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


THE CHILD sTEALER.
"Help. help! 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 t. help him! Holy Virgin, he't
going"
THESE ordinations were uttered by awe
man, who suddenly darted out of one of those
sluald cellars in Monmouth street, St Giles
which, with their sinister-lo9king mouths
seem like 50 many traps to catch unwary pas
sengers. She evidently belonged to the very
lowest order OF Irish. Her dress was latter
ed and in disorder-hcr g, stures vehement
and as the dim light of a ncighborine
lamp flashed upon her bag like features, sht
looked perfect personitication Of all that
was repulsye. was returning from visit
ing patient in Soho, when this apparitioE--
ior moment il almost seemed like one
rJse up before me with such suddenness.
"What do you want!'I asked, "who is
going."
81 he last ofthcm-2l. the last Of them.
Wtthered be the arm that did it, and shrivelled
the heart that thought il. Oh! he's going
and without doctor Orcarg."
Il am ne lical ma - said |.
you are what what did you say!
Don't speak to the likes OF me-"
81 am doctor-you viii understand that
a little better, dare say"
She sprung upon me, and grasped me by
the lappels OF my coat turiously. "a doe
tor. doctor! oh. blessed Virgin, mother oil
God,-who knows but that you sent him.
Come, come to him; and may the tongue OF
you drop outfit you say you seed him."
| could not at all comprehend why l was
called to see some one, aud at the same time
such an anathema was launched against me
but yielded to the woman's entreaties, and
followed her down the nearly perpendicular
steps that led from the pavement level to the
cellar from which she had emerged.
"The doctor! the doctor;" she cried, clap
ping her hands in exultation.
"Arrah, then, Norah," said a voice, "where
lid you seize him'''
BY dim and iickering light saw tina;
there were several persons in the cellar, ano
gathered around a smouldering bit oftire, ant
smoking short pipes-a pewter pot bore ev.-
Ience 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 o.
4 months growth, came up to me, and hello
out dirty looking book for my acceptance,
SAYING
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
err come cut again. Swear--take the holy
book"
81 shall do no such thing" said L; was
asked here to see d sick pesson-I have not
seen him. yet; and ifyou have any scruples
about it, am quite willing to g. again. 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 cur lives!" cried the man.
bad cess to you, Paddy Rourke, ye'll live
tiilye de-" shouted the bag, advancing to-
wards him. He shrunk before her, anu the
torrent otabuse 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 eff
tectually silenced him; and then, clutching
me by the arm, she led me to the further ENG
otthc 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 dirty look
ing blanket, which she held aside, disclosing
an opening in the wall, about the width of an
ordinary doorway.
"This way, DOCTOR" she said, "this way"
might fairly enough have hesitated, 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: 50 followed
my conductor, without betraying any hesita-
ton.
We pursued for some time winding pas
sage, the walls of which were merely hard
ened mud, although the floor had a kind oil
pretention to paving, in the way OF broken
tiles being thrown uponit. Another blanket
INSTRUCTED our way, but upon that being put
aside, found that another light was contend
ING with that the old woman carried, and |
was in 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, clappiug her hands at the same time.
which seemed to be a i,avorite mode with hel
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 terri,
ic 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 announced. | at once walked III the
direction OF the sound; and there, stretched
upon a miserable pallet bed, lay one OF the
most horrible objects think ever beheld;
1t was a man of great stature, as l coult
guess us he lay. His hair was hanging about
his brow in matted disorder, his eyes were
glazed and sunken, and one side of his face
was one mass of bloody coagulum. saw
that nothing but one irighttul wound coulC
have produced such state OF things.
Il fear can do nothing here said.
The sound of a strange voice seemed II
reach his dying senses, and he raised his arm
There was a convulsive movement the Tea
lures, and stream of blood oozlng down hi
meek. He evidently strove to speak There