"Can't I have just one raisin, mother ?" he pleaded.
"Yes, you may, if you 'ain't eat any while you was pickin' of 'em over," she answered.

And he reached over a thumb and finger and selected a large fat plum, which he ate with ostentatious relish.
Ephraim's stomach oppressed him, his breath came harder, but he had a sense of triumph in his soul.

This depriving him of the little creature comforts which he loved, and of the natural enjoyments of boyhood, aroused in him a blind spirit of revolution which he felt virtuous in exercising.

Ephraim was absolutely conscienceless with respect to all his stolen pleasures.
Deborah had a cooking-stove.

She had a progressive spirit, and when stoves were first introduced had promptly done away with the brick oven, except on occasions when much baking-room was needed.