The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-07
Pip and the Convict.


II N ENGLAND, in a lonely village not
far from London lived little OPP
phan boy named Philip Pirrip, whom
everybody called, for short, Pip:
His parents had died when he was
a baby, and he had been brought up by
his older sister, tho wife OF Joe Gregory,
blacksmith, whose forge looked out
across wide marshes and river that
flowed through them.
Joe, tho blacksmith, was falr-faced
man with naxen whiskers and very bright
Blue eyes. He was mild. honest, good
naturcd, sweet tempered. easy going,
foolish, dear fellow, tender hearted and
kind to little Pip and yet q Hercules Tor
strength. Very different, indeed, was
"Mrs. joe" as everybody spoke of her;
She was tall and bony and had black
hair a red skin and continual ha 1l,.I
OF scolding She may have loved ZIP
in her way. but that way was q very
cross grained one. She treated Joe, the
big blacksmith. and Pip. the little boy,
Just alike and they wero both equally
in dread OF her. This made them quite
like partners. Whenever Pip camo mtg
the house he used to look at Joe's fingers;
II Joe crossed them that was a sign Mrs,
Joe was cross and that Pip was to look
out for himself.
Joe had an uncle named Pumblcchook,
"a corn seller in the next town and q
pompous old hypocrite. He had way
of standing Pip before him, rlmpllng up
his hair and asking him hard questions
{out of the multiplication table, and when
ever he spoke Of any one who was un-
grateful or wicked he would glover at
Pip In a way that made him feel very
uncomfortable Another who came as
often and was almost as dismal to see
was Wopsle the clerk, who read tho les
son in church every Sunday. He had
an idea he would make a great actor
and used to recite whole pages from
Shakespeare, when he could tlnd any one
to listen to him.
named Orlick. He was loose-li mbed,5
swarthy, slouching giant with a hang dog
look. He used to tell Pip that the
devil lived in a certain corner Of tho
forge. and once in every seven years the
fire had to be rckindled with a live boy.
orlick at heart disiiked everybody
especially harmless little Pip-and OFTEN
squarreled with Mrs. Joe,
Besides the blacksmith the only one
who understood Pip was little girl,
named Bddy, about his own age and m
orphan, too She liked him and used
to help him with his lessons at school.
But in spite OF Joe and Biddy, Pip
was sometimes SO lonely and miserable
that he would steal off alone to the
village churchyard, where his father and
mother lay buried, to cry. !:
One afternoon--it was the day before
Christmas-Pip was more wretchcd than
usual. and was sitting crying among the
graves when suddenly a rough voice
spoke behind him. Keep still, you little
imp" it said 'or Ill cut your throat
With the words man rose up from
behind tombstone and seized him
He was a fearful-looking man. dressed
o1n h
band rveted onto his leg. His SHOES
were torn. he had no hat and wore
ragged dirty handkerchief tied around
his head He was sIaked with water
caked with mud and. limPed and shivered
as he walked. He set Pip on tomb
stone and tilted him SO far back that
the church steeple seemed to turn a
somersault, growing at him in terrible
voice.
Pip had never been SO frightened In
mis- life, With Il trembling voice he
begged his captor to spare him. The
man asked him his name and where he
lived, and told him he would let him
go on one condition. He had to prom
to come next morning at daylight to a
certain spot In the marshes and to bring
file and something to eat. And no
said If Pip did not do so, or II he told
any one what he WAS going 10 do, he
would catch him again and cut out his
heart and eat 1t.
This terrible threat frightened poor
little Pip more than ever His voice
shook so that he could hardly promise,
and when tho man set him down he
ran home as fast as his legs would carry
him.
The evening was miserable one. Pip
thought he would save his own supper
for the man in case he should not be
able to get into his sisters pantry, SO
- 4, IT,, 49, n,,1 tttt a.
he slipped 1t down his trouser leg.
Before long a great gun began to
boom. and he asked Joe what 1t was,
The blacksmith told him that in the river
across the marshes were anchored some
big hulks OF ships, like wicked Noah's
arks where convicts were kept prisoners,
and that the gun was a signal that some
OF these convicts had escaped Then
Pip knew the man he rad promised TO
help was a criminal-perhap murderer
who had got away and was hiding from
the soldiers. All night he did not sleep.
He hated to steal the food. but he felt
certain he would be killed II he did not
So at the dawn he slipped down stars,
got a file from the forge. unlocked tho
pantry, took some bread and cheese and
a pork pie that Uncle Pumblechook had
sent for Christmas dinner, and ran out
through the foggy morning 10 the
marshes.
He had not got quite there when he
came on man in gray, sitting on the
ground With an iron on his leg, PIT
thought he was the one he was III searci
OF hut as soon as the other turned his
! face he saw by Drnise on the cheek
that lie WAS not. This second man il
gray as soon as he saw him, sprang Il
his feet and ran away,
Greatly wondering, Pip went on, and Il
the right spot he found tho man wh'
had frightened him in the graveyard
lie seemed 10 be almost starved, ) 70
~ lie snatchcd the food and ate IT INK
hungry dog. lie asked Fp II ne MAJ
seen ony one else on his way there, am
Pip told him Of the other man IN gra'
who also wore an iron on his leg
He asked Pip to describe him. but whel
pip told Of tho bruised cheek the ma
ne was feeding flew into rage. n
began 10 curve. and, SELLING the file Sc
TO filing like mad at has fetler, ~
could see that he hated the other con