Bill´s Lapse by W. W. Jacobs (1843)
The story follows Bill, a young man who is struggling to make ends meet. He is desperate for money and decides to take a job as a night watchman at a local factory. On his first night, he falls asleep on the job and is fired the next morning. Bill is embarrassed and ashamed of his mistake, and he decides to leave town and start a new life elsewhere. He takes a job as a farmhand and eventually meets a young woman named Mary. The two fall in love and eventually marry. However, Bill's past catches up with him when a former employer recognizes him and reveals his mistake. Mary is shocked and disappointed, but she eventually forgives him and the two remain happily married. The story is a cautionary tale about the consequences of carelessness and the importance of honesty. It also serves as a reminder that mistakes can be forgiven and that it is never too late to start over.
By W. W. Jacobs · First published 1843 · Genre: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy · 4,487 words
First lines
Strength and good-nature -- said the night-watchman, musingly, as he felt his biceps -- strength and good-nature always go together. Sometimes you find a strong man who is not good-natured, but then, as everybody he comes in contack with is, it comes to the same thing.
What this Textopian page supports
Bill´s Lapse is listed on Textopian as a short story by W. W. Jacobs, dated 1843 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: W. W. Jacobs
- Date: 1843 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy, Thriller, Romance
- Length: 4,487 words
- Structure: 1 section, 134 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Bill´s Lapse by W. W. Jacobs
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Bill´s Lapse?
- How does this short story by W. W. Jacobs fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Horror first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Horror — The book is written by W. W. Jacobs, a renowned horror author, and the title implies a sense of dread and fear.
- Mystery — The title implies a sense of suspense and intrigue, suggesting a mystery plot.
- Fantasy — The title implies a sense of the supernatural, suggesting a fantasy plot.
- Thriller — The title implies a sense of danger and excitement, suggesting a thriller plot.
Tags
England · English · Fiction · Humorous stories · Sailors · Social life and customs · afore · agin · answer · arter · bed · beer