DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70267#0265
OF THE NOTORIOUS MRS. BRIDGER. 233
cruel woman was, through intemperance, almost constantly
confined to her bed, having very bad ulcerated legs, the
relics of a cruel disease, which, through her hard drink-
ing, were like to mortify. Every morning, during this
period, before breakfast, she generally drank three or four
glasses of liquor, and a couple of pints of beer; the re-
mainder of the day £he spent in like manner, in conver-
sation with any person who came to enquire her state of
health, and to whom she always complained that her spirits
were very low, and then would take a glass from her bottle,
which always stood by her bedside; sometimes, by way of
amusement, she had one of her unfortunate apprentices
brought to her bedside, and having stripped him naked,
would make shift, bad as she was, to sit up and beat him
in a most cruel and barbarous manner with a large stick,
which she generally kept by her bedside for that purpose;
at other times, when in good humour, she would have her
apprentices brought to her bedside, and made to box each
other, giving a piece of plumb-pudding or a halfpenny to
the victor. She made the poor boys get up every morn-
ing at three o’clock, and go out, without shirt, shoe, or
stockings, to sweep chimnies; when they came home, they
were forced generally to scour the stairs, and do every
other kind of drudgery before they got their scanty meal.
Two or three days previous to her death, she sent for a
Divine, to administer the Sacrament to her; but on his
coming, finding her very much intoxicated, and instead
of being penitent, railing at her neighbours, he took his
leave, remarking, that it was not him she wanted. About
an hour before her death, she ordered the carpet to be
spread, that she might look somewhat decent when dead.
She then ordered the boy to bring her a pint of beer ; but,
being somewhat tardy, she exclaimed, “You **** dog,
make haste, or I shall be in hell before you come back 1”
He brought the beer, which she only tasted, being rather
weak, and shortly after expired. She took a considerable
quantity
cruel woman was, through intemperance, almost constantly
confined to her bed, having very bad ulcerated legs, the
relics of a cruel disease, which, through her hard drink-
ing, were like to mortify. Every morning, during this
period, before breakfast, she generally drank three or four
glasses of liquor, and a couple of pints of beer; the re-
mainder of the day £he spent in like manner, in conver-
sation with any person who came to enquire her state of
health, and to whom she always complained that her spirits
were very low, and then would take a glass from her bottle,
which always stood by her bedside; sometimes, by way of
amusement, she had one of her unfortunate apprentices
brought to her bedside, and having stripped him naked,
would make shift, bad as she was, to sit up and beat him
in a most cruel and barbarous manner with a large stick,
which she generally kept by her bedside for that purpose;
at other times, when in good humour, she would have her
apprentices brought to her bedside, and made to box each
other, giving a piece of plumb-pudding or a halfpenny to
the victor. She made the poor boys get up every morn-
ing at three o’clock, and go out, without shirt, shoe, or
stockings, to sweep chimnies; when they came home, they
were forced generally to scour the stairs, and do every
other kind of drudgery before they got their scanty meal.
Two or three days previous to her death, she sent for a
Divine, to administer the Sacrament to her; but on his
coming, finding her very much intoxicated, and instead
of being penitent, railing at her neighbours, he took his
leave, remarking, that it was not him she wanted. About
an hour before her death, she ordered the carpet to be
spread, that she might look somewhat decent when dead.
She then ordered the boy to bring her a pint of beer ; but,
being somewhat tardy, she exclaimed, “You **** dog,
make haste, or I shall be in hell before you come back 1”
He brought the beer, which she only tasted, being rather
weak, and shortly after expired. She took a considerable
quantity