Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-10-23
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11orrester DaiIp 5pp.
BLEAK Nous Il.
by CHARLES B1CKENs.
PART SEVENTH.
CHAPTER XIII.
Mr.. RucKEr.


There is inquiry made, at various houses, for
boy named 10. As few people known in
| Tom-all-Alone's by any Christian sign, there IS
much reference to Mr. Snagsby whether he means
| Carrots, or the Colonel, or Gallows, or Young
| Chisel, or TERROR Tip, or Lanl<y, or the Brick.
| Mr. Snagsby describes over and over again Some
think it must be Carrots; some says the Birch
! The Colonel is produced, but is not at all near
| the thing. Whenever Mr. Snagsby and his con-
ductors are stationary, the crowd flows round,
and from its squaIid depths obsequious advice
heaves up to Mr. Bucket. Whenever they move,
and the angry bull's-eyes glare, it fades away,
and fits about them up the alleys, and in the
ruins, and behind the walls, as before.
AT last there Is a lair found out where Toughy,
or the Tough Subject, lays h,m done al night; and
it is thought that the Tough Subject may be 10.
| Comparison of notes between MIR Snagsby and
the proprietress of the house--a drunken, fiery
face tied up in black bundle, and farng out of
| heap of rags on the floor Of dog hutch, which
is her private apartment-leads TO the establish
ment of this conclusion. Toughy has gone to the
Doctors to get bottle Of stuff for sick woman,
but will be here anon
| sAnd who have we got here to-night?' says Mr.
Bucket opening another door, and glaring in with
his BULBS eye. 'Two drunken men, Ell? And
two women' The men are sound enough turn
ing back each sleepers arm from his face to look
al him. sAre these your good men, my dears''
Yes, SIR returns one Of the women. They
are our husbands
'Brickmakers eh?'
'What ale you doing here' You don't belong
! to London
mo, sir. We belong to Hertfordshire'
| sWhereabout in Hertlordshire.'
Saint Adams
Come up on the trampp
I 'We walked up yesterday. There's no work
down with US at present; but we have done no
good by coming here ,and shall do none, expect
That's not the way to do MUCH says Mr.
Bucket, turning his head in the direction of the
unconscious figures on the ground.
1T amt, indeed replies the woman with a
sigh. Jenny and me knows it full WELL
The room, though two or three feet higher than
the door, is so low that the head of the tallest of
the visitors would touch the backened ceiling if
he stood upright 1t is offensive to every sense;
even the gross candle burns pale and sickly in the
polluted all. There couple Of benches, and
higher bench by way Of table. The meniay
asleep where they stumble down, but the women
| sit by the candle. Lying in the arms Of the wo-
man who has spoken. is very young child. -
sWhy, what age do you cali that little crea-
| ture!' says Bucket. st looks as if il was born
yesterday He is not at all rough about it and as
he turns his light gently the infant, Mr. Snags.
| by is strangely reminded Of another infant encir-
cled with light, that be has seen in pictures.
'He is not three weeks old yet sir says the
woman.
is he your child 2
! sMine.'
| The other woman, who was bending over
| it when they came in, stoops down again, and
kisses it as it lies asleep.
i you seem as fond Of it as if you were the
mother yourself, says Mr. Bucket.
| Il was the mother Of one like it, master, and it
died.
| 'Ah Jenny, jenny says the other woman TO
her; better SO Much better to think Of dead
than alive, Jenny! Much bettern
why, you ant such an unnatural woman,
hope,' returns Bucket, sterny, as 10 wish your
child dead 2
God knows you are right, MASTER she returns.
q am not. I'd stand between it and death, with
my own life if could Jas true as any pretty lady,
'1hen don't talk in that wrong Manner says
Mr. Bucket, Modified again. why do you do
it?'
'Its brought into my head, master, returns
the woman, her eyes filling with tears, when
look down at the child lying SO. If it was never
to wake no more, you'd think me mad, | should
take on know that very well. was with
Jenny when she lost hers-warnt Jenny?
know how she gIieved. But look round you, at
this place. Look at them;' CHANGING at the Sleep
ers the ground. Look at the boy you're
waiting for, who's gone out to do good turn.
Think of the children that your business lays
with often and often, and that you see grow up!'
well, WE'LL says Mr. Bucket, you train him
respectable, and he'll be comfort to you, and
look after you in your old age, you know
Il mean to try hard.' she answers, wiping her
eyes, 'But have been thinking. being over
tired Tonight, and not we'll with the ague, of all
the many things ihat'll come in his way. My
master will be against it, and he'll be beat, and
see me beat, and made to fear his home, and per-
haps 10 stray wild. If | work for him ever so
much, and ever so hard, there's no one to help
me; and if he should be turned bad, spite of all
| could do, and the time should come when
should sit by him IN bis sleep, made hard and
changed, ant it likely should think Of him as he
lies in my lap now, and wish he had died as
Jenny's child died.
s1here, therer says Jenny. Liz, you're tired
aud ILL., Let me take him.
In doing so, she displaces the mothers dress,
but quickly readuss it over the wounded and
bruised bosom where the baby has been lying.
It's my dead child says Jenny, walking up
and down as she nurses, that makes mo love this
child SO dear, and it's my dead child that makes
her love it dear too as even to think Of its be-
ing taken away fiom her now. While she thinks
that, think what fortune would | give to have
my darling back. But we mean the same thing,
if we know how 10 say it, US two mothers does in
our poor hears!'
AS Mr. Snagsby blows his nose, and coughs his
cough Of sympathy, step is heard without Mr.
Bucket throws his light into the doorway, and
says to Mr. Snagsby. sNow what do you say 10
Toughy' Will he DOT
That's Jo?' says Mr. Snagsby.
10 stands amazed in the disc of light, like
ragged figure in a magic lantern, trembling 10
/ think he has offended against the law in not hav-
ing moved on far enough. Mr. Snagsby, however
! giving him the consoaiory assurance, SIt's onlya
Job you will be paid for, Jo,' he RECEIVERS; and,
on being taken outside by Mr. Bucket for little
private CONTINUATION, tells his tale satisfactorily,
though out Of BREATH
4 have squared it with the lad says Mr. Buck
ct, returning, and it's all right. Now MIR Snags-
by,we're ready for YOU sa 81
First, 10 has to complete his errand Of good
nature by handing over the physic he has been 10