New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-11
PENNY DRE4DFULS" IN ENGLAND.
From The Pan MAI Gazette.

From, The Pal Mall Gazette.
The boys criminal romance Is constructed with
certain skill. The interest, which Is exciting
throuq hout must be carried on through every
number and each pennyworth must conclude IN
such a manner as will leave in the reader an eager
eXpectation of the next. Lay down those
pistols" The highwayman eXclalms to the trem-
bling officers OF justice" "Tll not take your vile
lives this time | will give you one chance OF
escape but mark me- if you put yourselves again
in our path, or are ever known to attempt the cap
ture betrayal of any OF our band, you snail dle
fearful death. Begone now flee Tor your coWardiy
livesl the last one that reaches that copse and
the sentence is concluded IN the next number. VI
course the who makes a speech like this dies
game" with wild JERK, he snapped his man
acles asunder rs if they had been glass" AT his
trial lovely arm leaned over the ladies' balcony
and very beautiful bouquet OF cholce mowers was
thrown toward him. He caught the floral gilt
with his manacled hands, and raising his eyes
fine dark eyes, fringed with long silken lasbes, and
thrilling with tenderness and daring hre-sought
out the bushing donor from among the Deyy OF lar
ladies that surrounded her." Every boy desires TO
be a hero; why not hero like tins 1t is true
that this criminal with the fine dark eyes is stained
with murder; that blow frCm his " ironb0und
wrist has crushed in the skull OF gaoler; ana
that on at least score OF occasions he has iairy
entitled himself to the gibbet; but then all these
are but separate acts of herOSm, and IN spite OF
them he is loved by maiden who possesses the
prettiest of blue eyes the fairest skin. and the
glossest of mermalds treSses added TO the charms
| of "a form that was fragile Ill lis symmetry
| How many of the boys who find their way into
our gaols the bent of their character to such
| piece of its dialogue: "'Bah there's gold mine
distributed anywhere about you Where, sir ?
In other peoples pockets, in their strong chests
| plenty for them and yen, TO spare DICKS lace
changed color Would you have me be thief Z
he said angrily. Certainly not;-come, come,
don't be angry. ] only spoke because overheard
your troubles. Don't mind what I've said, only re-
member, those who want gold must take 1t. or
they'll never get it, True, murmured Dick; who
would believe my story while am penniess !"
Nobody, o. course; but don't despair. There's
many a bright path open to lad of pluck, as take
YOU to he. Come, drink with me. Here, Fan.
some brandy" little later on Dick, pursued by
the thief takers, "snatchng each fellows pistol
from their faltering grasp, dealt them fearful blows
with the butt on their skulls, and leaping up pre-
scented the loaded weapons at the other four
Now he .cried make me prisoner II you dare :"
Criminals like this are naturally befrended by girls
who remember how many brave band O. heroes
had been betrayed in the last hour by the treachery
of one base bastard" The villains and the ridicu
lous persons OF the tale are those who bring the
heroes to justice, who are charged with the ad-
ministration OF the law. In these boys romances
right and wrong are curiousy inverted ihe
readers sympathy is always enlisted on behalf OF
the criminal and his crime.
Probably living novelist has been rewarded
by extensive circulation as Is easily obtained
by the boys "penny dreadful" Many newsagents
find the sale of these ctions the most lucrative por
tion of their trade. They keep files of back num-
bers, whereas with ordinary publications back
numbers mast he made the subject OF special
order. There is q fortune IN such BOOKS as that
from which ] have quoted. Some publishers grow
rich on them. A good thieves romance will run
through almost innumcrable editions. Blucskin"
" Black BeSs," and certain others, have been re-
issued at the interval of few months for over
twenty years, and they are all of them announced
for reissue now. The effect they have exercised
during that period Is ncalculable. No boy could
rise from their perusal without having suffered
moral injury by their means Of course the authors
mako a pretence of moral purpose. In one OF tho
thieves romanccs this Dretence is kept up through
out which can neither be quoted nor de-
scribcQ.