Pilgrim Street : a story of Manchester life / [Hesba Stretton].

  • Hesba Stretton
Date:
[1867]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pilgrim Street : a story of Manchester life / [Hesba Stretton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    rain within a porch so large that it contained a double row of massive pillars, beyond which were doors of glass; and standing upon tiptoe, the child could peep into the hall within. Ah ! what a place it was! He caught his breath in a deep sigh of amazement and delight. From somewhere there came a beautiful light : yet to him there did not seem to be any windows, unless those were windows which looked like pictures of men dressed in robes of crimson and purple and blue, with crowns of gold upon their heads. The pavement seemed made of precious stones of many colours formed into a beautiful pattern. There were many doors opening into the hall, and a crowd of people were passing in and out busily, very strange people, some poor and miserable, like himself, only none so young, and policemen in their well-known dress, and men in scarlet coats, with long white wands in their hands, and gentlemen in black robes, with white wigs upon their heads. The child, standing upon tiptoe, gazed upon all that was passing before him in profound wonder and bewilderment. A policeman, whose beat was near his cellar, had told him, with wonderful condescension, that the place was called the Assize Courts; but he had no idea of what that name might mean. All that he understood was that somewhere within this magnificent palace his brother Tom
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