Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

* . _ ao ~ — — ——— ~ 92 SPRING HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. | ) wall, and vice versd, sauk into the poor girl's heart with terrible force,and seemed to paralyze her every energy. She did not fear for herself so much as for the safety of the goods entrusted to her to make up, and the loss of which, she felt would not only deprive her of the few pence she could earn, but bring down upon her all the wrath of Mr. Abraham Levy, the great clothier of White- chapel. She strove to think what course was best for her to pursue, but all to no avail, and she stood in the centre of the little dark room a picture of most abject misery and despair, till she was aroused from the painful attitude by the sound of Bill Jackson’s burly body rolling against the panels of her room-door. ‘Open the door, you swindling varmint!” he roared out in drunken accents, as he rattled the loosened handle of the half worn-out lock. “* Open this door, or I’ll break it down! ” But so far from complying with this request, Ellen stretched forth her hands and pushed against it with all her might. Thump, thump, came furiously against the panels, each blow causing them to jar against the palms of the poor seamstress. “Oh! heaven! what shall I do?” she men- tally ejaculated. “To appeal to the feelings of this brute would be vain, and his wife dare not aid me lest he beat her, as he has often done before. Oh! the window. I will tie the work in a bundle, and hang it outside, he will not think to look forit there. Yes, yes, that may save it from his clutches.” She sprang lightly across the room, and tore down the old skirt which served as a blind, and thereby let into her apartment light sufficient from the gas in the Pigeon Flyers to enable her quickly to gather together her work, wliich lay strewed over a rickety deal table in the centre of the room. Tying the shirts, made and unmade, with nervous hands, in the old skirt, she opened the lower half of the window, and holding the bundle out over the sill, softly as possible shut it down on the ends of the bows, there being nothing by which she could suspend it. Having done so, she returned to the door, on which Bill was thumping with all his might, and threatening every moment to burst it open. A moment she hesitated, and then seizing the key she turned it quickly, and sprang back to the centre of the apartment. Hearing the key turn, Bill tried the handle, and thrust the door open with a violent jerk. A. little scream escaped Ellen’s lips as Bill staggered into the room. — ** Now where’s my rent?” he said. ‘I don’t want none of your palaver. I want money, and have it I will, either in coin or goods.” “As I told you before, I have no money,” re- plied the girl. ‘* And your foolishness will pre- vent me obtaining it for you as early as I should have done.” | “A fool,am I?” said Bill. “ Well, I think I am to Jet you keep this room, and not make you pay your rent. But L won't be a fool any longer, I'll have it now, or it’s worth, and out you go,” “But you can have neither to-night.” ‘¢ We'll see.” » | He went to the table, and searched for the work entrusted to her to make up. Of course he found it not. Turning to the trembling girl, he inquired where it was. “What is that to you?” she replied, by an effort, making a show of some spirit. T want it.” ; - You will not have it.” .-., “ivy £7 tay Won't I!” ie fs 3e m4 ¢ No.” , Sal, bring a light up called out to his wife. There was no reply. — “T’ll have a light,” he cried, furiously, ‘‘if I have the house down to get it. Go and borrow a candle next door, or over at the Pigeons—d’ye hear ?” | v ‘Come down, Bill—come down,” called his wife from the bottom of the stairs. set yourself into trouble !” | “ T’]l see about that—I’ll have some money to- night, or the devil seize me if I don’t—oh—oh— oh!” | Bill, who lad gone to the door of the room for the purpose of making his demand on his wife, happened to cast his bleared eyes up at the little trap before mentioned, and what he there saw called forth from his lips an exclamation of horror, as he shrank back into the room occupied by the poor seamstress. In an instant there was a wonderful change in the appearance and manner of the drunken bully. The fumes of the drink seemed to have disappeared as if by magic, and he was seized with a violent trembling. | He clutched frantically at the door, and slammed it close to, and held it shut with both hands. | “ The — the —de —de— devil!” he gasped. ‘* The—the—de—devil!” Ellen Folder became terribly alarmed at the change, and believing that he was seized witha fit of delirium tremens, and fearful that he miglit offer her some personal violence, shrieked aloud— ‘* Help! help!” “For God’s sake, don’t!” cried the man, all the cowardice of his brutal nature at once reveal- ing itself. ‘*There’s the devil !—there’s- the devil!” “Oh! dear!” cried Ellen, shrinking towards the window ; “he’s mad—he’s mad.” “ No—no! I’m not mad!” exclaimed Bill, And he turned toardws her. By the light of the gas lamp she could perceive his usually red face had become of a pallid hue. There was a strange look, too, in his eyes, and his limbs shook as with the palsy. f Back close to the window shrank the girl in terror. aoe as if for protection Bill sprang to her side, ~ “3 i 4 4 here, will you?” he But the fears of violence at his hands increased, and Ellen uttered another shriek, “Don't—oh! don't! He'll hear you and in here!” cried Bill, catching at hae arnt soa grasping it as in a vice. “Help! Murder!” eried Ellen, making an Corr . -€ Vow ll jand > IOOUIKS EO SO eee ee —— a ee ee eS