunday-school voice had acquired a peculiar\r\nintonation which was wholly absent on week-days. He began after this\r\nfashion:\r\n\r\n“Now, children, I want you all to sit up just as straight and pretty as\r\nyou can and give me all your attention for a minute or two. There—that\r\nis it. That is the way good little boys and girls should do. I see one\r\nlittle girl who is looking out of the window—I am afraid she thinks I\r\nam out there somewhere—perhaps up in one of the trees making a speech\r\nto the little birds. [Applausive titter.] I want to tell you how good it\r\nmakes me feel to see so many bright, clean little faces assembled in a\r\nplace like this, learning to do right and be good.” And so forth and so\r\non. It is not necessary to set down the rest of the oration. It was of a\r\npattern which does not vary, and so it is familiar to us all.\r\n\r\nThe latter third of the speech was marred by the resumption of fights\r\nand other recreations among certain of the bad boys, and by fidgetings\r\nand whisperings that extended far and wide, washing even to the bases of\r\nisolated and incorruptible rocks like Sid and Mary. But now every sound\r\nceased suddenly, with the subsidence of Mr. Walters’ voice, and the\r\nconclusion of the speech was received with a burst of silent gratitude.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 4"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG16PT472H56NVQ9ZDDSFTG1","peer_label":"CHAPTER IV","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG0K71QZ8KK7RGEGSNTB5534","peer_label":"tom_sawyer.txt","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KFXT0KM64XT6K8W52TDEE0YS","peer_label":"More Classics","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG16R6S0FNQZFH5NSYK8FBH1","peer_label":"Chunk 3","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG16R6V6FHYR6B7R2SQ4YXMG","peer_label":"Chunk 5","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-28T02:26:05.535Z","ts":"2026-01-28T02:26:06.608Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}