“Tom, it don’t make no difference. I ain’t everybody, and I can’t stand it. It’s awful to be tied up so. And grub comes too easy⁠—I don’t take no interest in vittles, that way. I got to ask to go a-fishing; I got to ask to go in a-swimming⁠—dern’d if I hain’t got to ask to do everything. Well, I’d got to talk so nice it wasn’t no comfort⁠—I’d got to go up in the attic and rip out awhile, every day, to git a taste in my mouth, or I’d a died, Tom. The widder wouldn’t let me smoke; she wouldn’t let me yell, she wouldn’t let me gape, nor stretch, nor scratch, before folks⁠—” [Then with a spasm of special irritation and injury]⁠—“And dad fetch it, she prayed all the time! I never see such a woman! I had to shove, Tom⁠—I just had to. And besides, that school’s going to open, and I’d ’a’ had to go to it⁠—well, I wouldn’t stand that