The Village Champion

"The Village Champion" by William O. Stoddard is an early 20th-century tale about a young man named Barnaby Vernon who's trying to escape a life of dishonesty he learned from his uncle, Major Montague. The story begins when Barnaby decides to leave behind his old life and understand who he really is, because he just found out his real name. Before leaving, Barnaby meets his uncle and learns about his past of street cons and trickery. He grabs a small black bag, and vows not to open it for a year, proving he is moving on from his troubled start. The start of the novel presents Barnaby beginning his new life, suggesting that he will struggle to succeed and form his future.