Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-07-28
hlisfeIIansous.
From the Diary Of London Physician,
The Child SteaIer.


with all his sins. Is there no Christian soul 10
help him Holy virgin, he's going.'
These exclumalions were uttered by wo.
man, who suddenly darted from one Of those
squad cellars in Monmouth streed, st. Giles,
which, with their sinister looking mouths, seem
like so many traps TO catch the unwary passen
gers. She evidently belonged to tho lowest
order of Irish. Her dress was tattered and in
disorder-her gestures vehement-and the light
4 of a neigboring lamp flashed upon her hag like
tcatures she looked perfect perSonfcatiSn Of
. all that was repulsive. was returning from
visiting patient in Soho, when this apparition
for at the moment it seemed like one-rose
up before me with such suddenncss.
what do you want p asked eagerly who
is gong?
The last Of them-oh! the last of them
Withcred be the arm that did it, and shrivelled
the heart that thought it. Oh! he's going and
without doctor or ciargy'
i am medical man. said |.
'You are what Pa what did you say? Don't
speak to the likes of me-
i am doctor-you will understand that
little better, dare say
She sprang upon me, and grasped me by the
aPpes of my coat furiousy "A doctor! doc
ter oh blessed Virgin, mother of God who
knows but what you sent him? Come, come to
him; and may The tongue of you drop out if you
say yon seed him.
could not comprehend why was called to
90 TO some one, and at the same time such an
anethema was launched against me !; but yield
ed to the womans cntreaties and followed her
down the nearly perpendicular steps that led
from the pavement level to the cellor from which
she had emerged.
The doctor the doclor she cried, capping
her hands in exultatop.
'Arrab, then, Noah said voice. where
did you seize him"
BY dim and fckerng light saw that there
were several persons in the cellar, gathered round
a bit Of FIRE, and smoking short pipcs-a pewter
pot bore evidence that the creature comforts, in
the way of some species Of drink, were not neg
lected and was about to ask where the sick
man was, when an athletic fellow, with beard
of months growth, came up to me, and held
out dirty book for my acceptance, saying
Take an oath on the Holy Scriptures that what
you see and what you hear will sink into your
soul like dirty water in sand and never come
out again. Swear take the holy book
'I Yiall Do no such thing said ~ was ask
ed here to see a sick person--I have not seen
him yet; and If you have any scruples about it,
am quite willing 10 go again. AS yeti know
nothing, and can therefore tell nothing | am
quite willing to go
No, no. cried the woman; who knows but
the Holy Virgin sent him. No, no.
But your lives = cried the man.
Bad cess to yc, Paddy Rouke, yel live ill
ye de- shouted the hag, advancing towards him.
He shruuk before her, the torrent of abuse she
poured out upon his head, the ingenious curses
with which she visited him, were really some
thing to be wondered at At all events, she
silenced him ; and then, cutching me blythe arm
she led me to the further end of the cellar. She
carried with her the light. leaving those who
sat by the dim fire in darkness.
At the back of the cellar hung dirty looking
blanket, which she held aside, disclosing an
opening in the wall, alb out the width of an ordi-
nary doorway.
This way, doctor, she said, this way
might fairly enough have hesitated and al
the moment all that had heard and read of the
ingenious modes by which strangers are decoyed
into such places, and perchance murdered, fash
ed across my mind. But then had great love
Of adventure and probably had ventured too far
to retreat with safety, if there was any danger
so followed my conductor without belraying
hesitation.
We pursued for some time winding passag
the walls of which were merely hardened mud
although the floor had pretension to paving, in
the way of broken tiles being thrown upon it
Another blanket obstructed our way but upon
being put aside, found that another light was
cohtending with that the old woman carried
and was in a cellar of about fifteen feet square
the heat of which was most offensive. horri
bic groan came upon my ears.
The doctor has come cried the old woman
clapping her hands at the same time, which was
a favorlte mode with her of giving emphasis to
what she said The doctor has come. Whist
don't be grooming in that way. Don't | tell you
the doctor has come ?
Another groan, more prolonged and terrific
than the last, proclaimed that the arrival of the
doctor did not awaken any very lively hopes in
the breast of the person to whom ii was announc-
ed. ! at once walked in the direction of the
sound; and there, stretched upon pallet bed
lay one of the most horrible objects think
ever beheld.
1t was man of great stature, as could see
as he lay. His hair was hanging about his brow
in matted disorder, his eyes we're glazed and
sunken, and one side of his face was one mass
Of bloody coagulun. saw that nothing but one
trighttul wound could have produced such a
state OF things.
!. fear can do nothing here said |.
The sound of a strange voice seemed to reach
his dying senses and he raised his arm There
y was convulsiye movement Of the features, and
) stream OF blood oozed down into his neck. He
!, evidently s'rove 10 speak. There was purg
: hng rattle in his throat--th arm dropped ant
no was dead
Now, doctor, ris him up off the bed of sick
ness SAID the hag "A numbering blight fall
: on the hand that shot him---and he op,v wan,
ing silver spoon or two that was out o, Iuse !,
a counting house, @