Year: 1872

CHAPTER II.


1910. March 18Th (continued).
After I had pawned my things aud
had begged small advance of wages
at the place where work, to make UP
what was still wanting to pay for Mary's
funeral, I thought I might have had a
little time to prepare myself as l best
could for to. o.uo1row. But this was not
to be. When got home, the landlord
met me in the passage. He was in
liquor, and more brutal and pitiless in
his way of looking aud speaking than
7er I saw him. before.


$50 you're going to be fool enough
to Fay for her funeral, are you ?" were
bis first words to me.


I was too weary and heart-slck to
auswer-I only tried to get by him to
my own door.


"1f you can psy for burying her,
he went on, putting himself in front Of
me, "you can Pay her lawful debts.
She owes me three weeks rent. Sup.
pose you raise the money for that next,
and hand it over to mo? I'm not
joking, l can promise you. I mean to
have my rent; and if somebody don't
pay 1t, III have her body seized and
Sent to the workhouse ~


Between terror and disgust, I thoug int
should have dropped to the floor at
his feet. But I determined not to let
him see how he had horri6ed me, if
could possibly control myself. So l
mustered resolution enough to answer
that did not believe the law gave him
any such wicked power over the dead.


"1'll teach you what the law is !" he
broke in "you'll raise money to bury
her like born lady, when she's died in
my debt, will you And you think
ri let my rights be trampled upon like
that, do you? See if Go! I give
you till tonight to think about it. II
I don't have the three weeks she owes
before tomorrow, dead or alive, she
shall go to the workhouse r.


This time I managed to push by
HIM, and get to my own room, and lock
the door in his faco. As soon as l was
alone, fell into a breathless, su9oca'
ting fit Of crying that seemed to be
shaking me to pieces. But there va.
no good and 10 help in tears :: I did
my best to calm myself, alter little
while, and tried to think who l should
run to for help and protection. The
doctor was the first friend thought Of
but knew hewas always out seeing
his patients Of an afternoon. The bea:
die was the next person Who camo into
my head. He had the look of being g
very digni6ed, unapproachable kind
of man when he came about the 10.
quest but he talked to me little then
and said / was good girl, and seemed
I really thought, to pity mo. So te
him I determined to apply in my great
danger and distress.


Most fortunately I found him a,
home. When I told him of the land
lords infamous threats, aud of the mis-.
cry I was in in consequence of them
he rose up With a stamp of his foot
and sent for his gold-laced cocked.ha,
that he wears on Sundays, end his
long cane with the ivory top to it.


"l'n give it him." said the beadle.-
"Come along with me, my dear. !
think told you you were good girl
at the inquest~t oiane tell you
so now. I'll give it to him. Come
along with me-"


And he went out, striding on with
his cooked.hat and bis great cane, and
| I followed him.


j "tasdlord y he cries the moment b,
gets into the passage, with thump o
his cane on the floor. "Landlord |!
! With look all around him as If he wa
king Of England calling to beast
"come out y


The moment the landlord came on
and saw who it was, his eye fixed Of
the cocked.hat and he turoe1 as pal
as ashes.