Jed, a proud poorhouse boy in the Scranton poorhouse, begins in a world of petty tyranny, hypocrisy, and humiliation, where the Fogsons flatter the powerful while bullying the helpless. His blunt honesty and stubborn self-respect set him against the system from the start, and when he earns a dollar by stopping a runaway horse, he is forced into open conflict with the adults who believe a pauper has no rights at all. What follows is a classic Horatio Alger journey of hardship, escape, and self-discovery, as Jed is driven from the poorhouse, loses his chance at a stage career, and heads for New York with little money and a lot of hope. In the city, Jed's trust is tested by the smooth-talking fraud Hamilton Barry, whose false promises lead to embarrassment and loss. Yet even as he faces deceit, class prejudice, and sudden setbacks, Jed remains resilient, courageous, and determined to rise above his beginnings. This is a story of social injustice, moral courage, and the hard-won possibility that grit and decency can carry a boy toward a better life. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.