Liza of Lambeth

ining the people on the brake; and first of all she to

said Jim, pointing

et much, 'ave yer?' said Liza, b

ter's been dahn with the measles, an' I'v

s 'e all r

u come along ter Chingford, too; it'll do you good." An' 'e says, "You can leave Polly"-she's my eldest, yer kn

dle-sized, stout person anywhere between thirty and forty years old. She had a large, fat face with a big mouth, and her hair was curiously done, parted in the middle and plas

o greet one another. They were delighted to have Liza among them, for where she was there was no dullness. Her attention was first of al

Bill!' she c

, Liza!' h

up dossy, you

und with mock indignation, 'you let my Johnny alone.

answered Liza. 'I've got one of my own,

ind a repartee, in his pleasure gav

her hand to her side. 'Tike car

a candid friend-'them's yer wha

ar

om, with affected simplicity, putt

e said, 'keep

nted ter know if

n't git round

kept as

yer 'and away. If yer touch me

wot I wants t

cruelly, and drew his

, and the man behind bl

ught up numbers of other vehicles going in the same direction-donkey-shays, pony-carts, tradesmen's carts, dog-carts, drags, brakes, every conceivable kind of wheel thing, all filled with people, the wretched donkey dragging along four solid rate-payers to the pair of st

he common cry, and everyo

eeves. Whereupon ensued much banter of a not particularly edifying kind respecting the garments which each person would like to

on the top of a hill a cheer broke out, and some thirsty wag began to sing 'Rule Britannia', whilst others burst forth with a different national ditty, 'Beer, Glorious Beer!' They drew up bef

F CORYDON A

wain and the amorous shepherdess shou

Corydon, politely handing the foaming

ed it to her lips and drank dee

ot was raised higher and higher and its con

herdess stopped and hand

you know a thing or two.' Then with courtly grace putting his own lip

lips, 'that was somethin' like!' And she put out her

ving finished, gave a

uld do with

f thet, I could d

returned to the bar, and so

marked Phyllis, and he took a lon

o as to have a different part to drin

loomin' pa

ned it back again and applied her ruby

' she remarked, as she

o smoke, while Phyllis sighed at the thought of the cool liquid gliding down her throat, and with th

t farther

yer yer

than before, she followed him, and in this idyllic contest they

em a graphic account of a prize-fight he had seen on the previous Saturday evening, which had been rendered specially memorable by one man being so hurt that he had died from the effects. It had evidently been a very fine affair, and Harry said that several swells from the West End had been present, and he related their ludicrous efforts to get in without being seen by anyone, and their terror when

u are gentlemen,' shouted the coachman;

ebody, 'we're not hanima

he coachman; 'I can see you've

the remark was not without its little irony. The other man bl

know you will, an' if you bus

isions like ravening beasts, stolidly, silently, earnestly, in large mouthfuls which they shoved down their throats unmasticated. The intelligent foreigner seeing them thus dispose of their food would have understood why England is a great nation. He would have understood why Britons

rning been waiting for this happy moment; he had counted on the expansive effect of a full stomach to thaw his Liza's coldness, and he had pictured himself sitting on the grass with his back against the trunk of a spreading chestnut-

me,' she said; 'it gives me the s

tion of marriage came to her rescue, for Jim and his wife naturally had no particular desire to spend the afternoon togeth

isinclined to this, for she had come to the conclusion that Jim, notwithstanding his 'cheek', was not ''alf a bad sort'. But Tom kept walking alongside of them, and as Jim slightly quickened his pace so as to get Liza on in front, Tom quickened his, and Mrs. Blakeston, who didn't want to be left

f bed the wrong way this

yer said you'd come aht with

gged her

f yer wants ter mike a fool of yerse

t me ter go awy no

't say

' And turning on his heel he marched off, striking

a walk with him instead of going with that beast of a Blakeston; she wouldn't ever do anything for him, and he hated her-but all the same, he was a poor foolish thing in love, and he began to feel that perhaps he had been a li

urprised when Tom t

t the needle a

us,' answered Ji

jea

's jealo

rry her and she wouldn't have him, and how she had only agreed to come to Chingford with him on the understanding that she should preserve her entir

g at them. Liza was struck by the woebegone expression on his face; she

id, 'don't tike on s

to apologize f

n, 'I'm rather 'asty, an' I

re good! You ain

you thet oug

a good so

't vexed

answered, as his face lit up. 'Come along an'

e herself from falling, and as he felt her hand on his shoulder, and heard her appealing cry: 'Oh, do 'old me! I'm fallin'!' he felt that he had never in his life been so deliciously happy. The whole

when the runaway had been recove

ly, 'yer can't w

an, an' I

stirrup, she cocked her leg over and took her seat triumphantly. Neither modesty nor bash

' she said; 'you garn and git yer

nd laughing the white, and finally came in winner by a length. After that they felt rather warm and dry

ir respective adorers and the Blakestons, walked round to find oth

the unlucky men had to pull out their coppers, while Sa

brushing up her hair, 'but I can't 'it t

three coconuts running, and the proprietors of

t it,' said Liza

Blakeston to try her luc

oolishness. It's wiste o

tart,' remarked her husband, '

ed their respective shares to their dinners and teas. Supper came next. Again they fell to sausage

ve drunk-I've lost count,' said Liza

ayed a solo; then there was a call for a song, and Jim stood up and sang that ancient ditty, 'O dem Golden Kippers, O'. There was no shyness in the company, and Liza, almost wit

ong, old coc

singin' sort.' At which Blakeston

aid Liza to herself, 'not

before the brake started, and when the horn blew to warn t

p the steps, said: 'Well

g on his box holding his reins, with his head bent on his chest. He was thinking

, and she brought down her fist on the cro

e said, 'wot's the good of 'a

round and

y yerself!

fice!'

e fi

ss

ty she had changed hats with Tom, and he in her big feathers made her shriek with laughter. When they st

e night was beautiful, the sky still blue, very dark, scattered over with countless brilliant stars, and Liza, as she looked up at the heavens, felt a certain emotion, as if she wished to be taken in someone's arms, or feel some strong man's caress; and there was in her heart a strange sensation as though it were growing big. She stopped speaking, and all four were silent. Then

e cold

s only a sort of shive

little one. And so she sat between them till they reached the 'Red Lion' in the Westmi

ith their respective slaves and the Blakestons, marched off homewa

s go an' 'ave another dr

d Tom, 'after we've

e, it's just on closin'

can't leav

id Sally. 'No one'

part from Liza, bu

me'll git along arright, an'

Arry,' said Sally t

,' he answered, 'giv

dered herself to him, while he imprin

' said Liza, hold

wered, taking it, but look

ed up her face to him. He bent down and, tak

Liza,' he said, mak

e aht, old man,' she

red, and added, almost to

d Harry, seeing that Jim was walking off w

oin' 'ome. I've got ter b

rolling off with Tom to the pub, while the ot

light which only served to make Lisa realize her solitude. There was such a difference between the street at midday, with its swarms of people, and now, when there was neither sound nor soul besides herself, that even she was struck by it. The regular line of houses on either side, with the even pavements and st

iz

ill he had co

come aht again

ay good night to you

good night a

say it agai

s yer m

I was dry and was goin' t

ow yer didn't

ht upstairs to see after the kid.

hy

her hand. She drew it away quickly. They wal

ght,' sa

me for a litt

e added, in a whisper, though wh

?' he ask

got to get

et not ter go inter

come 'ere with

us

t comin'. G

good nigh

d'yer

you did

e had clasped his arms round her, almost lifting her

Liza,' he whispered

hout resistance and ki

om him, and opening the doo