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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    not awake him. The people also passed up and down, men and women and children, but as if by common consent they left the wretched child in peace; until at last he was roused by being gently stirred with a stick, and starting up in a fright with a dream of policemen, he opened his eyes, and saw a face bending over him. A pleasant face it was, grave but kind, and just now there was a look upon it which in some way made the heart of the miserable child feel light and glad. It was very plain to him that he was a gentleman, and the boy sprang to his feet, and stroked the front curls of his wet hair by way of making him a suitable salutation. “ What are you doing here, my boy P ” he asked. “ I wanted to see Tom,” said the child, without any feeling of shyness or terror; “ he’s somewhere in there, and he’s going to be taken before the judge, and perhaps he’ll be sent to jail, and I’m afraid of never seeing him again.” ‘‘ What has Tom been doing ? ” asked the gentleman. “ Please, sir, Tom hasn’t done nothing,” an- swered the child; “ only Will Handfortli’s father and another man broke into a house one night, and there was a boy with them, and the police say it was Tom; and they’ve taken him to jail, and he’s been there three weeks and more. But
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