"The squire is fit to be a king; and though I believe in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, I wouldn't mind seeing a crown upon his head." "He will receive his crown in due time," replied Mrs.Bright, piously.
"The squire ?" "The crown of rejoicing, I mean." "Just so; the squire is a nice man; and I know another just like him." "Who ?" "Mr.Bayard; they are as near alike as two peas." "I am dying to know about your journey." "Wait a minute, mother, till we clear away the supper things;" and Bobby took hold, as he had been accustomed, to help remove and wash the dishes.
"You needn't help now, Bobby." "Yes, I will, mother." Somehow our hero's visit to the city did not seem to produce the usual effect upon him; for a great many boys, after they had been abroad, would have scorned to wash dishes and wipe them.

A week in town has made many a boy so smart that you couldn't touch him with a ten foot pole.

It starches them up so stiff that sometimes they don't know their own mothers, and deem it a piece of condescension to speak a word to the patriarch in a blue frock who had the honor of supporting them in childhood.
Bobby was none of this sort.

We lament that he had a habit of talking big, that is, of talking about business affairs in a style a little beyond his years.

But he was modest to a fault, paradoxical as it may seem.