Penny Dreadfuls, 1916 · page 102 of 400
Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 102: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a running prose page from Chapter XI of what appears to be a Victorian penny dreadful. The chapter title poses the question "Where's Tom?" and depicts domestic servants discovering that Tom has not yet returned home after riding all night, despite being expected before midnight. The text reveals that a Colonel has departed early (heard leaving by bugle at dawn), and Mrs. Anderson's maid excitedly displays gifts Tom has received—including money, a watch, diamond shoe-buckles, and a note from someone named "Arthur" regarding a Gray Goose. The dialogue is written in heavy dialect, and servants puzzle over Tom's absence while preparing his room. The page contains no illustrations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CHAPTER XI “WHERE'S TOM?” Or course, after riding all night, Tom ought to sleep. Thus said Dare, who was up with the lark; that’s to say at the first crow of the little red rooster in the apple tree under the window. Dilsey, who was lighting the fire, hung up the bellows with a nod. “Sleep? Dat he oughter. Me merse’f, I gits up ever maw- nin’ time de pea-fowels on top de barn 1s ’larmin’ fer day.”’ “Did — did the Colonel get off, Dilsey?”’ “Lord, honey! Did n’ you hear dat bugle blowin’ fer him? — long de road, *fo’ day? Done gone!” Presently Mrs. Anderson’s maid came hurrying down- stairs in an ecstasy of excitement. “Look, babe; jes’ look!” taking a number of parcels from her apron. A purse of guineas had been divided be- tween Ole and Dilsey; a beautiful watch and seals was marked “‘Mademoiselle de VIsle”’; a little box addressed to “Lady Pantoufle” contained a pair of diamond shoe- buckles, stones of singular splendor; and there was an unwafered note begging [om to accept the Gray Goose from “Arthur.” Of course, under such circumstances, it was hard work to wait for Tom to show himself. Ole was cross-questioned. “De Colonel vash mighty sorry he could n’ shay good-bye ter Tom. Tole me ter tell Tom ‘Farwell’ fer him.” “Why, where was Tom?”’ ‘De teamsh vash ahead of him, I sposhe.” ge no, Ole. He expected to get home before mid- night.” “Why ’n’t you g’long en’ mek dat fire in yer Marse [om’s room?”’ ee Dilsey sharply to a house boy who lagged superfluous on the stairs. But when the boy came down EONMICOOO)KSaGoy m