“The man that corrupted hadleyburg”

The story is set in Hadleyburg, a small town renowned for its honesty. This reputation of honesty lasted for three generations and then something happened that disgraced Hadleyburg and robbed the town of its lofty name. The story shows how easily greedy people fall into temptations concerning money.

Hadleyburg had had the ill luck to offend a passing stranger. The stranger so much hated the snobbishness of its leading citizens that he burned with desire to revenge himself on them.

One night the offended stranger came to Hadleyburg and knocked on the door of Edward Richards, the cashier of bank, and gave him a sack to be put into the bank. He said the sack contained forty thousand dollars in gold and that a paper was attached to the sack that would explain everything, and then he went away. It said in the paper that the owner of the sack had been a ruined gambler and had one night come to their town to beg, and one of the citizens had given him $20 to help him out and had said something, certain remark that had made him stop gambling, and he had become a honest man. The owner of the sack wanted his benefactor to be identified by that remark and rewarded for his kind deed. That remark, the paper said, was sewn inside the sack. The stranger suggested that these facts be published and that the man who had made the remark should write down his words and appear in 30 days in the town hall where these words be read before witnesses. Should these words correspond with those in the sack, that person would be the right man and receive the sack.

The news about the gold spread rapidly. The town was unanimous in the belief that the man who had given the stranger $20 must have been Barclay Goodson. But Goodson had died in the meantime.

The excitement of the first week changed into a helpless worry in at least 19 of the principal households of the town. Just a week later the 19 principal families of the town received a letter each from a distant state. The writer of the letter said he had heard the news in Mexico and thought it is his duty to say that he had passed through Hadleyburg that night and had heard Goodson make the remark to the gambler; that he himself had chatted with Goodson until the midnight train came, and that Goodson had talked to him about Hadleyburg and had said that he didn’t like any person in the town – “not one: but that you - I think he said you - had done him a very great service once, and he wished he had a fortune, he would leave it to you when he died, and a curse apiece for the rest of the citizens. Now, then, if it was you that did that service, you are his legitimate heir, and entitled to the sack of gold... This is the remark: ‘You are far from being a bad man: go, and reform’. Howard L. Stephenson”. All 19 letters were exactly alike but for the name of the person they were addressed to in each case. All 19 families thought that only their family knew the secret remark.

When the day came to open the sack, all the town’s citizens were packed in the town hall. Mr. Burgess opened one letter after another and read the names of the claimants comparing their statements with the paper that was in the sack. The original remark was: “You are far from being a bad man: go, and reform - or, mark my words - some day for your sins you will die and go to hell or Hadleyburg - try and make it the former.” Roars of laughter from the poorer people! The names of the most notable citizens held up to derision. Then the inner sack was cut open but there were only gilded disks of lead in it, and another letter saying that it was all a hoax.

Thus the sacred 19 families fell prey to the miserable gold-sack: “the town was stripped of the last rag of its ancient glory.”

DISCUSSION:

1. Were the people of Hadleyburg as honest and incorruptible as they claimed? Why do you suppose they believe they were? What did they do to reinforce that image and to perpetuate it?

2. What do you suppose happened to the stranger in Hadleyburg that would cause him to go to such extreme ends to seek his revenge? Why do you suppose he chose to get his revenge on the entire town instead of the individual or individuals that injured him?

3. Why do you think that all of the nineteen fell into the stranger's trap? What do you think the stranger would have done if none had sent a note?

Writing option:

The plot of "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg" ends pretty much as the stranger had planned it. Rewrite the end of the story in such a way that the town is somehow saved from dishonor. Which ending do you think is more realistic? Why?

“A DOG AND THREE DOLLARS”

I have always believed that a man must be honest. "Never ask for money you have not earned", I always said.

Now I shall tell you a story which will show you how honest I have always been all my life.

A few days ago at my friend's house I met General Miles. General Miles was a nice man and we became great friends very quickly.

"Did you live in Washington in 1867?" the general asked me.

"Yes, I did," I answered.

"How could it happen that we did not meet then?" said General Miles.

"General", said I. "We could not meet then. You forget that you were already a great general then, and I was a poor young writer whom nobody knew and whose books nobody read. You do not remember me, I thought, but we met once in Washington at that time."

I remember it very well. I was poor then and very often I did not have money even for my bread. I had a friend. He was a poor writer too. We lived together. We did everything together: worked, read books, went for walks together. And when we were hungry, we were both hungry. Once we were in need of three dollars. I don't remember why we needed these three dollars so much, but I remember well that we had to have the money by the evening.

"We must get these three dollars," said my friend. "I shall try to get the money, but you must also try."

I went out of the house, but I did not know where to go and how to get the three dollars. For an hour I was walking along the streets of Washington and was very tired. At last I came to a big hotel. "I shall go in and have a rest," I thought.

I went into the hall of the hotel and sat down on a sofa. I was sitting there when a beautiful small dog ran into the hall. It was looking for somebody. The dog was nice and I had nothing to do, so I called it and began to play with it.

I was playing with the dog, when a man came into the hall. He wore a beautiful uniform and I knew at once that he was General Miles. I knew him by his pictures in the newspapers. "What a beautiful dog!" said he. "Is it your dog?"

I did not have time to answer him when he said, "Do you want to sell it?"

"Three dollars", I answered at once.

"Three dollars?" he asked. "But that is very little. I can give you fifty dollars for it."

"No, no. I only want three dollars."

"Well, it is your dog. If you want three dollars for it, I shall be glad to buy your dog."

General Miles paid me three dollars, took the dog and went up to his room.

Ten minutes later an old man came into the hall. He looked round the hall. I could see that he was looking for something.

"Are you looking for a dog, sir?" I asked.

"Oh, yes! Have you seen it?" said the man.

"Your dog was here a few minutes ago and I saw how it went away with a man," I said. "If you want, I shall try to find it for you."

The man was very happy and asked me to help him.

"I shall be glad to help you, but it will take some of my time and..."

"I am ready to pay you for your time," cried the man. "How much do you want for it?"

"Three dollars," answered I.

"Three dollars?" said the man. "But it is a very good dog. I shall pay you ten dollars if you find it for me."

"No sir, I want three dollars and not a dollar more," said I.

Then I went up to General Miles's room. The General was playing with his new dog." I came here to take the dog back", said I.

"But it is not your dog now – I have bought it. I have paid you three dollars for it," said the General.

"I shall give you back your three dollars, but I must take the dog back", answered I. "But you have sold it to me, it is my dog now."

"I could not sell it to you, sir, because it was not my dog."

"Still you have sold it to me for three dollars."

"How could I sell it to you when it was not my dog? You asked me how much I wanted for the dog, and I said that I wanted three dollars. But I never told you that it was my dog."

General Miles was very angry now.

"Give me back my three dollars and take the dog," he shouted. When I brought the dog back to its master, he was very happy and paid me three dollars with joy. I was happy too because I had the money, and I felt I earned it.

Now you can see why I say that honesty is the best policy and that a man must never take anything that he has not earned.

COMPREHENSION AND DISCUSSION:

1. Whom did the author meet at his friend’s house one day?

2. Did General Miles recognize the author? Why could not he?

3. Why did the boy find himself in the hotel one day?

4. Who ran into the hall suddenly?

5. Why did the boy sell the dog to General Miles for three dollars?

6. What happened ten minutes later?

7. What brilliant idea came to the boy's mind?

8. How did he manage to take the dog back?

9. Did the boy's behaviour prove his words, "Never ask f or money you haven't earned"?

“THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER” (1876) is regarded as one of the best books for children in the world literature. The setting is a small Mississippi River town in the 1830’s. Having read many of books about Robin Hood, robbers, caves and hidden treasures, Tom Sawyer creates his own colourful world, which doesn’t look like surrounding reality. The principles of faithfulness and friendship, justice and courage are victorious in this world. Following them, Tom and Huck, having risked their lives, save an innocent man from death, having assured him of not implication in a crime.

DISCUSSION:

1. How does Tom Sawyer change over the course of the story?

2. Which of Tom’s deed and actions do you like and which do you dislike? Explain.

“THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER” (1881)

In this novel Mark Twain satirizes social conventions, concluding that appearances often hide a person’s true value. The novel shows England of the first half of the 16^th century. Poverty reigns in the country. Superstitions and prejudices are widely spread among the people. In such conditions two identical-looking boys exchanged clothes. Prince Edward Tudor of Wales is expelled from the royal palace, and the poor Tom Canty appears on his place. Both are believed to be mad. Edward learns about the problems of commoners, while Tom learns to play the role of a prince and then a king.

DISCUSSION:

1. What problems does the writer rise in the novel?

2. Can we say that Tom’s childhood was happy? Explain.

3. What did Tom Canty and Prince Edward learn when they exchanged their places?

4. Why does Tom Canty adapt to his role as king more quickly than Edward Tudor adapts to his role as pauper?

5. Why is Tom Canty so willing to help Edward regain his throne?

6. Discuss the theme of clothes determining the way a person is treated.

“A CONNECTICUT YANKEE AT KING ARTHUR’s COURT” (1889)

The book is fantastic but there are many sad pages in it, which describe a hard life of English peasants in the 6^th century. The action is set in Britain of the 6^th century in the time of a legendary King Arthur. The wicked Queen Morgana and the magician Merlin are the embodiment of social evil. A common American Yankee is opposed to the kingdom of injustice and oppression. He exposes the swindles of Merlin, tries to destroy the most wild laws and customs. Having become the Prime Minister of the kingdom, he carries out a number of reforms, directed to ease the life of common people, promotes the development of trade, industry, crafts, education. In an effort to bring democratic principles and mechanical knowledge to the kingdom, Yankee strings telephone wire, starts schools, trains mechanics and teaches journalism. He also falls in love and marries. But when he tries to better the lot of the peasants, he meets opposition. He and Arthur, in disguise, travel among the miserable common folk, are taken captive and sold as slaves, and only at the last seconds are rescued by 500 knights on bicycles. Hank and his family briefly retire to the seaside. When they return they find the kingdom engulfed in civil war, Arthur killed, and Hank’s innovations abandoned.