Twins of Genius

When we were eight or nine, my friend Laura McGowan and I were big fans of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, or rather, some film adaptation that Laura saw and told me about. We liked to imagine ourselves as sisters of Tom (her) and Huck (me). We began our own novel based on that premise - Laura actually did most of the writing, while I was supposed to illustrate, although I do remember typing out the story at her house. Below is all that survives from that endeavor:

“Strawberry, Strawberry!”
“Yeh?”
“Hi!”
“Hi”
“Why are you wearing shoes?”
“My sister Made me.”
“Are you going to wear em?”
“Of course I ain’t!”

Now this is one of many conversations between these two girls.They are thesisters of the famous Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Tom sister Is Robin. Huck’s sister is Strawberry.

Strawberry got her name because her hair was red and the freckles made her look like a Strawberry.

Robin got her name because when she was born she looked like a baby robin.

Their not like other girls, back than.They didn’t like dolls, dresses, shoes, cooking, sewing, (some stuff was erased here.)

None of them have mothers. Tom and Robin lived with their aunt.

Huck and straw live with their older sister and her husband.

Tom and Robin live with their cousin Mary, and half brother Sid. Mary is alright, but is too starched. Sid is a person you don’t like just by looking at him.

Sid was also a fink.

Strawberry and Robin weren’t well liked by the girls. The boys didn’t mind them.

They have the whole Saturday off.

“Wheres Tom and Huck?” asked straw.

“Swimmin I guess.”

“That’s right lets go!”

They rand down to the lake. The found Huck and Tom spalshing in the water. They went behind a tree.

“Get their clothes.” ordered strawberry.

“not me”

“I thought of it!”

“Be Quiet they’ll hear us.”

“You get Tom’s and I’ll get Huck’s.”\

“Alright.”

“Com’ on.”

They crawled along the ground, Between two bushes. Both of them took a set, then climbed the nearest tree.

They just made it, Huck came out of the water. Then suddenly!

“They got ‘em” Screamed Huck.

As Tom bout Out of the water…

“Who got what?”

“Straw and Robin got our clothes”

Meanwhile in a tree.

“Let’s get out of here.” Advised Robin.

After getting out of the tree, they tried to figuer out what to do.

“What do you want to Do?” asked Robin

“I don’t know.” answered Straw.

“I have a feeling we’re bein watched.”

“Thirs noone watching……

“SLASH”

Two buckets of water came from a tree. They sat on the ground soaken wet.

“Robin.” Called Strawberry.

“What?”

“We was being watched.”

“yep”

Than roar of lagher came from the tree.

HUCK and Tom were the ones laughing.

:”Pardon us.” said Tom.

“You must excuse us.” Added Tom.

They then ran off, leaving Robin and Strawberry standing wet.

“Robin, you want to go swimming?”

“Yeh, Strawberry!”

As they started to leave Straw saw Huck’s dirty feet.

“You want to go swimmin Huck.” Asked Straw.

Huck agreed and jumbed down from the tree, Tom followed.

They jumped in, clothes of course.

They used a large rock as a pirate shop.

“I’ll be the captain!” yelled Tom.

“I’ll be the first mate!” added Huck.

“Can I be a pirate?” asked Strawberry. Knowing what the answer would be.

“Of course you ain’t.” said Huck.

“You ain’t alled either, Robin.” Added Tom.

Strawberry jumped on Huck and Robin jumped Tom. Rolled around in the water. Fanilly Mary came along and told them to stop. All of them went home to eat supper.

Sunday theywent to churck. They hated Sunday school. That wasted two hours of freedom.

Sidney and Mary liked it. How That Robin and Tom couldn’t understand.

After churc services they went to church services. Tom had a girlfriend but he meet someone different this day. Across the asile. She wore a yellow dress that cold pick up every piece of dust if it was Straw or Robin wearing it. She shoes were shined, she wore yellow ribbons in her hair and a matching bonnet.

Strawberry turned around to where Robin was sitting.

“See that girl at the door in the yellow dress?” Straw asked Robin.

“Yeh?”

“That dress has got to be covering something ugly.”

The Sunday teacher stepped in the room. Her name is Miss Wood.

“Children we have a new pupil.”

The girl stood in front of the room.

“This is Rebecca Thatcher.” Continued Miss Wood.

Strawberry turned around to Robin.

“Rebecca?”

“I hear.”

Miss Wood went on.

“Rebecca sit in back of Robin Sawyer.”

Robin turned around it was too late the seat was empty.

“Robin stand up, please.”

Robin stood up and sat down. As Rebecca went by she noticed the patch on Robin’s dress, the tear was made from climbing a face. Robin thought she should try to get along with her and smiled as she passed. As Rebecca went by she said…

“I don’t associate with vulgarity like you.”

Strawberry turned around with with asking what she did. Robin said nothing, Though the whole hour Rebecca kept fixing her hair and brushing her dress.

On the way home Tom started talking about her. The way she talked, the lovely way she spoke, and the way she dressed.

“Robin, did she say any thing to you,” Mary asked politly.
Robin tossed her head.

“I don’t associate with vulgarity like you.” Than ran up to meet Strawberry.

“Hi, Strawberry!”

“Hi, Robin. Did you say anything to that new girl?”
“No. I sittin there and she said that to me.”

“I have a feelin she ain’t gonna like u s.”

Yeh, but Tom likes her.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

Clearly we loathed Becky Thatcher and all she represented.

When I read Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I had no idea it was considered a work of genius, the great American novel, but rather thought of it as a kid's adventure story sequel to Tom Sawyer.