Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

a_i ee re ey ein ee ri eS ay Se ete ee ' 2 his Satanic Majesty had paid a visit to the SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. “ Good sense! sir. All I hope is, I may get | earth, and especially favoured them with his! the chance, for I believe, if any of our men take presence. Kvening was generally the time chosen by this eccentric character for his strange conduct ; and doubtless there are many living who can reco!- lect—but not without a shudder—the pang of fear which shot through their hearts when, leaping from some dark corner, out of a door- way, or over a thickset hedge, he stood before them. What his true object could be none have been able to conjecture. Certain it is that robbery was not the cause, for he was never known to take a single coin from his victims, even when fright had rendered them almost insensible ; nor did he ever practise any other degree of cruelty beyond affrighting them. But this was bad enough—so bad, that in some cases the victims of his eccentricities never thoroughly recovered the shock their neryes sustained ; and, indeed, in one or two instances, death was ultimately the result. As may be supposed, his capture was ardently desired both by those whose path he had crossed and those who had nof even seen him, and not a few attempts were made to render him power- less to continue his course for some time to come. It was at the time that the terror he caused was at its height—when ‘the husband, on his return home, cast suspicious glances behind him, and clutched nervously at his walking-stick ; and the wife waited anxiously, with barred door, her husband’s return, fearful even to open it to his well-known knock, lest it should be Spring- heeled Jack—that that worthy one evening entered: public-house in the neighbourhood of the Liverpool-road, Islington. | He was tall and well formed, which even the Jarge dark Spanish cloak he wore did not dis- euise, He ealled for refreshments for himself, and, addressing two or three persons standing at the bar, he likewise requested the landlord to serve them with whatever they required, adding, that he would pay the bill. This, of course, drew all eyes towards him, and a policeman, who at the moment entered the bar, was solicited to partake of his kindness. Nothing loth, the officer accepted, and his glass being filled, the stranger remarked— “Yours ig a dreary beat, officer, this dark nicht.” You may well say that, sir,” replied the officer, ‘ But I don’t mind much,” ‘You are not afraid, then, of this Spring- heeled Jack there is such a talk about just now ?” saicl the man in the cloak, in an ofthand manner. “Not a bit of it!” said the policeman, supping the hot rum and water with which le had been supplied. “And yet I think he’d frighten you, if you met him,’’ continued the man in the cloak. “ Ile might frighten an eld woman, but he wouldn’t frighten me!” said the ofiicer. “TI should like to be as sure of a five-pound note to-morrow morning, as 1 am now, that if he comes across me tu-night I'll lodge him in the station-house !”’ ‘ Nonsense!” said the stranger, coolly. A him, he’s certain of promotion,” said the officer. “That won’t be you, bobby,” said a tall, ostler-looking man, winking over the rim of a quart pot out of which he was drinking. ‘Why not?” asked the policeman, indignantly. ‘¢ Because you’d be frightened to death !” Should I 2” “ Yes, you would ?’’ | “T tell you what Ill do with you,’ said the officer, indignantly, ‘‘I’ll bet you a glass of brandy and water that I take him if he comes on my beat.” | ‘¢ And I’l] bet you that. you don't!’’ said the ostler, placing the pot down on the bar, and extending his hand to the policeman. ‘““Done!” said the officer, shaking the man’s hand: , “ That’s a fair bet,’’ said the man in the cloak ; “and now I’ll bet you both the same, that Spring-heeled Jack will be on this officer’s beat to-night.” ‘“‘'To-night?’’ exclaimed the officer and the others. ‘ Yes, to-night.” “ How do you know ?” said the ostler, looking at him suspiciously. + “‘ Because I have seen him,” “When ?” | ** Just now.” 1 “Where ?” asked the policeman, turning pale a little. es ** Just up the road.” | *f The devil!” stammered the officer. ** Well, I can’t say whether it is the devil or not,’’ said the man in the cloak ; “‘ but I believe he is the devil and no one else.” “Do you really think so, sir?” said the officer. ‘* Yes; but I may be mistaken. However, you are sure to know if you catch him.” | * Pil do that,” said the policeman, “never fear. Devil or no devil, if I get a sight of him I'll have him.” | | The stranger shook his head. ‘“I fear your courage would-fail you at the moment you most needed it,”’ he said. | ‘‘ No fear, sir; I ain’t so easily frightened,” said the policeman, — “You are not ?” ce No.” ‘ “Well, it is certainly worthy of the trial, if you would get promoted for it,” said ihe - stranger, , ‘“ And I mean to make it.” ‘* Perhaps you had better not.” Why so?” Phe shock might be too much for ‘* No fear of that.” “find if you did not succeed you would be Jaughed at.” ““T’d chance that,” said the officer. you.” “* He hed Dente hot come near me, nor even let me see heels.” “ Well, you’ve got a chance, bobby,” said the ostler, ‘‘for this beat to-night.” . ‘And I spoke truly, my friend.” Pd take some of the spring out of his gentleman says he’s on your ‘