The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-06-16
r ON the Diary Of London PtgsiciG
THE CHILD STEALER.

THE CHILD sTEALER.
"Help! hclp He's going-oh! he's going
at last, and no doctor and no clergyman
going with all his sins. Is there no Chris
tan soul to help him! Holy Virgin, he'
going"
THESE excllmations were uttered by awo
man, who suddenly darted out of one Of those
slualid cellars in Monmouth street, st. Giles
which, with their sinster-lo looking mouths
seem like 50 many traps to catch unwarv pas
sengers. She evidently belonged to the yer,
lowest order OF Irish. Her dress was latter
ed and in disorder-hcr gestures vehemen
and as the dim light of neighborn.
lamp flashed upon her hag-like features, sh,
looked perfect personitication of all thai
was repulsive. was returning from visit
inr patient in S3h3, when this appartioE--
tCr moment it alalost seemed like one
rose up before me with such suddenncss.
"What do you wlat!" asked, "who is
gong!"
"1 he last ofthcm-2h! the last of them
Wlthered Be the arm that did it, and shrivelct
the heart that thought il. Oh! he's going
and without doctor or nrgy."
II am a ne lical ma ~ said /.
"You are what what did you say
Don't speak to the likes OF me''
81 am doctor-you will understand tha,
a little better, dare say"
She sprung upon me, and grasped me by
the lappels Of my coat furiously "A doc
tori a doctor, oh. blessed Virgin, mother ot
God,-who knows but that you sent him
Come, come to him; and may the tongue oi
you drop out if you say you seed him."
| could not at all comprehend why was
called to see some one, and at the same time
such an anathema was launched against me
but | yielded to the woman's entreaties, anc
followed her down the nearly perpendicular
steps that led from the pavement level to thg
cellar from which she had emerged.
"The doctor. the doctor;'' she cried, clap
ping her hands in exultation.
"Arrah, then, Norah," said voice, "where
lid you seize him!''
By dim and fickering light saw tha'
there were several persons in the cellar, an,
gathered around smouldering bit of fire, an,
smoking short pipes-l pewter pot bore ev.
lence that the creature conf ,rts in the way
Of some species OF drink, were not neglected;
and was about to ask where the sick man
was, when an athletic fellow, with beard Of
a months growth, came up to me, and helo
out dirty looking book for my acceptance
saving
'Take an oath on the Holy Scriptures that
what you see and what you hear will sink in
to your soul like dirty water in sand, and new
er come cut again. Swear!--take the holy
book"
81 shall do no such thing" said I;"I was
asked here to see a sick pels on-l have not
seen him yet; and ifyou have any scruples
about it, am quite willing to 60 agan. A
yet know nothing, and can, therefore, tell
nothing, am quite willing to go.''
M, no." cried the woman; "who knows
but the Holy Virgin sent him. No, no."
"But our lives!" cried the man.
bad cess to you, Paddy Rourke, ye'll live
tillye die" shouted the hag, advancing to-
wards him. He shrunk before her, and the
torrent ofubuse she poured out upon his head
and the ingenious and complicated curses
with which she visited him, were really some.
thing to wonder at. At all events she et-
tectually silenced him; and then, clutching
me by the arm, she led me to the further enc
OF the cellar. She carried with her the light
leaving those who sat by the dim burning lire
in darkness.
At the back of the cellar hung a dirty look,
ing blanket, which she held aside, disclosing
al opening in the wall, about the width of all
ordinary doorway.
"This way, DOCTOR" she said, s'this way
! might fairly enough have hestuted, and
at the moment all that had heard and read
OF the ingenious modes by which strangers
were decoy into such places, and perchance
murdered, flashed across my mind. But then
had great love OF adventure, and probably
had gone already too far to retreat with
safety if there was any danger; SO followed
my conductor, without betrdying any heslta-
ton.
We pursued for some time winding pas
sage, the walls of which were merely hard
ened mud, although the floor had kind oi
pretention to paving, in the way OF broken
tiles being thrown uponit. Another blanket
obstructed our way, but upon that being put
aside, found that another light was contend.
ing with that the old woman carried, and
was in u cellar of about fifteen feet square, the
heat ofwhich was most offensive. A horrible
groan come upon my ears.
"Thc doctor has come," cried the old wo
man, clapping her hands at the same time
which seemed to be iavorite mode with he
of giving emphasis to what she said. 'Th,
doctor has come. Whist, don't be groanns
in that way. Don't tell you the doctor ha'
come"
Another groan, more prolonged and terrii
ic than the last, proclaimed that the arriva
of the doctor did not awaken any very lively
hopes in the breast OF the person to whom
was announced | ut once walked III TIT
direction OF the sound; and there, stFetche'
upon a miserable pallet bed, lay one OF th'
most horrible objects think ever beheld,
| 1t was man of great stature, as l couN
guess as he lay. His hair was hanging aDou
his brow in matted disorder, his eyes wer'
glazed and sunken, and one side OF his 1ac'
was one mass Of bloody coagulum. | saw
that nothing but one lrightiul wound coul
! have produu ed such state OF things.
81 fear can do nothing here said.
The sound of strange voice seemed t
reach his dying senses, and he raised his arm
There was conyulsive movement of the fea
lures, and stream of blood oozing down hi
neck. He evidently strove TO speak, lhcr