a quick and witty tongue of his own when he
chose to exert it, and woe be to those who insulted him openly, for there
was not a better boxer in the whole country round. My parents were
married several years before I came into the world, who was their first
and only child. I may be called an unfortunate creature; I was born with
this beam or scale on my left eye, which does not allow me to see with
it; and though I can see tolerably sharply with the other, indeed more
than most people can with both of theirs, it is a great misfortune not to
have two eyes like other people. Moreover, setting aside the affair of
my eye, I had a very ugly countenance; my mouth being slightly wrung
aside, and my complexion rather swarthy. In fact, I looked so queer that
the gossips and neighbours, when they first saw me, swore I was a
changeling--perhaps it would have been well if I had never been born; for
my poor father, who had been particularly anxious to have a son, no
sooner saw me than he turned away, went to the neighbouring town, and did
not return for two days. I am by no means certain that I was not the
cause of his ruin, for till I came into the world he was fond of his
home, and attended much to business, but afterwards he went frequently
into company, and did not seem to care much about his affairs: he was,
however, a kind man, and when his wife gave him advice never struck her,
nor do I ever remember that he kicked me when I came in his way, or so
much as cursed my ugly face, though it was easy to see that he didn't
over like me. When I was six years old I was sent to the village-school,
where I was soon booked for a dunce, because the master found it
impossible to teach me either to read or write. Before I had been at
school two years, however, I had beaten boys four years older than
myself, and could fling a stone with my left hand (for if I am right-eyed
I am left-handed) higher and farther than any one in the parish.
Moreover, no boy could equal me at riding, and no people ride so well or
desperately as boys. I could ride a donkey--a thing far more difficult
to ride than a horse--at full gallop over hedges and ditches, seated or
rather floating upon his hinder part,--so though anything but clever, as
this here Romany Rye would say, I was yet able to do things which few
other people could do. By the time I was ten my father's affairs had got
into a very desperate condition, for he had taken to gambling and
horse-rac