Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

4 enn TSE eterno SET a 24 “ Tt burns! it burns!” shrieked Bill. ‘‘ Mercy ! oh, have mercy on me! and I will be a good man. I will—I mean it!” At this moment the door, which the ficure had partially closed behind him, was pushed wide open, and Mrs. Jackson and Ellen stood on the threshold. The supposed demon turned, and revealing to their gaze his phosphorus-covered face and chest, they uttered a low cry and hurried down the stairs to the passage, where Mrs. Jackson fairly fainted away, and the poor seamstress had to cling for support to the handrails of the banisters. ‘‘ Silence!” said the demon, quickly, turning to Bill; “‘ and if you would have me spare you for a time, swear to do as I bid you.” “ T—I will! Upon my soul If will.” “ Then forgive this poor woman every farthing of the rent she owes you.” Sotewall ys “And never more molest, insult, or annoy her, either by act or deed.” ‘““ T won't forget it—I won't.” “* Never more strike your wife.” ¢ Never.” ‘¢ Work for her livelihood, like an honest, up- right man, and devote the wages of your labours to your wife and children. Forsake drink, and seek to make your wife not only comfortable, but happy.” “ 1 will,” said Jackson, ‘‘ I assure you I will,” “ Swear it.” ““ T do, so help »"——— ) ‘ Hush! enough. Remember your promise.” ‘‘ I won't forget it—upon my soul I won’t.” ““ And remember also that to break it, will summon me to your side, when no appeal can Be- save you from my clutches. Remember! ware—beware !” As the demon spoke, he held his arms wide apart, and backed from the room. As he crossed the threshold he dropped his arms, gave a quick and sudden bound, and disappeared. With a shriek of relief, Bill sprang to his feet out of the room and down the stairs, as Spring- heeled Jack emerged from the pigeon dormer on the roof, and looked with a smiling face on the star-spangled sky. CHAPTER X, THE ROBBERY—A SCENE IN A VAULT—A TERRIBLE DOOM, Tne shrieks of the poor seamstress reached the bar of the Pigeon Flyers, and caused not only the landlord of that establishment, but four or five unshaven, villainous-looking fellows, cus- tomers at the bar, to make their way to the door, and look inquiringly over at Bill Jackson’s domicile for a solution of the meaning of the sounds which had disturbed their conversation. The door had been closed by Mrs. Jackson, and hence the bleared eyes of the men were unable to penetrate the passage where Ellen was, so each looked at the other, and then turned to look after the beer they had left on the counter. ok JA —— _ i eee eee . Spbundie, SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. Si ee a ee ‘‘ Bill and his old woman having a shine, I suppose,” said one. “ It’s no business of our’n, mates.” ‘None at all,” said the landlord. “Ah! she’s enough to aggravate a saint, she is, and I ain’t got no pity for her. I don’t like to see a woman always coming after her old man when he sits down to enjoy a pot and a smoke. It don't look well, it don’t; and I know if it was me, I shouldn’t stand it, that’s all.” “Taint right,” chimed in the others. her right all she gets.” “ Tyreckon that sanctified sort of a girl as is a-lodging there puts her up to doing it; for the old woman’s been a sight worse since she had Bill’s front room up-stairs,” said one who re- joiced in the name of Joe Filcher. ‘‘ She’s a stuck-up bit of goods, I can tell you.” ‘¢ She ain’t got much to be proud on, I reckon,” | said the landlord, contemptuously. ‘“ Proud on!—no; but she had the cheek to tell me she’d call the police if I didn’t sheer off one night when I seed her standing at the door, and paid her the compliment of telling her IL was a mind to kiss her. Lor’! you should have seen her; she was about a foot taller in a minute, and she turns up her nose at me as if I warn’t as good as her. Ishould think I was, for 1 don’t starve on shirt-making by a half- penny rushlight. Hallo!” he adde , looking over at the window of the room occupied by Ellen ; ‘‘ blowed if she ain’t joined the early closing movement. Why, what’s that a-hanging out of the window ?” | This remark caused the others to look also, and eventually Joe walked out of the house and across the road, to examine the object more minutely. ) His curiosity was aroused to know what the bundle contained, and beckoning over one of his companions, induced him to stand with his face close to the wall of Jackson’s dwelling, and permit him to mount on to his shoulders in order to enable Joe to obtain possession of the strangely situated bundle. ‘* Halves, of course,” said the fellow, as he placed himself in the desired position. | - OF course, Tommy,” was the reply, as Joe, with great agility, commenced to clamber up his friend’s body. ‘‘ Don’t shrink, and I'll have it in a jiffy.” | | Almost as soon as he had concluded speaking, Joe had mounted to the other’s shoulders and erasped the bundle. | | ‘* Look alive, good luck to you!” cried Tommy, “your hobnails are making holes in my shoulder. Look alive, or I shall drop you.” ge} Joe had firm hold of the bundle, but was un- able tu extricate it from its fastening, although he used every endeavour to do so. | Tommy, unable to longer endure the pressure of Joe’s hobnails on his shoulders, shrank beneath his companion’s weight ; and holding frantically to the bundle to save himself, the rotten shirt gave way, and down Joe came to the ground with the bundle in his hand. Fortunately for himself he dropped upon his feet without injury. ‘ Halves!” cried Tommy, laying his hand on “‘ Serve —— — _ --- = —_