Year: 1869

A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.


Up in the great Tooley street ware


house, six stories above the ground, and


every where around me bales of wool


which we had been craning up all day,


and in at the open doors beneath, iute


and dry goods, teas, coffees, spices


tobaceos, and lowest of tallows in huge


hogsheads.


Riches from all parts of the world
lying on hand, and waiting the flush Of


commercial enterprise which should con-


sign them to traders, and then to the


people of this country.


"What is the matter with Jack


Wood p said one of the men in the
afternoon. But excepting he looked a
little wild about the eyes, I didn't see
anything more about him than might
often be seen in men who drink heavily
at times; and SO l said. But at last,
toward evening. when l was longing to
get home to spend my evening, 1 was
left upon the floor with him, and felt
bit startled to see him go all once
to the open door where the crane land
ed the bales, and cut some wild capers,
like man going to dive off board
into the sea.


Putting down my work, which was
getting ready two or three burst bales
from the hydraulic press, SO that they
may be tied up again, 1 slipped up
quietly behind him and laid my hand
on his shoulder, when with yell be
shrieked out, "Devill devilp and the
next moment by the light of the gas
on foggy winter afternoon, we were
wrestling and fighting together within
few feet of the door, out of which we
should have fallen clear hundred feet
upon the stones of the wharf below.


l should have shouted, but all powers
of speech seemed taken away, as locked
together we wrestled here and there,
while his hot breath hissed against my
cheek, and could look close to his wild
glowing eyes, as flushing with rage he
bore me nearer and nearer to the door
way.


Used as was at all times to standing
close to edge and receiving packages, I
could lean over at all times without
but now, with this madman
slowly forcing me toward this certain
death, l could feel the cold sweat stand
ing upon my face, and trembled so that
my resistance became feebler and feeb- |
Ter, and as a last resort, l managed to
get my leg between my opponents legs |
and tripped him, when he feel heavily.


Fortunately for me, my enemy was
under, and the force with which bis
head came against the warehouse floor
partly stunned him, so that l shook |
myself free and turned back and fed
toward the stairs. But the next moment
[ thought of the open door, and the
state the poor fellow was in, SO l turned
back to lock it, and insure that he did
not come to his death by falling out be-
fore l could get assistance.


Ny hand was on the door, but /
could not close it, for Wood lay in the
way, and shuddering at how near he
ay to the gulf l stopped to draw him
On one side, when he started up and
seized me again.


To beat up his hands and turn and
lee down between the piled up bales
vas the work of moment, while roar
ng with rage, | could hear him tearing
lfter me. The stairs were pretty close,
,ut as l ran round to the end of the
,ales, l found the door closed, and had
o dart past to avoid being caught
yhen l turned down another passage !
f the bales, and ran painting on.


Fast as the door was, there was pas
age after passage between the wool, K
Thich was piled up eight or nine feet !
Ugh, and l tore on in the hope of so
ar distancing my pursuer that l could
art through the stair door, fasten it /
fter me, and so escape or snmmon as
On and on ran, now get
ing ahead, and now with the painting
reath close to my shoulder, SO that I !
expected to feel savage hand laid up /.
q me to drag me down. At last he !
ot so near me that his hand brushed !.
le; but with yell of horror, leaped 7
,rward again, lodged around corner, !
an down a short passage, and again on,
asst pillars and piles, when turning
round, found that | was alone; and = !,
urryiDg to about the center of the I
arrow passage between the high walls, .
leaned against the side, painting and !
reathIess. "Now if 1 could but reach 7
he door while he was at the other end" a
thought I" l would be safe," and l u
ept on, neryously watching the ends "
the passage, lest I should be taken =
y surprise, when to my horror, ] saw z
y the gas shining upon it savage Z
cad peer round from the end nearest u
le way of escape, watch me for mo. d
tent, and then disappear. Itwas now
ute dim and twilight in all the pas al
Iges, and my first impulse was to dart n
+ in the opposite direction, but little IL
fought told me that perhaps the wretch G
ID not see me, and therefore / had bet b
r stay where 1 was, and so l stood, CT
inute after minute, expecting to see
i'm come around one end or the other W
Id dash down upon me- l
! knew that about half past five the ol