Monday, May 7, 2012

Chapter 7: Tick-Running and a Heartbreak

In the chapter Tick-Running and a Heartbreak, it was the sleepiest of sleepy days.  The drowsy murmur of the five and twenty studying scholars soothed the soul like the spell that is in the murmur of bees.  Tom's heart ached to be free, or else to have something of interest to do to pass the dreary time.  His hand wandered into his pocket and his face lit up with a glow.  The percussion cap came out.  He took the tick out of the box and released it onto the desk.  Tom turned him aside with a pin a made him take a new direction.  Joe took a pin out of his lapel and began to assit in exercising the prisoner.  So then Tom drew a line down the middle of the desk.  "Now", he said," As long as he is on your side you can stir him up and I'll let him alone; but if you let him get away and get on my side, you have to leave him alone.  When school broke at noon, Tom flew to Becky Thatcher.  When her interest in art began to wane, the two fell to talking.  Tom and Becky whispered into each other's ears and said "I love you".  Then they kissed and it was all done.  They were engaged.  When Tom said he had been engaged to Amy Lawrence before, Becky started to cry.  Tom pulled out his chiefest jewel, a brass knob, and offered it to Becky.  She struck it to the floor.  Then Tom marched out of the house and over no more that day.  Becky called "Tom come back!  Tom!" There was no answer.  She sat down and began to cry again.

Halle