Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-04-05
o r / G. / N A l..
SKETCHES FROM THE NOTE BOOK Ol
A PHYSICIAN.
THE MAGDALEN.
By JAMES wYNNE, NJ. d.

BY JAMES wYNNE, Nj. D.
THE mAeDALEN.
had jus. stepped into my csrrisee fol
the purpose of paying my morning visit to
nv patients, when . servan, woman came
running toward me with a hurried air, and
begged me TO ts1ry for one moment, as she
had a message TO communicate. She then
stated ,ha. a young girl, who was quite ILL.,
q, the house Of Mrs. H, in N
street, desired me TO call on her.
n street was in part OF the city
which possessed even more than question
able reputation, and was inhabited by po-
puIs,ion not likely to ask for my profes.
sionsl services, nor 10 procure them 1t de-
manded. The house of Mrs. H, too,
had heard spoken of as one Of those attrac-
tive haunts Of vice, common 10 ell large CT
ties, in which, by surprising in pretensIons
the miserable abodes where wreiched female
ou,casts from society are usually congregs-
ted, unwary virtue was too frequently en-
trapped, beneath the glitter and show which
even debasing debauchery could assume.
told the servant that she was doubtless
mistaken in The person she bad been sent
for, end that she had better ascertain who
j, wss, and go for him. She persisted how
ever in affirming ths. was The physician
the girl wished To see, and repeated MY
name over two or .hree times. PerceivlDg
,hs, sill hesilated, she said
t'If you are humane man, doctor, you
will vsi. her, the poor thing takes OIL sadly,
end ! am sure there is something on her
mind which troubles her.''
This les. appeal determined me to COM
ply with her request, fearing lest my refusal
might repulse en- erring penlen. in her last
struggle 10 return TO virtue. was fully
resolved, however, tha, should IT prove an
ordinary case Of disease, would advise
them to procure other aid, and not renew
my visit.
On my arrival at the house was ushered
into an apartment, fitted up with great a.
mount Of .awdry fnery, with an evident al
tempt to attract the eye, and satisfy vulgar
and aoI over-re6ned TASTE Upon bed sci
off by showy drapery, lay my patient, a
young and beautiful girl, apparently MOI
more than sixteen years Of age, turning from
side 10 side, evidently in great pain. He'
face was anxious, and flushed as if she wa'
lsboripg under high febrile exciiemen,
and profusion Of rich auburn hair, which
had fallen in the motions caused by the pain
from which she seemed TO suffer, lay loose
end uncon6ned upon the pillow.
She appeared TO shrink from me as sp'
preached and concealed her face, which wa:
now overspread by deep blush, partly be-
meath The bed-clolhes. Resssured by the
kind tone in which addressed her, she un.
covered her face and gszed for time intent
ly on me.
"You do not recoIlect me, DOCTOR" she
ssid al length in a tremulous voice, while
her face sgain become deeply suffused by
its heightened color.
replied that did not, when she bid me
look again. ] did so, but in vain, and con.
fessed that If had before seen her The re-
membrsnce Of it was now entirely oblnera'
ted from my memory.
"Do you know Sister Mp" enquired
she. told her tha, did, as she was the
respected and ladylike Superior Of an Asy-
lum under the charge Of her order, the
Sisters Of Charity, and ! loved her as sis
ter, and he'd good reason to believe she like
wise entertained the same sffeclion for me
that she could for her own brother.
"She does. She does,'' responded she
eagerly, "and often has she requested the
orphans TO remember you in their -'
She stopped suddenly, as If she dreaded ever
10 mention the closing word Of her sentence
had now thrown back the loose hai
which fell over her forehead, and placed my
hand on il, in order TO ascertain ils tempe
ra,ure and condition. 1t returned a sensa
lion sImos, amounting to burning, and sp
pesIed dry and CONSTRUCTED.
s.You do not recollect me- she continu
ed, sand ye. you have placed your hand OF
my head as you are now doing before, ant
it seemed To slIsy the fire which was 'her
burning my brow. bu, was pure and limo
cent then - and the blush came again 10 he
cheek, and she wept as if her very hear
would break.
sYou were acquainted with Sister NJ
responded ], now suspec'ing that she hat
once been a pupil al her Asylum, which
attended in my professional cspacity.