Penny Dreadfuls, 1867 · page 173 of 300
Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 173: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Description This is a page of running prose and illustration from a Victorian penny dreadful titled "Roving Jack, the Pirate Hunter." The page contains a woodcut engraving showing a man in period dress fighting or confronting a rearing horse, labeled "THE FIGHT WITH THE HORSE." Below the illustration runs serialized narrative text (Issue No. 25) depicting dialogue between characters named Jack and Edgeworth Bess. The text describes Jack's discovery of Bess working as a chamber-maid at an inn, their reunion, and romantic exchanges between them concerning devotion and trust. The story appears to involve deception and subterfuge related to a character named Jack Sheppard.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
” Oy ——_. 5 =F 4 And that perfections seldom found united in one person should invent stratagems that had ever failed to part the constant couple. ‘‘ Not she for whom the Lapithides took arms, Nor Sparta’s Queen could boast such heavenly charms.” Following the fortunes of her lover, Edgeworth Bess had taken service in the same house that had given him shelter. : While he acted as ostler, she undertook the duties of chamber-maid in the inn. This was a plan adopted in order that Jack Shep- pard might carry out the deception he was prac- tising, and which was intended to be of essential service to the hero of our tale inits attainment. “Ah! my dimber dell, it’s you, is it ?”” exclaimed No. 25. ————— ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. . : J) i ff y ——————_—_——— >. I ‘ivan 7 \ w TIAN : DREN aks \ ” yy f \ . \\\ WY ~ “ |, ' hs , | AN ~SBSFF5 .&e RY NS a : PAYAL) Z ae = : <= Ta — . \\ 4 Mg cg SN i? a ‘ THE FIGHT WITH THE HORSE Jack, as he perceived Edgeworth Bess. ‘‘ How do these new quarters suit you?” “Right well, sweetheart,’ she replied. never so happy as when near you,” ‘“‘ And yet you have given me cause to doubt you, Bess ; where woman most loves she most hates, and you would not be the first tempted either by gold or revenge.” “Tf I have ever injured you by thought or deed, may heaven pardon me. I have sworn to dedicate my future life to your service. If I have unwittingly been the cause of your reckless career and folly, grant me your pardon for the devotion I shall bestow on you,” ‘‘ To doubt once, Bess, is to suspect for ever.’’ COMmMicoooks.Ec© ‘TT am