Jack Sheppard: A Romance, Vol. 3 (of 3)

miserable habitation, situated in an obscure quarter of the Borough of Southwark, known as

d shoes with round toes, wooden heels, and high quarters, fastened by small silver buckles. He wore a three-cornered hat, a sandy-coloured scratch wig, and had a thick woollen wrapper folded round his throat. His clothes had evidently seen some service

. She was dressed in a tattered black stuff gown, discoloured by various stains, and intended, it would seem, from the remnants of rusty crape with which it

rom the almost livid hue of the rest of her complexion. She could not be more than twenty; and though want and other suffering had done the work of time, had wasted her frame, and robbed her cheek of its bloom and roundness, they had not extinguished the lustre of her eyes,

y God Almighty bless and reward you for your kindness! You were always the best of masters

eserve nor desire your thanks. 'Whoso giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord;' that's my comfort. And such slight relief

ere is any need to show. I'm used to insult as I am to misfortune, and am grown callous to both; but I'm not used to compassion, and know not how to take it. My heart would speak if it could, for it is very

rn, and brushing a few drops from his eyes, "unless it be tears of joy. Pshaw!" added he, making an effort t

ed by the widow, proceeded to the fire-place, where a handful of

n many places, given way; the laths had been removed; and, where any plaster remained, it was either mapped and blistered with damps, or festooned with dusty cobwebs. Over an old crazy bedstead was thrown a squalid, patchwork counterpane; and upon the counterpane lay a black hood and scarf, a pair of bodice of the cumbrous form in vogue at the beginning of the last century, and some other articles

he unhappy malefactor at the place of execution. On one side of the handbill a print of the reigning sovereign, Anne, had been pinned over the portrait of William the Third, whose aquiline nose, keen eyes, and luxuriant wig, were just visible above the diadem of

llowing record of the poor fellow's fate, "Hung himsel' in this rum for luv off licker;" accompanied by a graphic sketch of the unhappy suicide dangling from a beam. A farthing candle, stuck in a bottle neck, shed its fe

said Wood, glancing round the chamber, as h

ed the widow; "but, poor as it is, it's bet

inking-horn and presenting it to her; "it's choice canary, and'll do you good. And now, come and sit by me, my dear, and let'

btful shake of the head, as Wood drew her to a seat beside him, "for I've ha

h the infant was wrapped, and throwing the light of the candle full upon its sickly, but placid features, "it's sinful to repi

ce, and see how like he is to his father,-when I think of that father's shameful ending, and recollect how free from guilt he once was,-at such times, Mr. Wood, despair will come over me; and, dear as this babe is to me, far dearer than my own wretched life, which I would lay down for him any minute, I have prayed to Heav

d, after a pause; "but I trust your child is reser

ance of manner, that a bystander might have inferred that Mr. Wood

sponding tone; "but if Mynheer Van Galgebrok, whom I met last night at t

And who is this Van Gal-Gal-

own again; for which he was committed to Newgate, and whipped at the cart's tail. He went by another name then,-Rykhart Scherprechter I think he called himself. His fellow-prisoners nicknamed him the gallows-provider, from a habit he had of pic

nation to predict the doom of the individual in question; but whatever opinion he might entertain, he contented himself with inquir

s not surprising the poor little thing should be so marked; for, when I lay in the women-felons' ward in Newgate, where he first saw the light, or at least such light as ever finds entrance into that gloomy place, I had nothing, whether sleeping or w

ted Wood, "how shocking!

he child yourself, if you c

d impatiently. "I didn't think yo

ard mysteriously, "old Van told me o

asked Wood with

e gave me at first, that the child would find a friend wit

ost," replied Wood; "but how has the

world, and that's more than I would have ventured to say for him yesterday. However, I've not told you all; for old Van did say so

e not promised to stand by him yet; nor will I, unless he turns out an honest lad,-mind that. Of all crafts,-and it was the only craft his poor father, who, to do him justice, was one of the best workmen

, Sir," replied Mr

other man's child in your bosom, and he'll creep out at your elbow.' But I don't value that, becaus

" gasped Mr

ch may, or may not, be agreeable. All I can say is, it's well meant; and I ma

Size -- M

," said Mrs. Sheppard, somew

proposal's this:-I've taken a fancy to your bantling, and, as I've no son of my own, if it meets with your concurrence and that of Mrs. Wood, (

head, and pressed her ch

r he had looked at her steadfastly for a few mom

ort to speak, but her voi

ith me!" persisted Wood, in a

ed the widow, bursting into tea

d, at all events. Not part with him!" added he aloud. "Why you wouldn't stand in the way of his g

Sheppard, "and am most grateful for

e carpenter; "I don't

if I lost my child, I should lose all I have left in the world. I have

y; for, though he had no serious intention of carrying his proposal into effect, he was rather offended at having it de

t, reflecting upon the consistency of the sex, he was pre

nd if I can bring myself to part with him,

f it," replied Wood sulk

e,-if you could feel what it is to stand alone in the world as I do, bereft of all who have ever loved me, and shunned by all who have ever known me, except the worthless and the wretched,-if you knew (and Heaven grant you may be spared the knowledge!) how much affliction sharpens love, and how much more dear to

mmand his feelings, which were considerably excited by the mention of her distresses, he squeezed her hand warmly, bestowed a hearty

much as you pretended. I was to blame to carry the matter so far. However, confession of a fault makes half amends for it

m his slumbers. Opening a pair of large black eyes, the child fixed them for an instant upon Wood, and then, alarmed by the light, uttered a low and

if I could part with him," observed M

the carpenter. "No friend like the

or if I had not been a mother, I would not ha

at, Mrs. Sheppard," said

head, as he stood in the Stone-Hall at Newgate, after his irons had been knocked off, unless I manage

d you should like to have such a frightful picture

ut don't question me about them now, or you'll

ise you on no account to fly to strong waters for consolation, Joan. One nail drives out another, it's t

t. Gin is the poor man's friend,-his sole set-off against the rich man's luxury. It comforts him when he is most forlorn. It may be treacherous, it may lay up a store of future woe; but it insures present happiness, and that is sufficient. When I have traversed the streets a houseless wanderer, driven with curses from every door where I have solicited alms, and with blows from every gateway where I have sought shelter,-when I have crept into some deserted building, and stretched my wearied limbs

ed Wood. "Do you call thi

hort-lived enough, as you perceive. I tell you what, Mr. Wood," added she in a hollow voice, and with a

g the interview, he added, with some precipitation, "But I must be goin

've just recollected that my husband left a key with me, whic

"I lost a very valuable one som

, with curiously-

d Wood. "Well, who'd have thought o

see it," said the widow. "Sh

ll me

p to the garret, where I've hidden it for safety," said Mrs. Sheppard. "

s a close file, and would never tell whom he married. Of this I'm certain, however, she was much too good for him, and was never meant to be a journeyman carpenter's wife, still less what is she now. Her heart's in the right place, at all events; and, since that's the case, the rest may perhaps come round,-that is, if she ge

is little charge to and fro, after the most approved nursery fashion, essaying at the same time the soothing influence of an infantine melody proper to the occasion; but, failing in his design, he soon lost all patience, and being, as we have before hinted, rather irritable, though extremely well-meaning, he lifted the unhapp