The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

TR MYSTERIBS OF THE OOURT. “Excellent & exclaimed Mr. Samue) Emanuel, ehuckling with a coarse laugh. “The panc, you see, my dcar, was cracked; and therefore we should be obliged to have a new qne—eo that we really lose nothing by getting it smashed com- plotely for ws.” “Oh! I understand, you cunning rogue !” cried Mre. Emanuel, in a great rough voice, as if it were @ grenadier speaking. “ But what will follow P-—— though I can pretty well guess.” ‘‘ Please, ma’am,” eaid Mr. Solomons, “1 have arranged it all. The woman agrees to break the pane; and of course she is equally agreeable to be given into custody. She will go before the Lord Mayor, and whine out a piteous tale about distress having compelled her to do it, that she might get herself sent to prison, as she has such a dreadful horror of the workhouse.” “ And then, you know, my dear,” resumed Mr. Emanuel, taking up the thread of the explanations, “ as I shall have to attend at the Mansion House to charge the woman, I shall of course appear to be very much affected at her tale: I shall express my regret that I gave her in charge—and I shall beg his lordship to let her off with a reprimand. The Lord Mayor of course will look grave and us, and will deliver himself of the usual tirade—to the effect that persons can’t be allowed to go smashing the windows of highly respectable tradesmen in the City of London; and he will send her to prison for seven days. So then I shall beg loave to hand to his lordship a couple of guineas for the poor woman’s use when she comes out of gaol; and I shall tell her that if she can do needle- work, she is to call upon mc, when I will give her plenty of employment at good wages.” “To be sure, sir!—that is the way to do it,” said the ubsequious Mr. Solomons. “ But, beg pardon, sir—if you could poetibly manage to squeese out a tear——” “Tl shed a dozen,” exclaimed Mr. Emanuel. “ And then, don’t you see, my dear,” he continued, again addressing his wife, “we shall have such a long report in all to-morrow’s papers—and s0 nicely drawn up! Mr. Samuel Emanuel, the cele- brated clothier—pane of plate glass smashed—value thirty pounds—Mr. Emanuel deeply affected— behaved most handsomely—two guineas, and pro- mise of work—hum of applause in the court, which the usher did not attempt to represe—Lord Mayor Limself much affected—not an unmoistened eye in the whole place. There, my dear! what do you think of that? Famous advertisement—and costs us nothing but the two guineas to the woman and the five shillings I ordered Solomons to give as earnest-money when he made the arrange- ment.” “TI took care to give it to her, sir,” observed that confidential personage: “and I have no doubt the poor afflicted creature,” he added with a low ironical chuckle, “ got amazingly drank last night. But I have done more than this, sir: your orders about the boy who is to be run over by your advertising-van, are likewise carried out.” “¥xcellent {” again cried the harsh voice of Mr. Emanuel. “Tell us all about it, Mr. Solo- mons.” \ _ Well, sir, I made an arrangement with the boy’s father, and agreed on the price for which his son's leg is to be bruken,—a guinca down on the — «<a ameoe aempe - =e mp ow 79 nail — five doctor’s bill to be paid. He's a nice Jad, about fourteen—very sharp—and soon understood the advantage -of being run over, sir, by your advertising-van.” “Of course,” exclaimed Mr. Emanuel: “but the great advantage, though, will be reaped by us, I think. Another good puff, my dear, for the Emportum—and better than all the advertisements in the world. Let me see? Shocking accident poor boy run over by one of the numerous ising-vans of Mr. Samuel Emanuel, the eminent clothier—-Mr. Emanuel behaved in the handsomest manr@r—- relieved the poor father’s feelings to the utmost of his power—and has un- dertaken to provide for the boy for the rest of his life—-noble trait, that, in the character of Mr. Samuel Emanuel, the great clothier, outfitter for the colonies, army and navy tailor, &. &o.”’ “Yes, sir—those are the best ways of keeping yourself property before the public,” said Mr. Solomons. “But what letter is it that you have got in your hand there,” inquired the clothiér’s wife, “and which you were reading just now ?”’ “Oh, it’s nothing, ma’am !” replied Solomons. “Only oe long rigmarole from that Mary Wright, you know-~—~” “Ah! the girl who worked so weil, but who was in a consum P” in Mrs. Emanuel, “‘ And pray what does she want P” ** Iv’a the old tale, ma’am,” answered Solomons. “She declares she has worked herself to death in your service—she is now on her death-bed, with- out the necessaries of life—and begs and implores itis! No. —, Redoross id “Ah! capital tale, no doubt,” exclaimed Mr. Emanuel, with flippant coareences: “but not a single penny will she get from us. Take no notice of the letter, Solomons.” “That is just the course, sir, I intended to adopt. Ah! by the bye, sir, I had nearly for- gotten to mention that several of the slop-workers . threaten to strike for an advance of wages. The women say they can’t go om making shirts at three-halfpence a piece, finding their own needles and thread.” “What impudence |!” vociferated Mr. Emanuel ; “let them strike and be hanged! There are plenty of others to take their Thank God, there are thousands and thousands of poor devils of that class ever ready to come forward and fill up gape. Ah! it’s a blessed country to live in, where the laws keep the labour-markete finoded with these pauperised wretches who are gied to work for any pittance. Deuce a bit! no rise in wages! Let them stick to their three-halfpenco a shirt of go about their business. Ah! when I think of it—Solomons, write out a cheque for Malachi Lewis, for those six cases of champagne that came in yesterday.” “ Yes, sir. There is one thing more that I have to mention. It’s about Sarah Jones———-"” “What! that pestering widow-woman,” inter- jected Mra. Emanuel, “who always will come to the place with her three children, because she says uhe has no one in whose charge she can leave after it is done—and the (COL (C DOO CS (COL