In this thrilling episode, we delve into the world of Mark Twain's beloved characters, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, as they embark on a new adventure. Tom, now older, is called upon by Aunt Polly to travel to Arkansas to help his Uncle Silas, who is entangled in a web of trouble involving the powerful and menacing Brace Dunlap. As Tom arrives, he discovers that his cousin Benita is being pressured to marry Brace, a man she despises, while Uncle Silas is accused of a murder he didn't commit. With his sharp wit and determination, Tom sets out to uncover the truth and save his family from disgrace.
Amidst the backdrop of 1840s Arkansas, Tom encounters a series of mysterious events, including a jewel heist and a case of mistaken identity involving Brace's brother, Jake Dunlap. As tensions rise and the townspeople turn against Uncle Silas, Tom must use all his cunning to unravel the mystery and clear his uncle's name. With the help of unexpected allies and his own resourcefulness, Tom navigates through danger and deception, proving once again that he is a true detective at heart.
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No purchase necessary. VGW group VoIP. We're prohibited by law. 21 plus terms and conditions apply. Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. No writer knew America, loved America, or could write about America better than Samuel Clemens. Even his known opponent was distinctly American. It was the shout of the leadsmen on the Mississippi River steamers by the Mark Twain. And it meant that the boat had just passed over a shallow and treacherous place and was now in water deep enough, clear enough, and safe enough. One of Mark Twain's best known and most beloved carriages was Tom Sawyer, whose schoolboy adventures are still part of the schooling of every American boy and girl.
But did you know that Tom Sawyer grew older and had more adventures and was called upon to solve a murder and save an innocent man from the noose? Tom. Tom, listen. What's that? Look
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through the window. All those men headed this way. What did they want? Tom, listen. My father killed Juba to Dunlap. Well, now there's no proof? Well, sometimes people get so mad they don't need proof.
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You stay inside. Stay with your father.
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Hand me his musket. You could call me 15, maybe 20 of them. You'd be surprised
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what one man with one gun can do. Our mystery drama, Tom Sawyer, Detective, was adapted from the Mark Twain classic, especially for the mystery theater by Sam Dann and stars Christopher Tabory. It is sponsored in part by Zurich Motor Division. I'll be back shortly with Act one. If you read Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, you will recall that Tom and Huck had some rattling first rate adventures at old uncle Silas's farm in Arkansas. Well, it is now some years later and Tom is much older, But Tom is still Tom, and aunt Polly is still aunt Polly.
And when aunt Polly calls, Tom Sawyer still jumps.
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Tom? Yes, ma'am. Tom, I reckon you gotta pack up and go down to Arkansas. Your uncle Silas need you. Yes, ma'am. They're in considerable trouble down there. They think you'll be a kinda diversion for a merry eater. And she just said, poor blank. She won't have them. So he soured on them and they're worried about it. You remember the Dunlaps from when you was down there? Oh, yes, aunt Polly. As I recall, Brace Dunlaps, the richest man in the county. Mhmm. About 36. A widow worm, proud of his money
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too. Everyone's a bit afraid of him.
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Is he the one Benita said no to? And I guess it must have set him back some. Well, Silas is trying to soften the blow. I don't follow you, aunt Polly. He feels he can't afford to have a powerful man like Brace Dunlap mad at him. So he's trying to cover a favor by hiring Brace's brother, Jupiter, to do some work around the farm. How can uncle Silas afford to hire anybody? He's so hard pushed and poor as it is. What a name, Jupiter. From what Benita writes, he's sly,
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lazy, and sneaky. That's right. I remember Jupiter. And I also recall he was a twin. The other brother was named Jake.
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You mean there's three Dunlaps for your poor old uncle Silas to contend with? No. No. No, aunt Polly.
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We don't have to worry about old Jake Dunlap. He got to robbing and killing, but he escaped from jail, went north somewhere, and nobody's heard from him in years. Everyone says he's probably dead by now.
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That's a mercy. The thing that's mostly worrying your cousin, Benita, is the tempers that no account Jupiter gets your uncle Silas into. Tempers?
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Pilate, you must be joking.
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Do your old uncle Silas? Why he don't have any temper. Well, he does now. She says your uncle's a changed man on account of all this quarreling. Everybody blames Silas because after all, he's a preacher and he got no call to quarrel in the first place. So he hates to go into the pulpit. He's so ashamed. And folks have begun to quarrel toward him. All on the cover of that Dunlop tribe. Tribe. And the worst of it is You mean there's more. What poor Bonita feels is her fault. So she's thinking maybe she better marry Brace Dunlap after all. Oh, no, Aunt Polly.
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We can't let her do that. We just can't. I remember my cousin Benita as so sweet and kind. And I remembered Brace Dunlap as so hard and sour. I was sure he'd be cool to her. I had to put a stop to this. How? Maybe when I'd get there, I'd figure out a plan. Well, the trip began lucky enough. I caught a steamer headed all the way down the Lower Mississippi so I wouldn't have to change at Saint Louis. And it was a quite enough trip till we stopped at some little one horse town just below the Arkansas line. And I seen these two men come aboard. One was very tall.
The other was very short, but both looked powerful and mean. I noticed they stood by the rail and just stared at everybody on board. And they're looking for someone, I said to myself. And I believe that someone ain't gonna be happy to see them. But it was clear they weren't looking for me. So I went below to my cabin and I closed the door. I was about to strike a light when I heard a sound. There was no mistaking that sound. Nothing in this world sounds exactly like it. It was a pistol being cocked. Don't strike a light. You're holding the trump card in your hand, mister.
What are you aiming on doing? I'm aiming on staying in here. For how long? But I don't have to ask. I know. What do you know? You're hiding from the two men on deck. The tall one in them. How would you know? I figured it out. How? Well, it's truth, ain't it? But I'm stumped. Why? I never forget a voice once I heard it. And I heard yours once before. You could be mistaken. And I never forget a face neither. And now that my eyes are accustomed to the dark, I know yours. Who who do you think I am? That's just the trouble. You can't be that person.
Why not? Because right now that person's down on a farm in Arkansas. What's that person's name? That person's name is Jupiter Dunlap. Jupiter Dunlap? I ain't Jupiter Dunlap. Then if you ain't Jupiter, you gotta be the twin. Jake! Jake Dunlap! That's who you are! Shh! Don't talk so loud! And don't mention that name! You wanna get me killed? Then you aren't dead! No, no, I ain't dead! Not yet. Oh, I'm coming powerful close. You gotta help me out. Why? Because I'm in trouble. I know that. Why should I help you? Your brother, brace lordin' it all over everyone. Oh, that's brace. That ain't me. I never done you no harm, nor your uncle Silas neither. And I'll never do you none so long as God's in heaven.
Now, give me a hand and save my life. Why did those two want to kill you? Well, you see, it was a confidence game. The three of us played it on a jewelry shop in St. Louis. Jewelry, they're waiting. Now listen to what we done. We dressed up fine, and we ordered the diamonds sent around to the hotel for us to see if we wanted to buy. And while you were examining them, you had paste counterfeits already. And it was the counterfeits that went back to the shop when you said the diamonds weren't quite fine enough. Say, are you in the trade? What were they worth? 12,000.
And you got away with them? Pain. Only trouble was, you see, we each had the same notion. What notion? To rob the others. What? If that isn't the Arnie's most loyal? Well, maybe yes, maybe no. But the long and the short of it is that I was able to sneak off with the diamonds and they've been hot on my trail. And now that trail comes to an end. No, it ain't. And you swore you'd help me get away. I swore no such thing. You gotta help me. You can't leave them two cutthroats to kill me. Well, that's no way to talk about your past. I'll do anything you say. Give back them diamonds.
Give back the diamonds? Yes. To the jewelry store. I I can't return the diamonds. Why not? Because I ain't got them. I lost them. You expect me to believe that? You gotta believe it. I lost them. Oh, sure. It's true. Look, if I still had them diamonds, would I be running for my life like this? Oh, look. If you don't believe I'm telling the truth, search me. Go ahead. Go through all my clothes. Look at my bag. Alright. How can I help you? Alright. Now go ashore. Get me some other clothes. Okay. I'll get you one of those new stovetop hats and a pair of pad britches. And they were green and black. That'll do it. A cotton velvet waistcoat, some goggles, some whiskers and goggles. Now that should get me off the boat. Well, let's say it does. Where do you go then? I mean, where could you hide?
I'll go home. They all think I'm dead. My brother, Brace, will take me in. I'll be all disguised. No one will recognize me. Yeah. But there's one little thing. What's that? Won't people notice that you sound like Jupiter? And wanna make them think that the other twin that's supposed to be dead, but maybe he's not? No. You are a sharp one. Yeah. Me and Jupiter, we do have the exact same identical voices. I'll have to play deaf and dutton. That'll do it. Okay. You be calm. You stay hidden here, and I'll go for those clothes. Calm. I can never be calm again as long as I live. That's what a life of crime will do.
Take my advice, son. Never get mixed up in it. But I was mixed up in it somehow. The steamboat was tied up at the dock for repairs, so I had plenty of time to go into the town and buy the clothes Jake Dunlap needed. The goggles and the whiskers weren't easily come by, but finally I had everything and I headed back for the boat. I took my bundle and went down to my cabin. Hey. These clothes will do me fine. And see how they fit. Yes. Well, you look just like a lecture on spiritualism. I've done some of that in my time. I could even hold a seance without Wait a minute. You're supposed to be deaf and dumb. You remember? Oh. Oh. Yeah. So I am. So I am. And I even got you these boots. Oh, no. No. No. No. Thanks. I'm gonna keep these shoes. Oh, but everyone wears boots where you're going. I got very tender feet. And the shoes I got shoot me fine.
Well, time I was leaving the boat. Where are my old pals? Standing up the rail. Would anyone recognize me? They might recognize your shoes. Oh, no danger of that. Everybody wears shoes like these in St. Louis. Son, you've been an angel of mercy to a poor old sinner like me. I'll see you in Arkansas. Oh, I won't let on. And I won't say a word. See if it's how I'm supposed to be deafened up. Well, you just remember who helped you. Uncle Silas's nephew. I never forget a friend. And you not let your brother, Brace Dunlap, know. And are you sure you won't take these Nope. Nope. Nope. No. Thanks.
Well, then I guess this is goodbye. I walk out on deck with you. That is, well, if you're ready to go. Ready now as I'll ever be. And he was. Then outlandish clothes seemed to put a whole new spirit into him. He walked out on the deck with a strong purposeful stride, like a man who had a mission to perform. He made his way toward the gangplank where the two men were standing and looking everyone over. He nodded at them and they stopped and stared at him. Oh, I had an anxious couple of seconds, but they didn't tumble. And in a minute, he was off the boat and lost in the crowd on the dock.
I must say he pulled it off in style. I stood there and watched, and I held the boots in my hand. The boots he refused to take because he insisted he didn't need them. I wish I'd known then what I learned later, that the boots would be the means of helping to save my uncle Silas's life. Tom Sawyer, detective. And you must admit that Tom attracts danger and adventure just by, well, just by breathing, just by walking into a room. I mean, most people go on an ordinary steamboat ride and all they get to see is the scenery. How many folks do you know who go on a boat ride and find themselves smack in the middle of a jewel robbery?
And just think, we haven't even arrived at Uncle Silas' yet. Well, we complete that part of this adventurous journey when I return in just a few moments with Act two. Tom Sawyer is bound for his Uncle Silas' farm in Arkansas to help Silas and his family through some rough sledding. A problem seems to be a wealthy farmer named Brace Dunlap who wants to marry Tom's pretty young cousin, Benita. But these things take two, and Benita isn't having any. As you've already heard, by a coincidence, Tom has helped save the life of Brace Dunlap's brother, Jake. Will this change Brace's attitude?
You know perfectly well it won't. Brace wants Benita, and Brace is a man who gets what he wants. I believe I already told you Jake Dunlap got off the boat safe enough and gave his pals a slip. We were supposed to sail within the hour, but just as we were building up steam, we blew a bolt head or or a cylinder head. I never did get it straight. And we were stuck there three more days till they fixed it. So it was well over a week later when I arrived. Benita was waiting for me at the dock. I'd forgotten how pretty she was, but she looked so worried.
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I'm so sorry, Tom. Forgive me. For what, Benny? For three miles, we have to walk it. I couldn't even come for you in the horse and wagon. Oh, I don't mind. Poor Caesar. He went lame. We can't afford a new horse. If these are other times, the neighbor would be glad to lend us one, but these are new times, Tom. Bad times.
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Brace Dunlap? Brace Dunlap.
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Papa tries to be nice to him, but it doesn't work.
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Papa made uncle Si's think he could modify Brace by giving work to that no account Jupiter.
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You know papa. He thinks that by doing a kind deed, you appeal to a person's better nature. And the trouble is, Brace Dunlap just don't have a better nature. I know that's a hard thing to say, especially for a preacher's daughter. But it's the truth. I was willing to give up. I said I'd marry, brace. But papa said he wouldn't hear of it. And he's turned papa into a nervous, angry, hateful person. What am I gonna do? I wanna save up.
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Oh, but we'll we'll think of something. We kept walking along till I seen a paper posted on a tree by the side of the road. First, I thought it was a poster for a runaway slave. But then, when I stopped to look, I saw it was something else entirely. $2,000 reward for the information leading to the arrest and conviction of three men who stole two rare gems from a Saint Louis jewelry store or for the recovery of the jewels. Oh, I wish I could find those gems, Tom.
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Two thousand dollars It's a lot of money. Oh, that could make Papa independent.
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He wouldn't have to fear any man. Sometime, Benny, when all this is over, I'm gonna tell you a story about those gems.
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What, Tom? What do you know about stolen jewels? Oh, you
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hear a voice?
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Papa, look. He's here Tom Sawyer. He's come to visit. Hello, uncle Silas.
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Tom Sawyer? Who who who is Tom Sawyer? Papa, you know Tom? Don't you remember me, uncle Silas? Tom. Oh, yes. Tom. Lord bless you, Tom. I ain't very well these days and I faint my memory is gone. Tom, I was a praying to the good Lord for a true help in my hour of need and he sent you. Are you all right now, Papa? I know the Lord is pleased with me, children. Displeased with you, uncle Silas. Oh, papa.
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Not with you. Yes.
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He's trying me the way he tried Job. Jupiter is my affliction, and I cannot abide him. I look at him. He stands there shaking, nervous. His hands keep running across his face, and he talks like a fool. And he behaves even worse. And the terrible thing is I want to kill him. Papa. Now, uncle Silas, you can't mean that. Hiss, I actually and truly wish to take the life of a fellow human being, me, who always considered himself a man or god. I'm being punished for my evil thoughts, children. Punished.
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Come home, papa. You'll feel better for a nice hot supper. No, child.
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I'll never feel better again. But he did. It takes a real strong bad mood to withstand homemade hot biscuits and fried chicken and pie. I swear. Even if Benny didn't have the looks, Ben would still wanna marry her for her cooking. Well, Uncle Silas's spirits were raised up again when suddenly there was a knock on the door, and it was Brace Dunlap. Right off, I could see the resemblance to Jake and Jupiter. But he was younger, better looking, and he had something neither of them had, a cruel, mean look around the mouth. But he did talk nice and pleasant.
Good evening. I'm sorry to interrupt you folks. Good evening. Will you join us at supper? I wish I could, miss Benita, but, I'm worried about my brother. Are you? I expected him home over two hours ago. Would you know perhaps what might have kept him wherever? How would I know? Am I your brother's keeper? Sorry. I disturbed you. It's getting dark now. I better go out and look for him. Jupiter? Jupiter? Jupiter? Can can you hear me? Now where can that fool be? Brace? Brace? Where are you? The behind the trees. Come on out. What are you doing there? Brace, come here.
Come here. I I got something to show you. Now now, Jupiter, it's late and I ain't had my supper. Jake is here. Brace. Brother Jake himself. What? What what are you talking about? Come here. Come here. Now look. It it's Oh, Jake. Yeah. And he's dead. Yeah. What happened here? Well, I was coming toward home, Brace. And I seen this fellow with a beard and goggles. Yeah? And this outlandish hat and and these funny clothes. And he was running and running. And it was these two fellas chasing after him! Which two fellas? I've never seen him before. But one was kinda tall. And finally, finally, they caught up with him. And there was all kinds of yelling and fighting and they killed him. What did you do? Well, it it was most awful me looking fellas pretty soldier I hid behind a tree. Well, I was scared. They killed me too.
Well, after they killed him, they searched through all his clothes. And then they ran away. And then I seen it was It was Jake. Jay? Yeah. And all this time, we thought poor Jake was dead. Yeah. And so is everybody else. Well, haven't we better tell the sheriff, Bryce? Yeah. And let let let me study this. Jake's been killed. Should shouldn't them that murdered him be punished? You're dead right. Just, just let me keep thinking. Well, what's to think about? Poor Jake's death should be a lesson to all who presume to violate the law. He lived by the sword and he died by the sword, so to speak. Yeah. I I don't follow this. Put on the whiskers and the goggles. What? Well, why? Just do as I say.
Alright. Now there. Now no one would ever dream you was Jupiter Dunlap. You you just take off your clothes, What? And put them on poor old Jake. And you put on Jake's clothes. Why? And we'll bury Jake. Bury him? Nobody knows about Jake except you and me. And then there are two fellas and, well, they're long gone. They ain't gonna say nothing. But we we just can't go I mean, we have to tell the sheriff. We will in good time. Meanwhile, you and poor old Jupiter Dunlap, you will have disappeared. Me? But why? Because we're gonna let on that it was you that was murdered. Me? Murdered?
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Why? By who? By who? By uncle Silas. Why?
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Because he hates you. Well, well, he don't really hate me. He just said I'm doing the thinking, Jupiter. At the right time, that body will be discovered. And everyone will think it's you. And we'll even have witnesses to say uncle Silas killed you. What happens to me? Well, you're some poor stranger who's wandered around these parts, and and you can stay with me because I'm such a charitable person. Oh. Hey. Won't everyone know who I am? You're wearing a disguise, remember? Oh, okay. Hey. But but But what? But everyone knows my voice.
You ain't altogether a dummy. Wait. What? That's it? The answer. That's what you are? A dummy. You're deaf and dumb. That's perfect. Now remember, you mustn't say a single solitary word ever.
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Judge Farnsworth? Morning, Benny. Oh, come on in. Is there a spell? Oh,
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thank you.
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This here is my cousin Tom Sawyer from Missouri.
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Deduce, son. It's a fine state, Missouri. Thanks, sir. Is,
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your pa about, Benny? Oh, he's off somewhere, George. You want I should find him? Well, no. I
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might just as well talk to you. Benny, have you seen Jupiter Dunlap? No, George. He's been missing almost a week now. Well, he ain't shown up here. There's talk going around about the village. What kind of talk? Talk that your pa murdered, Judiper Dunlap. Oh, but that ain't true. How do we know Jupiter's been murdered, judge? You don't have a corpus delect, I see you know your law, son, but, still the talk is getting powerfully strong. It's that braced Dunlap.
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He'll do anything to hurt papa. But the fact is
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Jupiter has disappeared.
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Judge, what are we gonna do?
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I thought you might help. Me? What can I How do you believe your pa is well, could he actually have killed Jupiter? George. Did he ever threaten to kill Jupiter Dunlap? No.
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Well, Yes? Well, you see, Jupiter drove Papa out of his wits.
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Alright. That's what I want to hear. Why? Well, I'm a friend of your part. And if matters should ever arrive there, and I'm not saying they will, that should be the defense his lawyer should plead. His lawyer? Oh, but judge And don't you ever breathe a word that I've been here and talked about it. You understand? Now good day to you both. Oh, Tom. I can't believe it. Would Brace done that murder his own brother just so he could lay the blame on uncle Silas? He'd do anything.
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He's he's a devil. He's sticking to help papa hang. Oh, no. No. Now wait, baby. Stop at nothing.
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Maybe you could've just ran off.
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You can't let her hang, boy. You can't.
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Oh, promise me you'll save you. Oh, well, now now sure, Benny. I promise. Well, all of you who've read the Mark Twain story and even those of you who haven't know that the worst is about to happen. And how does Tom propose to handle it? Well, would Mark Twain fail to give one of his favorite characters an inspiration in time of need? You know he wouldn't. So you'll be here when Act III arrives in just a few moments. Well, here we are in a backwoods Arkansas town sometime around 1840 or so. And uncle Silas is being drawn further and further into a lethal web by clever and vindictive, Brace Dunlap.
All uncle Silas has on his side is Tom Sawyer. But right now, Tom doesn't have any idea of how to help. Things were getting no better. Somebody was spreading rumors about how uncle Silas must have murdered Jupiter Dunlap. Oh, not brace. Oh, no. Brace never said one word, but he must have took care that others did. And there was a lot of hot feel to pour on Silas. Nobody at all ever came to hear him preach on Sunday anymore. And then, afternoon, miss Benny. Would your father be home? Yes. Who's that with you? Oh, this fellow, you mean? Well, I don't know his name exactly. He's a he's a deaf mute who can't speak nor hear. Poor soul came wandering through town, all ragged and hungry. So, I've been giving him a place to sleep and his meals.
By George, the fellow was wearing the very get up I bought for Jake Dunlap. The stovepipe hat, the plaid pants, the waistcoat, the goggles, the whiskers. That's who it was. Jake Dunlap. Silas, I come here on a most important matter. You have? You know, Silas, that I've got money and property. And I mean to do very good by Benita. Not another word. Oh, what have you got against me? You're a mean, cruel, evil minded man. But nobody else thinks so. I don't care what other folks think. I know better. Look at me. How charitable I am. I've taken this poor, afflicted soul into my own home. Grace turn left. Leave my house. Shouldn't we ask Benny what she thinks? Benny's just a child. Papa, I well, maybe,
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well, I didn't consider you. There. He he ever never.
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You ain't gonna throw your life away on a corrupt, vicious person like Bray Stundlapp because you're feeling sorry for me. I won't allow it. Now you, Bray Stundlapp, Git. Git. Before I take down my flintlock. Now now now, uncle Silas. Now, uncle Silas, there's no need to get excited here. You hear me brace the left? Git. And do your worst. Grace, how long do I have to wear these clothes and let on to be deaf and dumb? Quite a while, Jupiter, for quite a while. Ain't no fun keeping my mouth shut. If that stupid old Silas had seen reason, you could have just reappeared and said you'd simply run off for a bit.
But this way, I'm afraid you'll have to be dead forever. Forever? I think it's high time the body was found. The body of Jupiter Dunlap, murdered in cold blood by old uncle Silas. But what's gonna become of me? You just play deaf and dumb for a while. And sooner or later, I'll think of something.
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Tom, I'm scared. Folks are talking against papa something fierce. Oh, but now there's no proof. Oh, that don't matter to them. They think papa killed Jupiter just because they want to. But everybody can see it's Brace behind it all. Old folks see what they wanna see. And they see how nice and kind Grace Dunlap is to this this poor affected dummy. And and they keep saying what a kind generous man Grace Dunlap is. Ain't it a pity about his poor brother?
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I don't know what they can do. Oh, folks can get ugly sometimes, Tom. Listen. Who's there?
[00:34:00] Unknown:
You got the window, Tom? Oh, look. It's all gang of men with dogs
[00:34:06] Unknown:
And they're headed this way. Where's your uncle Silas? Asleep. You go stay with the No time. You do as I tell you now. Stay with uncle Silas. What happens in a thing like this is that one man with a gun can change a lot of people's minds. Lots of folks just get swept away by excitement of being part of a mob, but they calm down quick enough if they see a gun on the other side. I took uncle Silas's old musket off the wall and stood outside the door and waited. There was maybe 15 or 20 men, and they were led by Bruce Dunlap. Evening.
Evening. What can I do for you, gentlemen? Is your uncle Silas at home? And what if he is? I'm sure he'd like to join us. Doing what? Well, to, help clear up some rumors. What sort of rumors? Oh, about my brother Jupiter being dead. How? Well, if Jupiter's dead, there's gotta be a body, don't there? That would seem to make sense. So, all the neighbors volunteer to pitch in with their hands to search. We'll settle this thing once and for all. If, we don't find the body, it'll mean poor old Jupiter just run off somewhere. I see.
We figured Silas as a neighbor would, like to lend a hand. Well, uncle Silas ain't feeling too good. Mind if I take his place? Oh, not at all. That should've warned me something was off. But what could I done about it? I could see Brace drawn the noose tighter and tighter. Somehow, I knew they would manage to find the body. But one thing I couldn't understand, would Brace go so far as to murder Jupiter just to have revenge on Silas? Here. Here. It's here. This heap of flesh looking dirt. I turned it over. And, oh, my name, look. It's due here. Yes.
Yes. It's it's my brother, Jupiter. Close. You can see it's Jupiter. It's true. Silas must have killed it. And now you see here, mister Wallace, walking through the woods. It was maybe a week ago. I seen Silas in Jupiter. Silas was a hollering at addict. Silas was saying, I'll kill you. And I see him pick up a stick, a heavy stick. Hold on. Hold on. Now nobody's got a right to take the law in his own hands. We're all civilized people. Now let's show this gentleman visiting from Saint Louis how fair minded we are. Right. Let's see that uncle Silas gets a try.
Betty, in a couple of minutes, the sheriff will be here. The sheriff? What? They found Jupiter Dunlap's body. Oh, no. They're convinced uncle Silas did it. Did what, Tom? What? Papa,
[00:37:27] Unknown:
they found Jupiter's body. Oh, did they?
[00:37:30] Unknown:
Papa, somebody killed him. I know. I know. I killed him. No, papa. I did it. I hid him a good lick and I killed him. Oh, no. You didn't. And now hold on, Gonzales. Somebody buried him. Who? Me. I killed him, then I shoveled him under. Uncle Silus, you did no such thing. I did. And I swear to it on the bible in a court of law. The judge wanted to appoint a counsel for uncle Silus, but Danny insisted I should be it, which according to the law was legal. And I tell you there was nothing I could do. I was stumped. I couldn't trap that witness. I was walking in the woods that evening and I seen uncle Silas. But now if it was the evening, how could you see? It was your early evening about 04:00. Oh, wouldn't that be the afternoon?
In these parts, we call that the evening. I was getting nowhere. I couldn't shake his story. He had seen uncle Silas beat Jupiter. He had heard uncle Silas threaten to kill him. You could hear folks muttering against poor uncle Silas. But the worst part of it came when Tom Sawyer, as counsel for the defendant, is there any evidence you wish to present? Well, now, your honor No. Don't listen to no one else. I confess. I killed him. Horrible. Well, order. Order. Order. Order before I serve the court. I killed him. I'm guilty.
I never wanted to harm a living creature. But suddenly, all the wrongs his brother Brace done me come to my mind. All the insults that man, that scoundrel there, his brother, had put upon me, how they plotted to ruin my poor family. Now. No. No. No. Now. Now I've got it. Sit down, Uncle Silas. Sit down. A murderer was done, but you never had a hand in it. Your honor, may I speak? Please. For two weeks or so now, there's been a handbill offering $2,000 reward for diamonds stolen in Saint Louis. What does this have to do with the murder? Everything. Then out of the killing, the man who stole them diamonds was just running through the woods chased by two others.
Who were they? His pals whom he had betrayed. Well, they caught up with him and killed him. But you still haven't explained why he left his body in the woods and ran off. Sometime later, two other men came across that body. And do you know what they did? One of them changed clothes with the corpse from stove, pop hat all the way down to shoes. How can you make that statement, Tom? I'll go further. That man that put on the dead man's clothes and disguised himself as the dead man was Jupiter Dunlap himself. But Jupiter Dunlap's dead. No.
The man that's dead is Jake Dunlap, the long lost twin brother. And who do you think is the man that buried him? Grace Dunlap. Your honor, that's a lie. Am I to be slandered? Wait. I can prove it. I can prove it. And who do you think is this idiot with the goggles and the whiskers, letting on to be deaf and dumb? It's Jupiter Dunlap himself. You take off them whiskers, Jupiter, or should the sheriff do it? My boy, this is remarkable. This deduction on your part, you haven't seen any of these events and yet you've described them so perfectly.
Case dismissed. One moment, your honor. One moment. One moment, your honor. There's a thief in the house. A thief? Yes, sir. And he's got $12,000 worth of stolen diamonds. Point him out. It's the late dead man here, Jupiter Dunlap. That's a lie. I never did steal any diamonds. He did steal the diamonds, but he didn't know it. You see, when he changed clothes with Jake, the diamonds went along. But didn't those men who killed him take the diamonds? I offered on the steamboat to buy Jake Dunlap a pair of new boots. But he insisted on wearing his old shoes.
Why? And suddenly it came to me. He must have hidden the diamonds in him. Where? In the heel. Where else? I barred a screwdriver and unscrewed Jupiter's heel. And sure enough, there was those two big diamonds. And they took everyone's breath away. Poor Jupiter. He was sick. Had he only known, he could have gone away and been rich. I shall keep these and notify the owners and it will be a real pleasure to turn over the reward money to you, Tom Sawyer. You have earned the deepest and most sincere thanks of this community for lifting a wronged and innocent family out of ruin and saving an honorable man from a felon's death.
Oh, thank you, judge. But anyone could have done it. Well, wouldn't you know that Tom turned over the reward money to uncle Silas and Benita? And he helped nurse uncle Silas back to health. And the whole town would gather every Sunday to hear uncle Silas preach. And the entire family was happy as birds. Who says Mark Twain didn't write happy endings? We'll have more to say in just a few moments. We still have brace Dunlaps, and we will also have our uncle Silas'. The question is, will we always have enough Tom Sawyers to right the balance?
Tom Sawyer was a hero. Perhaps the word hero is somewhat out of fashion these days, and perhaps we're too sophisticated for genuine heroes, but who do we have to replace them? Our cast included Christopher Tabory, Paul Hecht, Evie Jester, Bob Caliban, and Gilbert Mac. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now, a preview of our next tale. No. These paintings are not mine. Who's to know the difference? They're the work of Francois Millet. Must we discuss that tiresome Millet? You see how each painting bears his hallmark, his unique style? Yes. You these things are lost on me.
[00:44:43] Unknown:
I know nothing of art. Oh, isn't there anything you could do to help me, Len? Sit beside me, and we can talk more comfortably.
[00:44:53] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. No. No. Surely, there there's something you could do for him. Why?
[00:44:59] Unknown:
Well, because one day he would be a glory to France. Listen. You're an Englishman. Yes. Why should you worry about the glory of France? Well, well, the glory of the world. Oh, Oh, well, I think we must decently dispose of Millais. There's only one way I could hope to help him. Oh, wow. He would have to be dead.
[00:45:23] Unknown:
This is EG Marshall inviting you to to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre. Until next time. Pleasant dreams.
[00:46:11] Unknown:
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No purchase necessary. VGW group VoIP. We're prohibited by law. 21 plus terms and conditions apply. Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. No writer knew America, loved America, or could write about America better than Samuel Clemens. Even his known opponent was distinctly American. It was the shout of the leadsmen on the Mississippi River steamers by the Mark Twain. And it meant that the boat had just passed over a shallow and treacherous place and was now in water deep enough, clear enough, and safe enough. One of Mark Twain's best known and most beloved carriages was Tom Sawyer, whose schoolboy adventures are still part of the schooling of every American boy and girl.
But did you know that Tom Sawyer grew older and had more adventures and was called upon to solve a murder and save an innocent man from the noose? Tom. Tom, listen. What's that? Look
[00:01:49] Unknown:
through the window. All those men headed this way. What did they want? Tom, listen. My father killed Juba to Dunlap. Well, now there's no proof? Well, sometimes people get so mad they don't need proof.
[00:02:02] Unknown:
You stay inside. Stay with your father.
[00:02:05] Unknown:
Hand me his musket. You could call me 15, maybe 20 of them. You'd be surprised
[00:02:10] Unknown:
what one man with one gun can do. Our mystery drama, Tom Sawyer, Detective, was adapted from the Mark Twain classic, especially for the mystery theater by Sam Dann and stars Christopher Tabory. It is sponsored in part by Zurich Motor Division. I'll be back shortly with Act one. If you read Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, you will recall that Tom and Huck had some rattling first rate adventures at old uncle Silas's farm in Arkansas. Well, it is now some years later and Tom is much older, But Tom is still Tom, and aunt Polly is still aunt Polly.
And when aunt Polly calls, Tom Sawyer still jumps.
[00:03:19] Unknown:
Tom? Yes, ma'am. Tom, I reckon you gotta pack up and go down to Arkansas. Your uncle Silas need you. Yes, ma'am. They're in considerable trouble down there. They think you'll be a kinda diversion for a merry eater. And she just said, poor blank. She won't have them. So he soured on them and they're worried about it. You remember the Dunlaps from when you was down there? Oh, yes, aunt Polly. As I recall, Brace Dunlaps, the richest man in the county. Mhmm. About 36. A widow worm, proud of his money
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too. Everyone's a bit afraid of him.
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Is he the one Benita said no to? And I guess it must have set him back some. Well, Silas is trying to soften the blow. I don't follow you, aunt Polly. He feels he can't afford to have a powerful man like Brace Dunlap mad at him. So he's trying to cover a favor by hiring Brace's brother, Jupiter, to do some work around the farm. How can uncle Silas afford to hire anybody? He's so hard pushed and poor as it is. What a name, Jupiter. From what Benita writes, he's sly,
[00:04:28] Unknown:
lazy, and sneaky. That's right. I remember Jupiter. And I also recall he was a twin. The other brother was named Jake.
[00:04:38] Unknown:
You mean there's three Dunlaps for your poor old uncle Silas to contend with? No. No. No, aunt Polly.
[00:04:45] Unknown:
We don't have to worry about old Jake Dunlap. He got to robbing and killing, but he escaped from jail, went north somewhere, and nobody's heard from him in years. Everyone says he's probably dead by now.
[00:04:57] Unknown:
That's a mercy. The thing that's mostly worrying your cousin, Benita, is the tempers that no account Jupiter gets your uncle Silas into. Tempers?
[00:05:07] Unknown:
Pilate, you must be joking.
[00:05:09] Unknown:
Do your old uncle Silas? Why he don't have any temper. Well, he does now. She says your uncle's a changed man on account of all this quarreling. Everybody blames Silas because after all, he's a preacher and he got no call to quarrel in the first place. So he hates to go into the pulpit. He's so ashamed. And folks have begun to quarrel toward him. All on the cover of that Dunlop tribe. Tribe. And the worst of it is You mean there's more. What poor Bonita feels is her fault. So she's thinking maybe she better marry Brace Dunlap after all. Oh, no, Aunt Polly.
[00:05:43] Unknown:
We can't let her do that. We just can't. I remember my cousin Benita as so sweet and kind. And I remembered Brace Dunlap as so hard and sour. I was sure he'd be cool to her. I had to put a stop to this. How? Maybe when I'd get there, I'd figure out a plan. Well, the trip began lucky enough. I caught a steamer headed all the way down the Lower Mississippi so I wouldn't have to change at Saint Louis. And it was a quite enough trip till we stopped at some little one horse town just below the Arkansas line. And I seen these two men come aboard. One was very tall.
The other was very short, but both looked powerful and mean. I noticed they stood by the rail and just stared at everybody on board. And they're looking for someone, I said to myself. And I believe that someone ain't gonna be happy to see them. But it was clear they weren't looking for me. So I went below to my cabin and I closed the door. I was about to strike a light when I heard a sound. There was no mistaking that sound. Nothing in this world sounds exactly like it. It was a pistol being cocked. Don't strike a light. You're holding the trump card in your hand, mister.
What are you aiming on doing? I'm aiming on staying in here. For how long? But I don't have to ask. I know. What do you know? You're hiding from the two men on deck. The tall one in them. How would you know? I figured it out. How? Well, it's truth, ain't it? But I'm stumped. Why? I never forget a voice once I heard it. And I heard yours once before. You could be mistaken. And I never forget a face neither. And now that my eyes are accustomed to the dark, I know yours. Who who do you think I am? That's just the trouble. You can't be that person.
Why not? Because right now that person's down on a farm in Arkansas. What's that person's name? That person's name is Jupiter Dunlap. Jupiter Dunlap? I ain't Jupiter Dunlap. Then if you ain't Jupiter, you gotta be the twin. Jake! Jake Dunlap! That's who you are! Shh! Don't talk so loud! And don't mention that name! You wanna get me killed? Then you aren't dead! No, no, I ain't dead! Not yet. Oh, I'm coming powerful close. You gotta help me out. Why? Because I'm in trouble. I know that. Why should I help you? Your brother, brace lordin' it all over everyone. Oh, that's brace. That ain't me. I never done you no harm, nor your uncle Silas neither. And I'll never do you none so long as God's in heaven.
Now, give me a hand and save my life. Why did those two want to kill you? Well, you see, it was a confidence game. The three of us played it on a jewelry shop in St. Louis. Jewelry, they're waiting. Now listen to what we done. We dressed up fine, and we ordered the diamonds sent around to the hotel for us to see if we wanted to buy. And while you were examining them, you had paste counterfeits already. And it was the counterfeits that went back to the shop when you said the diamonds weren't quite fine enough. Say, are you in the trade? What were they worth? 12,000.
And you got away with them? Pain. Only trouble was, you see, we each had the same notion. What notion? To rob the others. What? If that isn't the Arnie's most loyal? Well, maybe yes, maybe no. But the long and the short of it is that I was able to sneak off with the diamonds and they've been hot on my trail. And now that trail comes to an end. No, it ain't. And you swore you'd help me get away. I swore no such thing. You gotta help me. You can't leave them two cutthroats to kill me. Well, that's no way to talk about your past. I'll do anything you say. Give back them diamonds.
Give back the diamonds? Yes. To the jewelry store. I I can't return the diamonds. Why not? Because I ain't got them. I lost them. You expect me to believe that? You gotta believe it. I lost them. Oh, sure. It's true. Look, if I still had them diamonds, would I be running for my life like this? Oh, look. If you don't believe I'm telling the truth, search me. Go ahead. Go through all my clothes. Look at my bag. Alright. How can I help you? Alright. Now go ashore. Get me some other clothes. Okay. I'll get you one of those new stovetop hats and a pair of pad britches. And they were green and black. That'll do it. A cotton velvet waistcoat, some goggles, some whiskers and goggles. Now that should get me off the boat. Well, let's say it does. Where do you go then? I mean, where could you hide?
I'll go home. They all think I'm dead. My brother, Brace, will take me in. I'll be all disguised. No one will recognize me. Yeah. But there's one little thing. What's that? Won't people notice that you sound like Jupiter? And wanna make them think that the other twin that's supposed to be dead, but maybe he's not? No. You are a sharp one. Yeah. Me and Jupiter, we do have the exact same identical voices. I'll have to play deaf and dutton. That'll do it. Okay. You be calm. You stay hidden here, and I'll go for those clothes. Calm. I can never be calm again as long as I live. That's what a life of crime will do.
Take my advice, son. Never get mixed up in it. But I was mixed up in it somehow. The steamboat was tied up at the dock for repairs, so I had plenty of time to go into the town and buy the clothes Jake Dunlap needed. The goggles and the whiskers weren't easily come by, but finally I had everything and I headed back for the boat. I took my bundle and went down to my cabin. Hey. These clothes will do me fine. And see how they fit. Yes. Well, you look just like a lecture on spiritualism. I've done some of that in my time. I could even hold a seance without Wait a minute. You're supposed to be deaf and dumb. You remember? Oh. Oh. Yeah. So I am. So I am. And I even got you these boots. Oh, no. No. No. No. Thanks. I'm gonna keep these shoes. Oh, but everyone wears boots where you're going. I got very tender feet. And the shoes I got shoot me fine.
Well, time I was leaving the boat. Where are my old pals? Standing up the rail. Would anyone recognize me? They might recognize your shoes. Oh, no danger of that. Everybody wears shoes like these in St. Louis. Son, you've been an angel of mercy to a poor old sinner like me. I'll see you in Arkansas. Oh, I won't let on. And I won't say a word. See if it's how I'm supposed to be deafened up. Well, you just remember who helped you. Uncle Silas's nephew. I never forget a friend. And you not let your brother, Brace Dunlap, know. And are you sure you won't take these Nope. Nope. Nope. No. Thanks.
Well, then I guess this is goodbye. I walk out on deck with you. That is, well, if you're ready to go. Ready now as I'll ever be. And he was. Then outlandish clothes seemed to put a whole new spirit into him. He walked out on the deck with a strong purposeful stride, like a man who had a mission to perform. He made his way toward the gangplank where the two men were standing and looking everyone over. He nodded at them and they stopped and stared at him. Oh, I had an anxious couple of seconds, but they didn't tumble. And in a minute, he was off the boat and lost in the crowd on the dock.
I must say he pulled it off in style. I stood there and watched, and I held the boots in my hand. The boots he refused to take because he insisted he didn't need them. I wish I'd known then what I learned later, that the boots would be the means of helping to save my uncle Silas's life. Tom Sawyer, detective. And you must admit that Tom attracts danger and adventure just by, well, just by breathing, just by walking into a room. I mean, most people go on an ordinary steamboat ride and all they get to see is the scenery. How many folks do you know who go on a boat ride and find themselves smack in the middle of a jewel robbery?
And just think, we haven't even arrived at Uncle Silas' yet. Well, we complete that part of this adventurous journey when I return in just a few moments with Act two. Tom Sawyer is bound for his Uncle Silas' farm in Arkansas to help Silas and his family through some rough sledding. A problem seems to be a wealthy farmer named Brace Dunlap who wants to marry Tom's pretty young cousin, Benita. But these things take two, and Benita isn't having any. As you've already heard, by a coincidence, Tom has helped save the life of Brace Dunlap's brother, Jake. Will this change Brace's attitude?
You know perfectly well it won't. Brace wants Benita, and Brace is a man who gets what he wants. I believe I already told you Jake Dunlap got off the boat safe enough and gave his pals a slip. We were supposed to sail within the hour, but just as we were building up steam, we blew a bolt head or or a cylinder head. I never did get it straight. And we were stuck there three more days till they fixed it. So it was well over a week later when I arrived. Benita was waiting for me at the dock. I'd forgotten how pretty she was, but she looked so worried.
[00:16:50] Unknown:
I'm so sorry, Tom. Forgive me. For what, Benny? For three miles, we have to walk it. I couldn't even come for you in the horse and wagon. Oh, I don't mind. Poor Caesar. He went lame. We can't afford a new horse. If these are other times, the neighbor would be glad to lend us one, but these are new times, Tom. Bad times.
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Brace Dunlap? Brace Dunlap.
[00:17:16] Unknown:
Papa tries to be nice to him, but it doesn't work.
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Papa made uncle Si's think he could modify Brace by giving work to that no account Jupiter.
[00:17:26] Unknown:
You know papa. He thinks that by doing a kind deed, you appeal to a person's better nature. And the trouble is, Brace Dunlap just don't have a better nature. I know that's a hard thing to say, especially for a preacher's daughter. But it's the truth. I was willing to give up. I said I'd marry, brace. But papa said he wouldn't hear of it. And he's turned papa into a nervous, angry, hateful person. What am I gonna do? I wanna save up.
[00:18:00] Unknown:
Oh, but we'll we'll think of something. We kept walking along till I seen a paper posted on a tree by the side of the road. First, I thought it was a poster for a runaway slave. But then, when I stopped to look, I saw it was something else entirely. $2,000 reward for the information leading to the arrest and conviction of three men who stole two rare gems from a Saint Louis jewelry store or for the recovery of the jewels. Oh, I wish I could find those gems, Tom.
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Two thousand dollars It's a lot of money. Oh, that could make Papa independent.
[00:18:51] Unknown:
He wouldn't have to fear any man. Sometime, Benny, when all this is over, I'm gonna tell you a story about those gems.
[00:18:59] Unknown:
What, Tom? What do you know about stolen jewels? Oh, you
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hear a voice?
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Papa, look. He's here Tom Sawyer. He's come to visit. Hello, uncle Silas.
[00:19:33] Unknown:
Tom Sawyer? Who who who is Tom Sawyer? Papa, you know Tom? Don't you remember me, uncle Silas? Tom. Oh, yes. Tom. Lord bless you, Tom. I ain't very well these days and I faint my memory is gone. Tom, I was a praying to the good Lord for a true help in my hour of need and he sent you. Are you all right now, Papa? I know the Lord is pleased with me, children. Displeased with you, uncle Silas. Oh, papa.
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Not with you. Yes.
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He's trying me the way he tried Job. Jupiter is my affliction, and I cannot abide him. I look at him. He stands there shaking, nervous. His hands keep running across his face, and he talks like a fool. And he behaves even worse. And the terrible thing is I want to kill him. Papa. Now, uncle Silas, you can't mean that. Hiss, I actually and truly wish to take the life of a fellow human being, me, who always considered himself a man or god. I'm being punished for my evil thoughts, children. Punished.
[00:20:54] Unknown:
Come home, papa. You'll feel better for a nice hot supper. No, child.
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I'll never feel better again. But he did. It takes a real strong bad mood to withstand homemade hot biscuits and fried chicken and pie. I swear. Even if Benny didn't have the looks, Ben would still wanna marry her for her cooking. Well, Uncle Silas's spirits were raised up again when suddenly there was a knock on the door, and it was Brace Dunlap. Right off, I could see the resemblance to Jake and Jupiter. But he was younger, better looking, and he had something neither of them had, a cruel, mean look around the mouth. But he did talk nice and pleasant.
Good evening. I'm sorry to interrupt you folks. Good evening. Will you join us at supper? I wish I could, miss Benita, but, I'm worried about my brother. Are you? I expected him home over two hours ago. Would you know perhaps what might have kept him wherever? How would I know? Am I your brother's keeper? Sorry. I disturbed you. It's getting dark now. I better go out and look for him. Jupiter? Jupiter? Jupiter? Can can you hear me? Now where can that fool be? Brace? Brace? Where are you? The behind the trees. Come on out. What are you doing there? Brace, come here.
Come here. I I got something to show you. Now now, Jupiter, it's late and I ain't had my supper. Jake is here. Brace. Brother Jake himself. What? What what are you talking about? Come here. Come here. Now look. It it's Oh, Jake. Yeah. And he's dead. Yeah. What happened here? Well, I was coming toward home, Brace. And I seen this fellow with a beard and goggles. Yeah? And this outlandish hat and and these funny clothes. And he was running and running. And it was these two fellas chasing after him! Which two fellas? I've never seen him before. But one was kinda tall. And finally, finally, they caught up with him. And there was all kinds of yelling and fighting and they killed him. What did you do? Well, it it was most awful me looking fellas pretty soldier I hid behind a tree. Well, I was scared. They killed me too.
Well, after they killed him, they searched through all his clothes. And then they ran away. And then I seen it was It was Jake. Jay? Yeah. And all this time, we thought poor Jake was dead. Yeah. And so is everybody else. Well, haven't we better tell the sheriff, Bryce? Yeah. And let let let me study this. Jake's been killed. Should shouldn't them that murdered him be punished? You're dead right. Just, just let me keep thinking. Well, what's to think about? Poor Jake's death should be a lesson to all who presume to violate the law. He lived by the sword and he died by the sword, so to speak. Yeah. I I don't follow this. Put on the whiskers and the goggles. What? Well, why? Just do as I say.
Alright. Now there. Now no one would ever dream you was Jupiter Dunlap. You you just take off your clothes, What? And put them on poor old Jake. And you put on Jake's clothes. Why? And we'll bury Jake. Bury him? Nobody knows about Jake except you and me. And then there are two fellas and, well, they're long gone. They ain't gonna say nothing. But we we just can't go I mean, we have to tell the sheriff. We will in good time. Meanwhile, you and poor old Jupiter Dunlap, you will have disappeared. Me? But why? Because we're gonna let on that it was you that was murdered. Me? Murdered?
[00:25:19] Unknown:
Why? By who? By who? By uncle Silas. Why?
[00:25:25] Unknown:
Because he hates you. Well, well, he don't really hate me. He just said I'm doing the thinking, Jupiter. At the right time, that body will be discovered. And everyone will think it's you. And we'll even have witnesses to say uncle Silas killed you. What happens to me? Well, you're some poor stranger who's wandered around these parts, and and you can stay with me because I'm such a charitable person. Oh. Hey. Won't everyone know who I am? You're wearing a disguise, remember? Oh, okay. Hey. But but But what? But everyone knows my voice.
You ain't altogether a dummy. Wait. What? That's it? The answer. That's what you are? A dummy. You're deaf and dumb. That's perfect. Now remember, you mustn't say a single solitary word ever.
[00:26:29] Unknown:
Judge Farnsworth? Morning, Benny. Oh, come on in. Is there a spell? Oh,
[00:26:34] Unknown:
thank you.
[00:26:35] Unknown:
This here is my cousin Tom Sawyer from Missouri.
[00:26:39] Unknown:
Deduce, son. It's a fine state, Missouri. Thanks, sir. Is,
[00:26:45] Unknown:
your pa about, Benny? Oh, he's off somewhere, George. You want I should find him? Well, no. I
[00:26:52] Unknown:
might just as well talk to you. Benny, have you seen Jupiter Dunlap? No, George. He's been missing almost a week now. Well, he ain't shown up here. There's talk going around about the village. What kind of talk? Talk that your pa murdered, Judiper Dunlap. Oh, but that ain't true. How do we know Jupiter's been murdered, judge? You don't have a corpus delect, I see you know your law, son, but, still the talk is getting powerfully strong. It's that braced Dunlap.
[00:27:29] Unknown:
He'll do anything to hurt papa. But the fact is
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Jupiter has disappeared.
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Judge, what are we gonna do?
[00:27:37] Unknown:
I thought you might help. Me? What can I How do you believe your pa is well, could he actually have killed Jupiter? George. Did he ever threaten to kill Jupiter Dunlap? No.
[00:27:56] Unknown:
Well, Yes? Well, you see, Jupiter drove Papa out of his wits.
[00:28:03] Unknown:
Alright. That's what I want to hear. Why? Well, I'm a friend of your part. And if matters should ever arrive there, and I'm not saying they will, that should be the defense his lawyer should plead. His lawyer? Oh, but judge And don't you ever breathe a word that I've been here and talked about it. You understand? Now good day to you both. Oh, Tom. I can't believe it. Would Brace done that murder his own brother just so he could lay the blame on uncle Silas? He'd do anything.
[00:28:44] Unknown:
He's he's a devil. He's sticking to help papa hang. Oh, no. No. Now wait, baby. Stop at nothing.
[00:28:52] Unknown:
Maybe you could've just ran off.
[00:28:55] Unknown:
You can't let her hang, boy. You can't.
[00:29:00] Unknown:
Oh, promise me you'll save you. Oh, well, now now sure, Benny. I promise. Well, all of you who've read the Mark Twain story and even those of you who haven't know that the worst is about to happen. And how does Tom propose to handle it? Well, would Mark Twain fail to give one of his favorite characters an inspiration in time of need? You know he wouldn't. So you'll be here when Act III arrives in just a few moments. Well, here we are in a backwoods Arkansas town sometime around 1840 or so. And uncle Silas is being drawn further and further into a lethal web by clever and vindictive, Brace Dunlap.
All uncle Silas has on his side is Tom Sawyer. But right now, Tom doesn't have any idea of how to help. Things were getting no better. Somebody was spreading rumors about how uncle Silas must have murdered Jupiter Dunlap. Oh, not brace. Oh, no. Brace never said one word, but he must have took care that others did. And there was a lot of hot feel to pour on Silas. Nobody at all ever came to hear him preach on Sunday anymore. And then, afternoon, miss Benny. Would your father be home? Yes. Who's that with you? Oh, this fellow, you mean? Well, I don't know his name exactly. He's a he's a deaf mute who can't speak nor hear. Poor soul came wandering through town, all ragged and hungry. So, I've been giving him a place to sleep and his meals.
By George, the fellow was wearing the very get up I bought for Jake Dunlap. The stovepipe hat, the plaid pants, the waistcoat, the goggles, the whiskers. That's who it was. Jake Dunlap. Silas, I come here on a most important matter. You have? You know, Silas, that I've got money and property. And I mean to do very good by Benita. Not another word. Oh, what have you got against me? You're a mean, cruel, evil minded man. But nobody else thinks so. I don't care what other folks think. I know better. Look at me. How charitable I am. I've taken this poor, afflicted soul into my own home. Grace turn left. Leave my house. Shouldn't we ask Benny what she thinks? Benny's just a child. Papa, I well, maybe,
[00:32:02] Unknown:
well, I didn't consider you. There. He he ever never.
[00:32:06] Unknown:
You ain't gonna throw your life away on a corrupt, vicious person like Bray Stundlapp because you're feeling sorry for me. I won't allow it. Now you, Bray Stundlapp, Git. Git. Before I take down my flintlock. Now now now, uncle Silas. Now, uncle Silas, there's no need to get excited here. You hear me brace the left? Git. And do your worst. Grace, how long do I have to wear these clothes and let on to be deaf and dumb? Quite a while, Jupiter, for quite a while. Ain't no fun keeping my mouth shut. If that stupid old Silas had seen reason, you could have just reappeared and said you'd simply run off for a bit.
But this way, I'm afraid you'll have to be dead forever. Forever? I think it's high time the body was found. The body of Jupiter Dunlap, murdered in cold blood by old uncle Silas. But what's gonna become of me? You just play deaf and dumb for a while. And sooner or later, I'll think of something.
[00:33:21] Unknown:
Tom, I'm scared. Folks are talking against papa something fierce. Oh, but now there's no proof. Oh, that don't matter to them. They think papa killed Jupiter just because they want to. But everybody can see it's Brace behind it all. Old folks see what they wanna see. And they see how nice and kind Grace Dunlap is to this this poor affected dummy. And and they keep saying what a kind generous man Grace Dunlap is. Ain't it a pity about his poor brother?
[00:33:50] Unknown:
I don't know what they can do. Oh, folks can get ugly sometimes, Tom. Listen. Who's there?
[00:34:00] Unknown:
You got the window, Tom? Oh, look. It's all gang of men with dogs
[00:34:06] Unknown:
And they're headed this way. Where's your uncle Silas? Asleep. You go stay with the No time. You do as I tell you now. Stay with uncle Silas. What happens in a thing like this is that one man with a gun can change a lot of people's minds. Lots of folks just get swept away by excitement of being part of a mob, but they calm down quick enough if they see a gun on the other side. I took uncle Silas's old musket off the wall and stood outside the door and waited. There was maybe 15 or 20 men, and they were led by Bruce Dunlap. Evening.
Evening. What can I do for you, gentlemen? Is your uncle Silas at home? And what if he is? I'm sure he'd like to join us. Doing what? Well, to, help clear up some rumors. What sort of rumors? Oh, about my brother Jupiter being dead. How? Well, if Jupiter's dead, there's gotta be a body, don't there? That would seem to make sense. So, all the neighbors volunteer to pitch in with their hands to search. We'll settle this thing once and for all. If, we don't find the body, it'll mean poor old Jupiter just run off somewhere. I see.
We figured Silas as a neighbor would, like to lend a hand. Well, uncle Silas ain't feeling too good. Mind if I take his place? Oh, not at all. That should've warned me something was off. But what could I done about it? I could see Brace drawn the noose tighter and tighter. Somehow, I knew they would manage to find the body. But one thing I couldn't understand, would Brace go so far as to murder Jupiter just to have revenge on Silas? Here. Here. It's here. This heap of flesh looking dirt. I turned it over. And, oh, my name, look. It's due here. Yes.
Yes. It's it's my brother, Jupiter. Close. You can see it's Jupiter. It's true. Silas must have killed it. And now you see here, mister Wallace, walking through the woods. It was maybe a week ago. I seen Silas in Jupiter. Silas was a hollering at addict. Silas was saying, I'll kill you. And I see him pick up a stick, a heavy stick. Hold on. Hold on. Now nobody's got a right to take the law in his own hands. We're all civilized people. Now let's show this gentleman visiting from Saint Louis how fair minded we are. Right. Let's see that uncle Silas gets a try.
Betty, in a couple of minutes, the sheriff will be here. The sheriff? What? They found Jupiter Dunlap's body. Oh, no. They're convinced uncle Silas did it. Did what, Tom? What? Papa,
[00:37:27] Unknown:
they found Jupiter's body. Oh, did they?
[00:37:30] Unknown:
Papa, somebody killed him. I know. I know. I killed him. No, papa. I did it. I hid him a good lick and I killed him. Oh, no. You didn't. And now hold on, Gonzales. Somebody buried him. Who? Me. I killed him, then I shoveled him under. Uncle Silus, you did no such thing. I did. And I swear to it on the bible in a court of law. The judge wanted to appoint a counsel for uncle Silus, but Danny insisted I should be it, which according to the law was legal. And I tell you there was nothing I could do. I was stumped. I couldn't trap that witness. I was walking in the woods that evening and I seen uncle Silas. But now if it was the evening, how could you see? It was your early evening about 04:00. Oh, wouldn't that be the afternoon?
In these parts, we call that the evening. I was getting nowhere. I couldn't shake his story. He had seen uncle Silas beat Jupiter. He had heard uncle Silas threaten to kill him. You could hear folks muttering against poor uncle Silas. But the worst part of it came when Tom Sawyer, as counsel for the defendant, is there any evidence you wish to present? Well, now, your honor No. Don't listen to no one else. I confess. I killed him. Horrible. Well, order. Order. Order. Order before I serve the court. I killed him. I'm guilty.
I never wanted to harm a living creature. But suddenly, all the wrongs his brother Brace done me come to my mind. All the insults that man, that scoundrel there, his brother, had put upon me, how they plotted to ruin my poor family. Now. No. No. No. Now. Now I've got it. Sit down, Uncle Silas. Sit down. A murderer was done, but you never had a hand in it. Your honor, may I speak? Please. For two weeks or so now, there's been a handbill offering $2,000 reward for diamonds stolen in Saint Louis. What does this have to do with the murder? Everything. Then out of the killing, the man who stole them diamonds was just running through the woods chased by two others.
Who were they? His pals whom he had betrayed. Well, they caught up with him and killed him. But you still haven't explained why he left his body in the woods and ran off. Sometime later, two other men came across that body. And do you know what they did? One of them changed clothes with the corpse from stove, pop hat all the way down to shoes. How can you make that statement, Tom? I'll go further. That man that put on the dead man's clothes and disguised himself as the dead man was Jupiter Dunlap himself. But Jupiter Dunlap's dead. No.
The man that's dead is Jake Dunlap, the long lost twin brother. And who do you think is the man that buried him? Grace Dunlap. Your honor, that's a lie. Am I to be slandered? Wait. I can prove it. I can prove it. And who do you think is this idiot with the goggles and the whiskers, letting on to be deaf and dumb? It's Jupiter Dunlap himself. You take off them whiskers, Jupiter, or should the sheriff do it? My boy, this is remarkable. This deduction on your part, you haven't seen any of these events and yet you've described them so perfectly.
Case dismissed. One moment, your honor. One moment. One moment, your honor. There's a thief in the house. A thief? Yes, sir. And he's got $12,000 worth of stolen diamonds. Point him out. It's the late dead man here, Jupiter Dunlap. That's a lie. I never did steal any diamonds. He did steal the diamonds, but he didn't know it. You see, when he changed clothes with Jake, the diamonds went along. But didn't those men who killed him take the diamonds? I offered on the steamboat to buy Jake Dunlap a pair of new boots. But he insisted on wearing his old shoes.
Why? And suddenly it came to me. He must have hidden the diamonds in him. Where? In the heel. Where else? I barred a screwdriver and unscrewed Jupiter's heel. And sure enough, there was those two big diamonds. And they took everyone's breath away. Poor Jupiter. He was sick. Had he only known, he could have gone away and been rich. I shall keep these and notify the owners and it will be a real pleasure to turn over the reward money to you, Tom Sawyer. You have earned the deepest and most sincere thanks of this community for lifting a wronged and innocent family out of ruin and saving an honorable man from a felon's death.
Oh, thank you, judge. But anyone could have done it. Well, wouldn't you know that Tom turned over the reward money to uncle Silas and Benita? And he helped nurse uncle Silas back to health. And the whole town would gather every Sunday to hear uncle Silas preach. And the entire family was happy as birds. Who says Mark Twain didn't write happy endings? We'll have more to say in just a few moments. We still have brace Dunlaps, and we will also have our uncle Silas'. The question is, will we always have enough Tom Sawyers to right the balance?
Tom Sawyer was a hero. Perhaps the word hero is somewhat out of fashion these days, and perhaps we're too sophisticated for genuine heroes, but who do we have to replace them? Our cast included Christopher Tabory, Paul Hecht, Evie Jester, Bob Caliban, and Gilbert Mac. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now, a preview of our next tale. No. These paintings are not mine. Who's to know the difference? They're the work of Francois Millet. Must we discuss that tiresome Millet? You see how each painting bears his hallmark, his unique style? Yes. You these things are lost on me.
[00:44:43] Unknown:
I know nothing of art. Oh, isn't there anything you could do to help me, Len? Sit beside me, and we can talk more comfortably.
[00:44:53] Unknown:
Yes. Yes. No. No. Surely, there there's something you could do for him. Why?
[00:44:59] Unknown:
Well, because one day he would be a glory to France. Listen. You're an Englishman. Yes. Why should you worry about the glory of France? Well, well, the glory of the world. Oh, Oh, well, I think we must decently dispose of Millais. There's only one way I could hope to help him. Oh, wow. He would have to be dead.
[00:45:23] Unknown:
This is EG Marshall inviting you to to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre. Until next time. Pleasant dreams.
[00:46:11] Unknown:
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[00:46:35] Unknown:
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