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The oddity of the name by which good Dame Darwell had had me christened,
created not a little curiosity and amazement; but when the worthy hostess
explained to inquirers how the caps had come wrapped up in the piece of
music called `Little Marlboro', they one and all agreed with her in the propriety
of bestowing upon me a name, which Providence seemed in a particular
manner to have designated as that which should belong to me.

Such, then, as I have narrated in the foregoing chapter, was the manner, not
of my birth exactly, for that remains still an impenetrable mystery, but of my
appearance! From that time Dame Darwell became a mother to me. She
never failed to have me dressed in my best `bib and tucker' when any of the
more respectable order of her guests arrived, and brought into the room; when
she began to relate my history, a thing she was very fond of doing. In this
manner I soon got to be quite a hero before I was one year old; and Dame
Darwell always ended her narrative with the assertion of her firm belief that I
should yet turn out to be some great personage, and she hoped to live to see
the day when I should ride in my state carriage. She never failed to declare
her intention of making me her heir, which assurances did not tend to elevate
me very greatly in the affections of `aunt Keezy' and cousin Mariah.' These
two personages soon began to regard me with the most decided demonstrations
of hostility, and to look upon me as a little heathen that had surreptitiously
crept in between them and the twelve thousand dollars at which Dame Darwell's
fortune was estimated. But their fears of the good dame prevented
them from openly exhibiting their malevolence; though they did not fail to put
their heads together against me when alone, and plot how they should get me
out of the way without absolutely putting arsenic into my milk. But their
conspiracies did not, it would seem, arrive at any positive head inasmuch as I
reached my seventh year alive, hale and thriving as any urchin in all those
parts. I can, however, distinctly recollect sundry privately administered pinches
and ear pullings from these two good ladies whenever they would meet me
in the passage, or be alone with me; which led me to take a very decided dislike
to their society, a disposition I was by no means backward in manifesting.
I was too spirited even at seven years to complain to Dame Darwell of their
persecutions, but used to retaliate in my own way. I took pitch and with it
fastened nut shells on aunt Keesy's cat, and turned her into their bed room at
night, where her clattering footsteps up and down the floor terrified them out
of their wits; and Dame Darwell used to laugh while they cried, for the good
dame, in the first place, never thought any thing I did was wrong; and in the
second place she well knew their dislike of me, and connived at any tricks I
saw fit to play upon them. I would resent `cousin Mariah's' treatment by putting
honey on a stick and bringing into the house a cloud of bees and wasps
of which she stood in the greatest terror, and at the sight of which she would
drop everything and run screaming to shut herself up. I put bees under her
dinner plate and hornets in the lining of her bonnet. One Sunday she heard
a well known buzzing and angry humming in the crown of her bonnet. In

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such cases cousin Mariah lost all presence of mind. She did so now! She
jumped up in her pew, tore off her bonnet, snapping the strings and flinging it
into the aisle, and then uttered a shrick that paralyzed every body in the meeting
house.

I may be censured as cruel and unfeeling. But that very morning she had
pinched my ear till the blood came, without any provocation, and daily the two
were exercising their wits to annoy me and give me pain, well knowing I
would not complain to Dame Darwell; who, had she known what I endured
from their malace, would have sent them both away from beneath her roof.—
Thus under the necessity of defending myself, I early learned to regard them
as my natural enemies; but I will say that in all my resentment, my revenge
was without malace and often playful though severe. In my seventh year, I
was sent to the village school, having already been previously taught to read
fluently by my more than mother. From this time up to my twelfth year nothing
of importance occurred to vary the monotony of a school boy's life. I
had studied hard and improved all the privileges good Dame Darwell conferred
upon me. Perhaps, however, it will be more modest to speak in the third person
of my accomplishments at this period, and use Dame Darwell's words, as
she spoke of me to the chief Justice who stopped one day at the Inn.

`He is now twelve or thereabouts, your worship, but as you know he came
to me so singularly I don't know when his birth day is, and so I always keeps
that I discovered him on. He is the most affectionate and generous boy you
ever saw. He loves me with all his heart and returns my affection with as
much fondness as if I were his own mother. He has grown so tall and handsome
with large, sparkling hazel eyes, brown curly hair, and such a pleasant
voice and smile. I never hear him speak but I don't think of his mother's; for
it sounds just like it. He has his father's forehead and eye, and I think will
be tall like him, but he'll make a handsomer man, I think. He studies so hard
too! He is at the head of all his classes in Latin and Greek, (for you know
I send him to the Academy now) and has got through Ceesy's Commandment's
and Vigil's Enidy.'

`Cesar's Commentaries and Virgil's æneiad, you probably mean, madam,
politely observed the chief Justice.

Up to this time the course of my life had been smooth and happy. My little
warfare, with couzin Mariah and aunt Keezy had given zest to my existence
without in any degree affecting my tranquility. Dame Darwell did me justice
in saying that I fondly returned her affection. I well knew the history of
my life from her lips; and many is the hour I have sat at her knee, and heard
her tell about my father and mother—mysterious persons to my youthful imagination.
I felt all my obligations to her, and loved her not only from gratitude,
but for herself. I tried hard by close application to my books to make
her some return for her kindness: for I knew that every medal, every honor I
obtained would gladden her heart.

But there was now a change to pass over the hitherto unruffled surface of
my existence. I had at school become the rival both in Latin and love of the
only son of a physician of the town; a lad who prided himself on his father's
wealth and respectability, and who, thereupon, assumed a superiority over those
boys whose parents did not move in the same exclusive set with his. He was
a good scholar, and a youth of good deal of cleverness; and no doubt would
have been a favorite, but for his insufferable arrogancy. This feeling he did
not hestitate to show at any time, and on every occasion. If he was talking
with one whom he considered his equal, and I or any lad whom he did not regard
as such should approach, he would immediately turn his back and walk
away. This conduct amused me and excited only pity. I did not seek his
acquaintance, however, and we seldom spoke. There chanced, at length, to
be an exhibition and a competition for Latin prizes. I feared only him and he
feared only me. We both struggled hard! I did my best, resolved to punish
him by getting the victory! I succeeded.

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As I left the Academy a lovely little girl of eleven years came up to me
with a bright smile, and holding out a boquet. I knew her name to be Emma
Field, for I had often seen her pass on her way to a boarding school near,
though I had never spoken with her. Yet her sweet image had made a deep
impression upon me, and I never passed her without coloring deeper (young as
we both were) and without seeing her beautiful face all that day mingling like
sunshine with my Latin verbs. I had several times seen Russel Carryl join her
and walk with her, and felt a rising emotion of cordial antipathy to him for
that very circumstance. Emma Field came from Boston, and belonged, I was
told to one of the most wealthy and aristocratic families in that city, of wealth
and olden lineages.

As she approached me, I felt my face glow and expressed a mixed sensation
of timidity and delight; for her eye was upon, and her smile was directed
towards me.

`Here, master Marlboro',' she said in a voice as musical as a robin red-breast's,
at the same time presenting me with the bunch of flowers; `here is a
boquet I gathered expressly for Russel Carryl, because I expected he would
gain the medal; and as I gathered it and brought it on purpose to present to
the victor, you and not he are the one entitled to it. Will you please accept it!'

This was spoken with such grace, such sweet propriety of manner, and the
flowers were proffered with so frank and gracious a mien that I was both
charmed and bewildered. I hardly knew where I was, and stuttering out some
clumsy reply and blushing up to the eyes, I received from her the boquet and
placed it in my vest.

`There, sir Russel Carryl,' she cried, laughing and turning towards this
personage whom she had passed by to reach me, and who saw the act: `I
gathered that beautiful bunch of flowers to bring to the exibition to give to
you, because you told me you were to be the victor; and only because I expected
you to win the prize did I promise it to you. But as you have lost I
have bestowed it upon the winner.'

Thus speaking she bowed and laughed, nodded to me and bounded away to
join a group of her school-mates who with their governess had walked from the
Boarding school a mile distant to witness the exhibition. As soon as she had
turned away leaving my heart bounding wildly and full of sweet joy (for I then,
with school boys of the same age, felt the first delightful emotions of that sensation
which a few years later I knew to be love) I could not help glancing
with a triumph in my looks I did not wish to conceal towards Russel Carryl.
He was glaring on me with a scowl of hatred and defiance. No sooner did he
catch the exulting expression of my eye, than he came up to me, and said in
an imperious tone,

`Give me that boquet, sirrah?'

`It is mine,' I answered with a smile. `If you wish it you will have to take
it from me, for I shall not resign it.'

He clenched his fist and cried,

`Give it to me or I will knock you down.'

I knew him to be as courageous as he was proud and vain, and that he would
not hesitate to make the effort to do what he threatened. He was a year older
but no taller than I. I had never tried my strength or skill with him, but I felt
all at once a disposition to do so.

`I shall not take a blow from you,' I answered very positively.

He looked steadily in my face a moment, and then with a sudden movement
of his hand snatched the boquet from my vest. I instantly struck him a blow
in the left temple and he reeled. But he recovered himself enough to dash
the bunch of flowers to the earth and grind them into the ground with his heel.
This act called forth all my indignation. I attacked him with well directed
blows, which he met with courage and returned with no little skill. For at
least ten minutes we fought there on the green surrounded by a ring of boys.

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and both excited by as determined a spirit of rivalry in love as ever inspired
the breasts of two rival knights' errant. It was a drawn battle, for seeing the
Preceptor and one of the tutors coming we ceased. Seeing that the battle had
torminated the teachers passed on their way without approaching nearer. Russel
Carryl picked up his hat and was instantly surrounded by a party of his
fellow `aristocrats' who were loud in their expressions of resentment against
me: for he had a black eye and was bleeding freely at the nose, while I had
not received a single mark.

I was also surrounded by a party of my friends who were rejoicing in my
success.

`I wouldn't have fought with such a low fellow,' said one of the aristocratic
consolers to my wounded antagonist.

`He is only a tavern keeper's boy,' said another.

`I wouldn't have fought with the bastard,' said Russel Carryl! `But the
fellow dared to carry in his bosom the flowers she had given him.'

Had I heard aright? All the blood in my heart rushed to my brain! I
walked firmly up to him and fixing my eyes upon his, I said—

`What term was that you applied to me, Russel Carryl?'

He hesitated a moment and then answered boldly—

`I said that you were a bastard!'

My hand was clenched to strike him to the ground. But suddenly the mystery
hanging around my birth rushed full upon my mind! My fears seemed
painfully to whisper that he might have spoken the truth. My clenched hand
relaxed. I felt my bosom bursting with my feelings. I made no answer. I
opened not my pale and trembling lips; but turning away I walked homeward
at a rapid step, which under the increasing excitement of my wounded and insulted
feelings, soon increased into a run. I had gone but a few steps before
they began shouting after me and calling me boldly by that epithet of infamy,
and even some of the boys of my own party I heard taking up the cry. Such
is human nature whether manifesting itself in the boy of twelve or the man of
mature years. On reaching the Inn which had been the only home I had ever
known, I threw myself into the arms of Dame Darwell weeping as if my heart
would burst and poured into her maternal ears the bitterness of my young
soul. She was indignant, and vented her anger in no measured words; and
did all she could to soothe me, by assuring me that she was as certain that my
father and mother, whoever they were, were as much husband and wife, as she
and George Darwell had been! I listened to her reasons for believing this and
became calmer. But I firmly refused to go back to that school again. This
weakness the kind woman indulged me in, and in a few days afterwards sent
me into Boston to the Latin School in School street, with the arrangement that
I should come out every Saturday and return every Monday.

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