The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 300: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES. 288 a for six months she visited him. On each occasion Mr. Crick prayed devoutly in her presence. The good woman grew attached to the brand which she had plucked from the burning; and at the expira- tion of the six months she became his wife. Five months after their marriage they were blessed with 8 fall-grown baby, which must be considered a sig. nal mark of divine love for this good couple. Mer, Crick fs now an influential, staunch, and regularly paying member of this Society, of the beneficial ef- fects of which he is a striking example: for it was through Tract 127 that he lost a bad wife who drank away all his subetance, and through Tract 618 that he obtained a good wife who brought him 200/, a- year. Balaam’s Ass, glazed and framed, hangs over his mantel-piece. " Case the Second.—Anthony Sawkins was until recently a tinker: age fifty-three. Had aiways been particularly fond of smoking. Used to be moch addicted to lying in bed and smoking his pipe at the same time. His wife is a bustling, active, economical body, who has brought up a large family respectably, in spite of her husband's indolent habits, of which she vainly endeavoured to break him for many years. When lying in bed, Sawkins was wont to be perpetually bawling after her to come and bring him a light for his pipe. To ave trouble she kept a constant supply of Difixin’s Patent Self-acting Lights. About eighteen months ago the box containing these matches got damp, and they would not act. This caused Sawkins to be very violent one morning, because he was kept waiting for his favourite pipe. The wretched man abused his wife in the most ungodly style, calling her after the Woman of Babylon. At that moment Tract No. 1, entitled The New Light, was lef at the house. ‘ There!’ exciaimed the excellent and pious Mrs. Sawkins, rolling up the paper into a pellet and flinging it at her husband; ‘{fthe old lights won't do, try thie New Light? The man read the Tract—got up and dressed himself——came to the Society’s Office—and inquired whether the Committee wanted a bustling, active man to distri- bute its publications, Was at once taken into the Bociety’s employment at a salary of twenty-five shillings a-week. Has proved very regular in his attendance, and is a staanch New Light. Says that he never earned more than ten shillings a- week as atinker; and has every reason to bless the Tract Distribution Society. “Case the Third.—James Clubber is a boy, aged fifteen. Never knew who his parents were: never went tu school. Wasa beggar in the streets until abont a year ago. At that period he was passing by the Office of the Society, just as the printer was delivering ms hundred thousand copies of Tract No. 17, en- Otled The Poor Boys Friend. By some accident, half aton of the printed paper fell out of the cart upon James Clubber. He was taken up insensible, and carried into the Office. On being restored to life, he said that he was hungry; whereupon a good meal was given to him, and he speedily recovered alto- gether. Your Committee, perceiving something mtelligent in the boy’s countenance, determined to take him into the Society’s employment. They did so; and he thankfully the offer. When well dressed, well fed, well paid, and well treated altogether, James Clubber acknowledged that he was entirely indebted to Tract 17 for this signal change in his “Case the Fourth.—Elizabeth Jenkins was fox many years housekeeper to an old gentleman: her age is now fifty-six. She was wont to be giddy, fond of dress, ooquettish, and never went to church: neither did she ever read any religious works whatso- ever, Now looks back with on her be- nighted condition and feels that it was entirely owing to the Society that she was ever brought to a state of soul-savouriness. For about fifteen months ago her master got hold of Tract 128, headed The Deceit- fulness of Riches. He made her sit down and read it to him; and such was the effect produced upon his mind that he became convinced that riches were a curse to their possessor. Elizabeth Jenkins was sud- denly inspired with the same holy belief; and she prayed and besought the old gentleman to turn all his property into gold—put the greater portion into a bag—and let her go and throw it into the Thames, so that the odious temptations of wealth might be triumphed over at once and forever. The worthy map, whom our enemies deolare to have been in his dotage at the time, complied with this pious sugges- tion: and Elizabeth Jenkins took away the bag in the middle of the night. Soon afterwards the old gentleman died, and was buried at the expense of the patish. lizabeth Jenkins is now comfortably off and thankfully ascribes her present happy position to that admirable Tract on the Deositfulness of Richee. “ Case the Fifth.—Susan Bridewell, aged 23, be- longed to the clase of females termed ‘ unfortunate.’ Was seduced by a Bishop when only fourteen. Lived with a Member of Parliament until she was eighteen ; and being a girl af good education, helped him to frame a Bill for the Prevention of Immorality. The death of that gentleman in a fit of intoxication, threw Susan Bridewell upon the town. For four years she led a life of profligacy awful to contemplate; and, as she now declares, often has she cried and wept bitterly, when under the influence of strong waters, to enter into a state of grace. One night, about eleven months ago, she fell down in a hopeless condition of intoxica. tion at the door of a house of ill-fame, in which she lodged. Fortunately for herself—fortunately for this Society—fortunately for the cause of morality, the revered and pious Nathaniel Sneaksby was passing at the moment. He raised her in his arms—he her up to her chamber—he laid her upon the bed— and, kneeling down, he prayed all night by her side. When she awoke in the morning, he exhorted her to turn away from her awful career and think of her salvation : and it will show you in what a benighted state this unhappy creature waa, when we record the lamentable circumstance that she acoused our re spected brother, Mr. Sneaksby of a desire to take his departure without paying her for the alleged sale of her beauty. Vainly did he protest that he had found her drunk and incapable—that he had treated her as ioe ei nalberpalirioeticir taselae wtih ak throughout the night on her is eae wore received with ribald laughter—his assur- ances with obecene jests; and all the Scarlet Women of Babylon dwelling in that house—yea, each one— did congregate and upbraid our brother Sneaksby with terrible revilings. He was therefore compelled empty his purse for the behoof of those lost and clean vessels; and he departed rather im sorrow in anger. On his arrival at the Office of the Sooiety, he selected Tract 307, headed Come unto my arms, O Sinner [ and sent it to Susan Bridewell. An hour COMGROO S COMM