It was the first time I had ever known Wyatt to keep from me any of his artistical secrets; but here he evidently intended to steal a march upon me, and smuggle a fine picture to New York, under my very nose; expecting me to know nothing of the matter.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition Table Of Contents And Index Of The Five Volumes by Edgar Allan Poe

This gentleman gave me to understand, that the blind man was no other than Cropdale, who having seen me advancing, and guessing my intent, had immediately converted himself into the object aforesaid—I was so diverted at the ingenuity of the evasion, that I agreed to pardon his offence, refusing his note, however, that I might keep a prosecution for felony hanging over his head, as a security for his future good behaviour—But Timothy would by no means trust himself in my hands till the note was accepted—then he made his appearance at my door as a blind beggar, and imposed in such a manner upon my man, who had been his old acquaintance and pot-companion, that the fellow threw the door in his face, and even threatened to give him the bastinado.
— from The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by T. (Tobias) Smollett

‘My friend has stolen a march upon me.
— from The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

That year I planted twenty-five acres of corn, sowed large fields of oats, and commenced farming upon as large a scale as my utmost means would permit.
— from Twelve Years a Slave Narrative of Solomon Northup, a Citizen of New-York, Kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and Rescued in 1853, from a Cotton Plantation near the Red River in Louisiana by Solomon Northup

With her he behaved with special care and tenderness, sitting beside her and talking of the simplest and most unimportant matters; he admired her shy grace.
— from War and Peace by Tolstoy, Leo, graf

] I had never seen the wild and heathen Indians before," the Captain observes, "and shall never forget the impression their appearance, on an August evening, with everything beautiful in the scene around, made upon me.
— from Toronto of Old Collections and recollections illustrative of the early settlement and social life of the capital of Ontario by Henry Scadding

Do ye also want a light, ye most concealed, strongest and most undaunted men of the blackest midnight?—
— from The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book III and IV by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

I should not disclose my place of refuge even to her, in order that she and my uncle might be able, with truth, to deny all knowledge concerning it; but any communications addressed to me under cover to my brother would be certain to reach me.
— from The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

The dwarf was soundly whipped, and, as a farther punishment, forced to drink up the bowl of cream into which he had thrown me; neither was he ever restored to favor; for, soon after, the queen bestowed him on a lady of high quality, so that I saw him no more, to my very great satisfaction; for I could not tell to what extremity such a malicious urchin might have carried his resentment.
— from Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Regions of the World by Jonathan Swift

This second and most unexpected meeting was almost a greater pleasure to Raymond than the one with Father Anselm.
— from In the Days of Chivalry: A Tale of the Times of the Black Prince by Evelyn Everett-Green

"The continuous reading of a classic is in itself a liberal education; the fragmentary reading of commonplace lessons in minor morals, such as make up much of our reading-books, is a pitiful waste of growing mental powers.
— from Special Method in the Reading of Complete English Classics In the Grades of the Common School by Charles A. (Charles Alexander) McMurry

A more innocent citizen than old Tom would have put his case (which was without doubt a strong one) before the Railroad Commission of the State, but old Tom knew well enough that the Railroad Commission was in reality an economy board of the Northeastern system, as much under Mr. Flint's orders as the conductors and brakemen.
— from Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Winston Churchill by Winston Churchill

"Pretty steep bit here," said a man upon my left.
— from Under One Flag by Richard Marsh

"You may laugh at me as much as you like; it is none the less true that during those ten days you will steal a march upon me—upon me!"
— from L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 3 by Ludovic Halévy

And as it is through Baptism that our bountiful Lord first recalls us from the ways of sin and makes us members of his flock, so in the sacrament of Penance He has provided a means by which we may at all times be recalled from our wanderings and restored to His friendship.
— from The Shepherd Of My Soul by Charles J. (Charles Jerome) Callan

He associated less than formerly with the old High Church party of the Establishment, as he became convinced that the ills of the Church must be cured by sterner and more unworldly methods of discipline than that party was prepared to accept.
— from Hurrell Froude: Memoranda and Comments by Louise Imogen Guiney

I slung my rifle over my shoulder, and made up my mind to start some other time on the great task I had then so nearly begun.
— from An Explorer's Adventures in Tibet by Arnold Henry Savage Landor