Liza of Lambeth

s sky, and the sun had been beating down on the houses, so that the top rooms were like ovens; b

ses are very much more like one another than ever peas are like peas, or young ladies like young ladies. They are newish, three-storied buildings of dingy grey brick with slate

another mildly when the rope was not properly turned or the skipper did not jump sufficiently high. Worst off of all were the very young children, for there had been no rain for weeks, and the street was as dry and clean as a covered court, and, in the lack of mud to wallow in, they sat about the road, disconsolate as poets. The number of babies was prodigious; they sprawled about everywhere, on the pavement, round the doors, and about their mothers' skirts. The grown-ups were gathered round the open doors; there were usually two women squatting on the doorstep, and two or three more seated on either side on chairs; they were invariably nursing babies

trouble soon, eh, Polly?' as

another two months ter

ldn't 'ave thought you'd go

ime, my dear,' said a very stout old

no more, when the last one come.' T

ess, and boasted vast experience. 'That's wot they

n' to 'ave no more bli'me if I will; '

d Polly, 'My word, 'Arry, if you 'ave an

rinder turned the corner

organ!' cried half a

ocking his large soft hat on the side of his head, began turning the handle. It was a lively tune, and in less than no time a little crowd had gathered round to listen, chiefly the young men and the maidens, for

and me ain't shy; we'

upright; and with an air of grave dignity which was quite impressive, glided slowly about, making their steps with the utmost precision, bearing themselves with sufficient decorum for a

za!' And several members of the group tu

nder, having come to the end of his tune, ceased turnin

alled out. 'Look a

d, covering her whole forehead from side to side, and coming down to meet her eyebrows. She was dressed in bril

sy?' called out the groups

nd kill the fashion;

fted her head, and walked down the street, swaying her body from side

uted one youth; and then half a dozen b

m in the Ol

up by a dozen more, and

nt Road. Yah, ah, knocked

d they gave long, shrill, ear-piercing shrieks and stran

cial!' call

s and whistles, and then

m in the Ol

d at the uproar. She stuck out her elbows and jerked her head on one

s is

m in the Ol

ound the barrel-organ, one o

er new dre

ok like my old one

?' asked another frie

treet, of course,' sco

w in the pawnbroker's dahn the road,

oin' in there? Pledgin' yer s

a second-'and dress

k ter me. I got the mayterials in the West Hend, didn't I? And I 'ad it m

was th

ress and the comment it was exciting

she saw it. 'Come on, Sally,' she added, to one of the g

s queens, she was as stately as an empress; the gravity and dignity with which she waltzed were something appalling, you felt that the minuet was a frolic in comparison; it would have been a fitting measure to tread round the grave of a première danseuse, or at the

ort, and disengaged her

his is too bloomin' slow

xpurgated words of Liza and the other personages of the story, the reader is therefore

Let's 'ave somethin' a bit more lively than this 'ere waltz. You

stopped

th London. You just wite till you see the bal

to the org

him, 'you buck up; give us a tune

The man grinned from ear to ear, and, touching the little catch a

s of the dance. Liza was right; they could not have done it better in a trained ballet. But the best dancer of them all was Liza; she threw her whole soul into it; forgetting the stiff bearing which she had thought proper to the waltz, and casting off its elaborate graces, she gave

lly, blowing and puffing.

d out a dozen voice

c altering, she changed the style of her dancing, her feet moved more quickly, and did not keep so strictly to the ground. She was getting excited at the admiration of the onlookers, and her dance grew wilder and

legs!' cried

re remarkable, for Liza had chosen them of the same brillian

feet scarcely touched the gr

' cried out one of the wags

went on, making turns and twists, flourishing her skirts, kicking higher and higher, and finally, among a volley of shouts, fell on her hands and turned hea

d. 'Give us a kiss, now,' an

za, pushing him aw

ss,' cried another

fice!' said Liza, elega

l,' cried out a third,

shrieked Liza,

ey cried, 'we

re of men set in chase, whistling, shouting, yelling; the people at the doors looked up to see the fun, and cried out to her as she dashed past; she ran like the wind. Suddenly a man from the side darted int

xpression was quite unprintab

bearded man whom she had never seen before. She blushed to the very roots of her hair, quickly extricated herself fro