she spoke with such authority on the subject that the thought crossed my mind , that perhaps her family name had been middleton [ editors note : middleton was a noted 18th century brand of pencil ] ; this unworthy suspicion was quickly dismissed , however , upon the recollection that my mother would never have entrusted the care of even so unsatisfactory a daughter as myself , into the hands of one tainted by the odor of black lead and cedar shavings .