{"id":"01KG16TK0EFPGDX7F783RYSQMY","cid":"bafkreicpxsdtednt4oafjdcy2fslamdychn7algxruwuopyg3wcmrjxvqm","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":5558,"extracted_at":"2026-01-28T02:27:23.047Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG0K71QZ8KK7RGEGSNTB5534","start_line":5501,"text":"CHAPTER XXI\r\n\r\n\r\nVacation was approaching. The schoolmaster, always severe, grew severer\r\nand more exacting than ever, for he wanted the school to make a good\r\nshowing on “Examination” day. His rod and his ferule were seldom idle\r\nnow—at least among the smaller pupils. Only the biggest boys, and young\r\nladies of eighteen and twenty, escaped lashing. Mr. Dobbins’ lashings\r\nwere very vigorous ones, too; for although he carried, under his wig, a\r\nperfectly bald and shiny head, he had only reached middle age, and there\r\nwas no sign of feebleness in his muscle. As the great day approached,\r\nall the tyranny that was in him came to the surface; he seemed to take a\r\nvindictive pleasure in punishing the least shortcomings. The consequence\r\nwas, that the smaller boys spent their days in terror and suffering and\r\ntheir nights in plotting revenge. They threw away no opportunity to do\r\nthe master a mischief. But he kept ahead all the time. The retribution\r\nthat followed every vengeful success was so sweeping and majestic that\r\nthe boys always retired from the field badly worsted. At last they\r\nconspired together and hit upon a plan that promised a dazzling victory.\r\nThey swore in the signpainter’s boy, told him the scheme, and asked his\r\nhelp. He had his own reasons for being delighted, for the master boarded\r\nin his father’s family and had given the boy ample cause to hate him.\r\nThe master’s wife would go on a visit to the country in a few days, and\r\nthere would be nothing to interfere with the plan; the master always\r\nprepared himself for great occasions by getting pretty well fuddled, and\r\nthe signpainter’s boy said that when the dominie had reached the proper\r\ncondition on Examination Evening he would “manage the thing” while he\r\nnapped in his chair; then he would have him awakened at the right time\r\nand hurried away to school.\r\n\r\nIn the fulness of time the interesting occasion arrived. At eight in\r\nthe evening the schoolhouse was brilliantly lighted, and adorned with\r\nwreaths and festoons of foliage and flowers. The master sat throned in\r\nhis great chair upon a raised platform, with his blackboard behind him.\r\nHe was looking tolerably mellow. Three rows of benches on each side and\r\nsix rows in front of him were occupied by the dignitaries of the town\r\nand by the parents of the pupils. To his left, back of the rows of\r\ncitizens, was a spacious temporary platform upon which were seated the\r\nscholars who were to take part in the exercises of the evening; rows of\r\nsmall boys, washed and dressed to an intolerable state of discomfort;\r\nrows of gawky big boys; snowbanks of girls and young ladies clad in\r\nlawn and muslin and conspicuously conscious of their bare arms, their\r\ngrandmothers’ ancient trinkets, their bits of pink and blue ribbon and\r\nthe flowers in their hair. All the rest of the house was filled with\r\nnon-participating scholars.\r\n\r\nThe exercises began. A very little boy stood up and sheepishly recited,\r\n“You’d scarce expect one of my age to speak in public on the stage,”\r\n etc.—accompanying himself with the painfully exact and spasmodic\r\ngestures which a machine might have used—supposing the machine to be a\r\ntrifle out of order. But he got through safely, though cruelly scared,\r\nand got a fine round of applause when he made his manufactured bow and\r\nretired.\r\n\r\nA little shamefaced girl lisped, “Mary had a little lamb,” etc.,\r\nperformed a compassion-inspiring curtsy, got her meed of applause, and\r\nsat down flushed and happy.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG16PT29Z758NWQGJW4QPAM1","peer_label":"CHAPTER XXI","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":"01KG16TK0S4NPMG0MGCHNAYQKJ","peer_label":"Chunk 2","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-28T02:27:23.361Z","ts":"2026-01-28T02:27:24.259Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}