The back windows of the houses commanding the scene are lined with enthusiastic spectators, and the sound of blows and of oaths that make one's blood run cold, are borne to my ears.
A lull; 'You let that child alone!' child evidently of few years, screaming in downright terror; 'Awright,' repeated insistently and at top pitch twenty times straight running; 'You'll git this rock on the 'ead!' and then rock evidently on the head from the shriek that goes up.
A lull; apparently one combatant temporarily disabled and being resuscitated; child's voice audible again, but now sunk to a lower note of terror and growing exhaustion.
Voices begin to go up the scale, something like this:-'Yes?'
'Yes!'
'Yes?'
'Yes!'
'Yes?'
'Yes!'
'Yes?'
'Yes!'
Sufficient affirmation on both sides, conflict again precipitated.
One combatant gets overwhelming advantage, and follows it up from the way other combatant screams bloody murder.Bloody murder gurgles and dies out, undoubtedly throttled by a strangle hold.
Entrance of new voices; a flank attack; strangle hold suddenly broken from way bloody murder goes up half an octave higher than before; general hullaballoo, everybody fighting.
Lull; new voice, young girl's, 'I'm goin' ter tyke my mother's part'; dialogue, repeated about five times, 'I'll do as I like, blankety, blank, blank!' 'I'd like ter see yer, blankety, blank, blank!' renewed conflict, mothers, daughters, everybody, during which my landlady calls her young daughter in from the back steps, while I wonder what will be the effect of all that she has heard upon her moral fibre.