Chapter 1: Pages 6-7: Line 8

 It has become an afternoon habit for the Twins and their Sister, and what Friends old and young may find their way here, to gather for another Tale from their far-travel'd Uncle, the Revᵈ Wicks Cherrycoke, who arriv'd here back in October for the funeral of a Friend of years ago,— too late for the Burial, as it prov'd,— and has linger'd as a Guest in the Home of his sister Elizabeth, the Wife, for many years, of Mr. J. Wade LeSpark, a respected Merchant active in Town Affairs, whilst in his home yet Sultan enough to convey to the Revᵈ, tho' without ever so stipulating, that, for as long as he can keep the children amus'd, he may remain,— too much evidence of Juvenile Rampage at the wrong moment, however, and Boppo! 'twill be Out the Door with him, where waits the Winter's Block and Blade.

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Line 8 Vulgarized:
The Reverend Wicks Cherrycoke had come to Philadelphia for the funeral of his friend, Charles Mason, who died in October of that year. Since then he's become the Scheherazade of his sister Elizabeth's house, able to remain as long as his stories are entertaining enough to control the chaotic shenanigans of his young niece and twin nephews. Elizabeth's husband, the respected merchant J. Wade LeSpark, is the "Sultan" who decides whether the Reverend's tales are keeping the children entertained enough and who can, if he deems the tales unworthy by dint of their lack of calming effect, send the Reverend on his way into the guillotine of the winter's cold.

Subtext:
The subtext of the Reverend as Scheherazade and his brother-in-law as the Sultan who uses wives like tissue paper is hardly subtext. That's right there in the lines with the stories and the "Sultan" and the sending the Reverend out to his death if his stories aren't good enough. The actual subtext is this: the Reverend's stories are absolutely going to be embellished to provide maximum entertainment. His free room and board—possibly his life as the analogy of The Book of the Thousand Nights and A Night attests to—depend upon it!