He was always truthful; he was always sincere; he was always honest and honorable.

But in light matters--matters of small consequence, like religion and politics and such things--he never acquired a conviction that could survive a disapproving remark from a cat.
He was always dreaming; he was a dreamer from birth, and this characteristic got him into trouble now and then.
Once when he was twenty-three or twenty-four years old, and was become a journeyman, he conceived the romantic idea of coming to Hannibal without giving us notice, in order that he might furnish to the family a pleasant surprise.

If he had given notice, he would have been informed that we had changed our residence and that that gruff old bass-voiced sailorman, Dr.G., our family physician, was living in the house which we had formerly occupied and that Orion's former room in that house was now occupied by Dr.G.'s two middle-aged maiden sisters.

Orion arrived at Hannibal per steamboat in the middle of the night, and started with his customary eagerness on his excursion, his mind all on fire with his romantic project and building and enjoying his surprise in advance.

He was always enjoying things in advance; it was the make of him.