The Strand Magazine : an illustrated monthly. Vol. 1, no. 2, February 1891 / edited by George Newnes.

Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Strand Magazine : an illustrated monthly. Vol. 1, no. 2, February 1891 / edited by George Newnes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    sLAP-nAX(; like a good boy, I will buy you a real one, with a cloth tunic and gt)ld epaulettes. Would you like to have a general ? ” “ Xo,” said the sick child, his voice dry with fever. “Would you like a pistol and bullets, or a crossbow ? “ X'o,'’ replied the little voice, decisively. And so it was with everything—even with balloons and jumping-jacks. Still, while the parents looked at each other in despair, the little voice responded, “ X'o ! X'o ! Xo ! ” “ Rut what is there you would like, then, dariing ? said his mother. “ Come, whisper to me—to mamma.” And she laid her cheek beside him on the pillow. The sick boy raised himself in bed, and, throwing out his eager hands towards some unseen object, cried out, as in command and in entreaty, “ I want Slap-baui^- II. “ Slap-baxct ! ’’ ddie poor mother looked at her husband with a frightened glance. ^Vdlat was the little fellow saying ? ^V^as the terrible deli¬ rium coming back again ? “ Slap-bang ! ” Slie knew not what that signilied. She was Irightened at the strangeness of the words, \v-hich now the sick boy, with the perver¬ sity of illness—as if, having screwed his courage up to put his dream in words, he was resolved to speak of nothing else—re¬ peated without ceasing :— “ Slap-bang ! I want Slap-bang ! ” “ What does he mean ? ” she said, dis¬ tractedly, grasping her husband’s hand. “ Oh, he is lost ! ” But Jacques’ rough face Avore a smile of Avonder and relief, like that of one condemned to death Avho sees a chance of liberty. Slap-bang ! He remembered AA'ell the morning of ^V^hit-Monday, AA’hen he had taken Francis to the circus. He could hear still the child’s delighted laughter, Avhen the cloAvn—the beautiful cloAvn, all be-starred Avith golden spangles, and Avith a huge many-coloured butterfly glittering on the baek of his black costume—skijDped across the track, tripped up the riding-master by the heels, took a Avalk upon his hands, or threAv up to the gas-light the soft felt caps, Avhich he dexterously caught upon his skull, AAFere, one by one, they formed a pyramid ; Avhile at every trick and CA^ery jest, his large droll face expanding Avith a smile, he uttered the same catch-Avord, sometimes to a roll of music from the band, “Slap-bang ! ” And 15 \ every time he uttered it the audience roared and the little felloAV' shouted AAntli delight. vSlap-bang ! It Avas this Slap-bang, the circus cloAvn, he A\ho kept half the city laughing, Avhom little Francis Avished to see, and AAdiom, alas ! he could not see as he lay pale and feeble in his little bed. That night Jacques brought the cluld a jointed cIoavu, ablaze Avith spangles, AA’hich he had bought at a high price. Four days’ Avages Avould not pay for it ; but he Avould AAdllingly haAX given the price of a year’s labour, could he haA*e brought a smile to tlie thin lips of the sick boy. The child looked for a moment at tlie toy Avhich sparkled on the bed-quilt. JJien he said, sadly, “ That is not Slap-bang. I AA’ant to see wSlap-bang ! ” II only Jacques could liave AATapp('d him in the bed-clothes, borne him to the circus, shoAAUi him the cloAAm dancing under tlie blazing gas-lights, and said,. “Look there!” But Jacques did better still. He AA^ent to the circus, obtained the cloAAm’s address, and then, AAUth legs tottering AA’ith nerwAusness and agitation, climbed sloAAdy up the stairs AA'hich led to the great man’s apartment. It AA'as a bold task to undertake ! Yet actors, alter all, go sometimes to recite or sing at rich men’s houses. Who knew but tliat the cloAvn, at any price he liked, Avould consent to go to say good-day to little Francis ? If so, Avhat matter his reception ? But AA^as tin's Slap-bang, this cliarming person, called Monsieur Moreno, aa'Iio recei\’ed him in his study like a doctor, in the midst of books and pictures, and all the luxury of art ! Jacques looked at him, and could not recognise the cloAvn. He turned and tAvisted his felt hat betAAxen his fingers. The other AA’aited. At last the ]Aoor felloAv began to stammer out excuses : “It AA’as unpardonable—a thing unheard of —that he had come to ask ; but the fact AA’as, it Avas about his little boy—such a pretty little boy, sir ! and so cle\’er ! Al- AA’ays first in his class—except in arithmetic, which he did not understand. A dreamy little chap—too dreamy—as you may see ” '—Jacques stopped and stammered ; then screAving up his courage he continued with a rush—“ as you may see by the fact that he Avants to see you. that he thinks of nothing else, that you are before him ahvays, like a star Avdiich he has set his mind on——’’ Jacques stopped. Great beads stood on his forehead and his face AA’as very pale. Ho dared not look at the cIoaa’h, aa’Iiosc eves Avere fixed upon him. ^Vh^at had he dared