Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-24
penny Drcaslfuls'' in ENGLAND.

From the Pail Mall Gazette.
The boys criminal romance is constructed
with certain Skill The interest, which is ex-
citing throughout, must be carried on through
every number, and each pennywOrth must con-
clude 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 trembling officers of justice" "rll not
take your vile lives this time. will give YOU
one chance Of eseap but. mark me, if you put
yourselves again in our path. or are ever known
to attempt the capture or betrayal of any OF our
band. you shall die a fearful DEATH BECOME
now; flee for your cowardly lives! the last one
that reaches that cOpse'-and the sentence is
concluded in the next number. OF course the
man who makes speech like this ''des
game" with wild jerk, he snapped his man
acles asunder as if they had been glass" At his
trial "a lovely arm leaned over the ladies' bal
cOny, and a very beautiful bouquet of choice
flowers was thrown toward him. He caught
the floral gift with his manacled hands. and
raising his eyes-fne, dark eyes, fringed with
long silken lashes, and thrilling with tenderness
and daring fire-sOught out the blushing donor
from among the bevy of fair ladies that sur
rounded her." Every boy desires to be hero
why not hero like this? 1t is true that this
criminal with the fine dark eyes is stained with
murder; that blow from his ''iron-bound
wrist has crushed in the skull of gaoler; and
that on at least a score of occasions he has
fairly entitled himself to the gbbet; 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 glOssiest of mermaid's tresses,
added to the charms Of q form that was fragile
in its symmetry"
How many of the boys who find their way into
our gaOls owe the bent Of their character to such
works OF imagination as 'tTyburn Dick?" Here
is q piece OF its dialogue: go Bah there's gold
mine distributed anywhere about YOU Where.
sir! In other peoples pockets, in their strong
CHESTS plenty for them and you to spare
Dicks face changed color. Would you have
me be theft he said angrily. Certainly
not-come, come, don't be angry. 1 only spoke
because overheard your troubles. Don't mind
what I've said, only remember those who want
gold must take it, or they'll never get it..
True, murmured Dick; who would believe
course; but don't despair. There's many a
bright path open to lad of pluck, as l take
YOU to be. Come, drink with me- Here, Fan.
some brandy" little later on Dick, pursued
Dy the thie1.takers, "snatching each fellows
pistol from their faltering grasp, dealt them
fearful blows with the butt on their skulls. and
leaping up, presented the loaded weapons at
the other four. Now he cried, make me pris-
oner if You dare!'" Criminals like this are nat
uraily befriended 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 ridiculous per-
sons Of the tale are those who bring the heroes
TO justice, or who are charged with the admin
istration of the law. In these boys romances
right and wrong are curiously inverted The
readers sympathy is always enlisted on behalf
OF the criminal and his crime.
Probably no living novelist has been rewarded
by SO extensive circulation as is easily obtained
by the boys penny dreadful" Many news
agents find the sale Of these fctions the most
lucrative portion of their trade. They keep files
of back numbers, whereas with ordinary publi-
cations back numbers must be made the subject
OF special order. There is fortune in such
books as that from which have quoted. Some
publishers grow rich on them. A good thieves
romance will run through almost innumerable
editions. "Blueskin," "Black Bess," and GER
tain others. have been reissued 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
incalculabie. No boy could rise from their pc
rusal without having suffered moral injury by
their means. or course the authors make a pre-
tenee of moral purpose. In one of the thieves
romances this pretence Is kept up throughout
scene which can neither be mntad nor descrihod