The Prince and The Pauper


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like these are not wholly dead to sentiment, but are able to feel a  
fleeting sense of loss and affliction at wide intervals and under  
peculiarly favouring circumstances--as in cases like to this, for  
instance, when genius and culture depart and leave no heir. However, a  
deep drink all round soon restored the spirits of the mourners.  
"
Have any others of our friends fared hardly?" asked Hobbs.  
"
Some--yes. Particularly new comers--such as small husbandmen turned  
shiftless and hungry upon the world because their farms were taken from  
them to be changed to sheep ranges. They begged, and were whipped at the  
cart's tail, naked from the girdle up, till the blood ran; then set in  
the stocks to be pelted; they begged again, were whipped again, and  
deprived of an ear; they begged a third time--poor devils, what else  
could they do?--and were branded on the cheek with a red-hot iron, then  
sold for slaves; they ran away, were hunted down, and hanged. 'Tis a  
brief tale, and quickly told. Others of us have fared less hardly. Stand  
forth, Yokel, Burns, and Hodge--show your adornments!"  
These stood up and stripped away some of their rags, exposing their  
backs, criss-crossed with ropy old welts left by the lash; one turned up  
his hair and showed the place where a left ear had once been; another  
showed a brand upon his shoulder--the letter V--and a mutilated ear; the  
third said--  
169  


Page
167 168 169 170 171

Quick Jump
1 85 169 254 338