The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-04-02

he ugly. dirty, ragged truth. Cap
Tain Macheath staggered in the
story and OH stage with all the
Charm and romantic bravery and
enterprise. blessed by the love of
bcautiful women, making merry in
snug taycrns. Bulwer Lytton had
tainted Paul Clifford in such as
meet as made it far better to be a
hichwayman and rObber than a
common honest citizen.
Il had been an age of artistic. literary. f,
social and political Smirk and make
believe sentiment. The wind that
blew health through the world
from the Whirling storm centre of
the French Revolution had down
away much of the frippery; but
htrre was much left-sO much. that
when Dickens came out with coli
yer Twist it struck Great Britain
like q club.
" duIIncss of writing a novel with
a There never was such
narrowncSs in his literary method.
But his whole life was SO full Of
purpose. the whole man was such
a natural antagonist Of anything
that was wrong. that nearly every
chapter he ever wrote has in it a
blow at some social superstition.
"Oliver Twist hit the pet social SUI
perStitiOn Of the picturesque thief
and smashed it SO utterly that it
never has come to life again except
in dime novels. h o n and frOWSy
den OF old FaSin.- it's inmates rags
that hardly hold together. the wet.
.hcIterleSS StreetS-theSe, as Dick
ems says in his preface to "Oliver
Twist are not likely to allure even
tho most iolter-headed of juveniles.
Jill Skies startled England. Bill Skies
startIes and hOrriieS a multitude of
people today. 1t is extremely prob
able tina during the seventy-fOur
wears since Bill Skies was described.
he has startled and Mortified a fair
army Of young persons into avoiding
the road that leads to the gallOws-
that road that Dickens prcdeceS-
sors had painted as a mOOnIt one
along which the criminal cantered
gaily in crimson coat and ruffleS.
Except in species, there was little
difference between Bill Skies and
Bulrs-eye. Bill Skies was the mar
and Bulls-eye was the dog. In point
If evil looks, intellect. surliness of
disposition and %ferocity Of action, they
were closely alike. They walked alike,
treated acQuaintances and strangers
alike, expressed themselves very
much alike and ate alike. The one
clear advantage the man had over
the dog was hat the man could get
trunk. Except for this. it might be
said quite Justly hat the dog had
succeeded very thoroughly in getting
down TO his masters level.
They were close and practically in
separable friends. This friendship
was not a Weakening. softening sentl-
lnent. Mr.. Skies preserved his rugged
Independence Of thought sufficiently to
choke. kick. hammer and cut his
friend BulrS-eye whenever he felt like
IT; and BulPs-eye responded to these
caresses with teeth that did their best
I" a~nnihilate his friend, Mr.. Skies.
IN the thieves quarter. and espe-
claily in Mr.. Fagin's headquarters fol
training the young idea how to pick
pockets. Bulls eye was an object OF
admiration second only to his owner
When the evil creature licked his lips
h~unGrily. waiting for the word tc
tear somebody down, or when he sa
Watching something that the maste1
mad placed in his charge, and his rec
eyes looked lOngingly for somebody t.
touch it. the respectful admirers al
WAYS repeated Mr.. Skies own enco
mum that BulIs-eye was as willing a!
a christian.
The larger of these two animal:
was a housebreaker by profession. HI
mad a broad. heavy face, from which
ms eyes scOwled very much as tn
uoes bloodshOt ones scowled from
mat animals dirty white face. AM
as the dog face constantly bore from
NAN a dozen to a score of wound
ana scratches, SO the housebreaker'
race rarely lacked Communications O
a. similar nature. Besides bruises.
'hree days growth Of beard was tn
nearly lnvariable ornament Of hi
c~ountenance which seemed always t
need IRON bars in front Of it to max
II quite complete.
Mr.. Fagin. being a fence for con
,erung the proceeds Of house rob
peries into money. a rather close part
nershlp existed between them. Thoug]
Mr. fagin robbed Mr.. Skies, an
shough Mr.. Skies frequently swore
Win a grimness that was too rea