Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

- ~ -_ = _ = ; ~ . an wr i —— ~ a Soe ee o “oe 220 SPRING-HEEL D JACK: THE. TERROR OF LONDON. cried Joe, stooping down quickly and untying the kerchief. Oh what a sigh of relief broke from.the man’s lips! : tt Ate you Bill, or ain’t you?” asked Tom, still doubting the identity of his comrade.. “ Or are you a ghost? What the devil are you ?” “T’m Bill,” cried the man. ‘Oh! untie my hands. How did I come here? Where’s that awful thing we met at the grave? Oh, lor!” Joe and Tom at once set about getting the poor wretch out;of the sack, and certainly their surprise was toe genuine to allow the doctor to believe it assumed, and he instantly cut the leathern thongs which secured the hands and féet of Bill, and which had been drawn so tight as to cut into the flesh. Bill tried to stand, but he could not ; his legs were so swollen and cramped, and the doctor aided him to a chair, into which he sank with a deep groan. “ Where’s your clothes ?” asked Joe. «Who tied you up like that?” inquired ‘Tom, “What, in heaven’s name, is the meaning all this ?” asked the doctor. To those questions, all asked at once, Bill could only reply by a puzzled stare and a shake of the head. ‘* His headis bleeding,” saidthe doctor. ‘‘ Have you attempted to murder him ?” “Good God! no!” cried both men, in a breath. “There must be some solution to this mys- tery, and unless I learn it I will have the police called in,” cried the doctor, placing his hand upon a bell-pull, and looking determinedly at the men. » Bill raised his head. “Stop, governor,” he said, in a faint voice, ‘and [Jl tell you all I know about it.” “Go on, then, and speak truly.” “1 will, s’elp me never,” The doctor toole his hand from the rope, and waited impatiently to learn how Bill came to be brought to him instead of the corpse he had bargained for. Placing his hand to his head, Bill, in a low voice, told how they had been alarmed at the crave—how his companions fled, and a horri- ble figure hurled him to the earth, and held him there tall he became insensible—how he partly recovered, to find himself bound and confined in the sack, and how he was again plunged into insensibility by a blow on the head. He also said he had heard voices, and strove to call out, while he lay upon the table, but he could utter no intelligible sound on account of the gag in his mouth; and finally wound up his story by stating that he firmly believed it was the work of the devil, who was angered at the business they were on, and swore he would never go body- snatching again, if one corpse would make his fortune. To this Joe and Tom added, how a stranger had overtaken them on the road, and told them of the sack; and how, believing it was the corpse, they had brought it on to the house, and swearing never to tempt the ‘devil again by engaging in such work, rw eee = ao av. © Of course, a well-informed man like Potters i ‘had no idea that the devil or any super- | natural personage had any hand in the business at all. He said that their errand had been dis-. covered, and that a trick had been played upon them; and he could not help feeling that in is pur- suit of science he was playing a desperate game himself, which he had better at once put an end to. So, procuring a suit of his left-off clothing for Bill, he told the men to keep silent. about what had happened that night, made them a present of the six pounds, and bade. them never more come near his house, and seek more honourable, if not more lucrative em- ployment. | | Ce — CHAPTER LXXVI. THE BROKEN HEART AND THE SHATTERED BRAIN, Home! What memories, what recollections does not this one small word conjure up to the minds of the good, the bad, the true, the false, the rich or poor! | Home! There is a magic in its sound which sends a thrill through the hearts of all. | At the bare mention of this word the prodigal blushes with shame, the outcast sighs, and the alien’s eyes dim with tears. Thereis a sound in the word which penetrates the heart of the most callous, and kindles with joy and pride the eye of the honest, just, and true. The influences of home are- doubtless greater than all else, for the memories of childhood are the dearest of ‘all in life. | We look back to them with pleasure through the veil of years, and the fond remembrances of those days never fade wholly from the heart; those days of innocence and joy, when sin and sorrow was unknown, before the selfishness and deceit of the cold, unfeeling world had steeled our hearts, and bade us suspect all mankind ere we trusted and were deceived—ere we sought friends and found but foes. : | There is no place like home to the feeling and true-hearted, whether constrained to leave it on business or pleasure: in hope or sorrow, home is ever the chief and dearest spot. The exile dreams of home under the forest trees and on the bosom of the briny ocean ; the felon pictures it upon the black walls of his prison-cell, and groans to think how his crimes have stained that holy spot; the young leave it with sorrow, and the aged turn back to it with joy. Shattered indeed, then, must be the heart that can turn from home without a pang—lacerated the bosom that can leave it with pleasure ; wretched the mortal who ean turn his or her back upon it, hoping never to see it more, And yet how many have done so; how many will yet do so; how many have and yet will look back upon it with a pang or a blush. No happier home could have been found, humble though it was, than that, of Jane Slater’s; but a blight fell upon it, and the lappy home became a wretched dwelling. Within its walls smiles had given place to tears, laughter to groans, Joys to sorrows, and hopes to despair. ) | IJOOK ANCE co ele)