The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

THE STRING OF PEARLS. «""* 221 the Lord’s leave, I will even partake of some of this worldly liquor, called mulled orter.” ree Now while Mr. Lupin drank the savoury stream trom the jug, it assailed the senses of Mrs. Oakley, and when the porter was placed before her, she raised it to her lips, saying— ‘If fulks are civil to me, I’m civil to them, only I don’t like my godly friends to beill-treated. I’m sure nobody knows what I have gone through for my family, and nobody thinks what a mother and wife I have been. What would have become of Oakley if it hadn’t been for me, is a question | often ask my- self in the middle of the night ?” ‘‘ She’s a wonderful woman,”’ sighed Lupin. *¢ Oh, uncommon,” said Ben. ** Let me go,’”’ whispered Johanna to Ber “No, no! Wait for the fun.” “¢ What fun ?” “‘Oh, you'll see. You don't know what & trouble it has cost me, to be sure. Only wait a bit, there’s a duck, do.” Johanna did not like to say she would not, so she shrunk back in her chair in no small curiosity, to know what was about to happen. Mrs. Oakley lifted the jug to her lips and drunk deep. The aroma of the liquor must have been peculiarly grateful to the palate of Mrs. Oakley, for she certainly kept the jug at her mouth for a length of time, that, to judge by the look of impatience upon the countenance of Mr. Lupin, was something outrageous. ; ‘* Sister !”? he said. ‘* Mind your breath.” Down came the jug, and Mrs. Oakley, when she could draw breath, gasped— ‘‘'Very good indeed. A dash of allspice would make it delicious.’” ‘ Oh, sister,” cried Lupin as he grasped the jug, that was gently pushed towards him by Ben after Mrs. Oakley had set it down. ‘‘ Oh, sister, don’t give your mind to carnal things, 1 beg of you. Why, she’s drank it all.” Mr. Lupin peered into the jug. Heshut the right eye and looked in with the left, and then he shut the left eye and looked in with the right, and then he moved the jug about until the silver lid came down with a clap, that nearly snapped his nose off. ‘* What’s the matter {” said Ben. ‘¢T—J—don’t exactly-——” Mr. Lupin raised the lid again and again, and peered into the jug in something of the fashion which popular belief supposes a crow to look into a m>rrow bone. At length he turned tiie jug upside down, and struck the bottom of it with his pious knuckles. A huge toad fell sprawling upon the table. Mrs. Oakley gave a shriek, and rushed into the yard. Mr. Lupin gave a groan, and flew into the street, and the party in the parlour could hear them in a state of horrible sickness: “ Hasy does it,” said Ben, “ it’s only a piece of wood shaped like a toad and painted, that’s all. Now I'm easy. I owed ‘em one.” CHAPTER XLVI. TOBIAS’S HEART IS TOUCHED. Tosias is no worse all this time. But is he better? Has the godlike spirit of reason come back to the mind-benighted boy ? Has that pure and gentle spirit recovered from its fearful thraldom, and once again opened its eyes to the world and the knowledge of the past? We shall see. Accompany us, reader, once again to the house of Colonel Jeffery. You will not regret looking upon the pale face of poor Tobias again. The room is darkened, for the sun is shining comicbooks.com