Prentice Alvin (Tales of Alvin Maker, #3)

by Orson Scott Card

Gertie had a suspicious nature. “Do you reckon you’d say the same if Jesus was standing here judging your eternal soul depending on the truth of what you say?” “Ma’am, I reckon if Jesus was here, I’d be asking forgiveness for my sins, and I wouldn’t care two hoots about any old well.”

But Old Peg figured if you can’t cuss at a lying hypocrite,

then what was cussing invented for?

“We’re all the same rare meat,” said Arthur Stuart. He used a funny voice that Alvin had never heard before. “Whose voice was that?” asked Alvin. “God, of course,” said Arthur Stuart.

I had steeled myself to endure the rigors of primitive life in the wilderness, and now I find that you are prepared to offer all the convivial blessings of civilization.” “I’ll take it that what you said mostly means thank you,

Old Peg set down her instruments of boy-butchery and helped Alvin bundle Arthur Stuart up in coats and leggings and boots and scarves till he was about as big around as he was tall. Then Alvin pitched him out the door into the snow and rolled him with his foot till he was covered with snow. Old Peg barked at him from the kitchen door. “That’s right. Alvin Junior, freeze him to death right before his own mother’s eyes, you irresponsible prentice boy you!”

In fact, Alvin began to understand a little about why Mock stayed so poor.

“I got it hexed up every which way from Tuesday. I thought I was doing it for the teacher lady. But now I reckon I was really doing it for Arthur Stuart.”

These two men, together, made something between them that was just as real and solid as the dirt under his feet, as the tree he was leaning on. Most folks couldn’t see it—they’d look at the two of them and see nothing but two men who happened to be sitting in a boat together. But then, maybe to other atoms it wouldn’t seem like the atoms making up a bit of a iron was anything more than two atoms as happened to be next to each other. Maybe you have to be far off, like God, or anyhow bigger by far in order to see what it is that two atoms make when they fit together in a certain way. But just because another atom don’t see the connection don’t mean it isn’t real, or that the iron isn’t as solid as iron can be.

Alvin closed his eyes. “Just shut your mouth and let me think,” he said. “I said that’s what we’d do,” said Horace. “So do it,” said Po Doggly.

“And what I said last night, it’ll always be true.”

“Well there’s no reason to cry about it,” said Delphi. “I already got three babies crying every time they think of it.

because of certain stories floating around about who was a hero and who was a snake, Pauley Wiseman lost his job and Po Doggly got him a new one.