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Updated: May 29, 2025
Up to this, a woman had never stood before him as a possible part of his future, if we except Mary Eliza Summers, the eleven-year-old daughter of old Abe Summers, who kept the store in Dodgeville, Vermont, years ago that is to say, when Paul Quincy Adams was twelve, an orchard-robbing hooligan, whose chief worry in life was that, though he could thrash his eldest brother left-handed, he was condemned by the law of entail to wear his old pants.
"That is a nice quiet-looking boy," said one of the justices; "what is he in for?" "He is in this time for stealing a piece of beef out of a butcher's shop." "This time! what! is he a hardened offender? he does not look it." "He has been three times in prison; once for throwing stones, once for orchard-robbing, and this time for the beef." "What a young villain! at his age "
There was no mystery about his life he was not a stolen child, and he could faintly remember the little cottage where he had lived with his mother before she died, leaving him perfectly friendless and penniless, so that he was glad to pick up an odd sixpence, or even less, wherever he could, till one day he fell in with Mick, who offered him his food and the chance of more by degrees, as he wanted a sharp lad to help him in his various trades of pedlar, tinker, basket-maker, wicker-chair mender, etc., not to speak of poultry-stealing, orchard-robbing, and even child-thieving when he got a chance that seemed likely to be profitable.
He sometimes talked with all the unction of an old debauchee, of former exploits, such as deer-stealing, orchard-robbing, drunken gambols, and desperate affrays in which he had been engaged in the earlier part of his life, sung bacchanalian and amorous ditties, dwelt sometimes upon adventures which drove Phoebe Mayflower from the company, and penetrated even the deaf ears of Dame Jellicot, so as to make the buttery in which he held his carousals no proper place for the poor old woman.
He had no books, except a life of Sir Bevis of Southampton, which would not tend to sober him; indeed, he soon forgot all that he had learnt at school, and took to amusements and doubtful adventures, orchard-robbing, perhaps, or poaching, since he hints that he might have brought himself within reach of the law.
He hints at youthful escapades, such, perhaps, as orchard-robbing, or when a little older, poaching, and the like, which might have brought him under "the stroke of the laws," and put him to "open shame before the face of the world." But he confesses to no crime or profligate habit.
The career of the late Lord Eldon is perhaps one of the most remarkable examples. He was the son of a Newcastle coal- fitter; a mischievous rather than a studious boy; a great scapegrace at school, and the subject of many terrible thrashings, -for orchard-robbing was one of the favourite exploits of the future Lord Chancellor.
I get driven, I can't stand up against them all." Why, he was nearly crying. The position was suddenly reversed, and she could almost have laughed at the change. He was looking at her piteously, like a boy convicted of orchard-robbing and she had loved him, worshipped him!
This quality has been shown on many occasions, especially when the creatures have been engaged in orchard-robbing, for they are excessively fond of fruit and remarkably destitute of conscience.
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