The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-10-01
PAIL ADIUM
SATURDAY OCT, /, 1870.
A STRANGE VISITOR The doc
tor took his grape-juice and be-

ming 10 PICK up stray cases. One
night in the small hours the mig hit
bell rang family over my head.
I wanted work in those days, and
its clamor was not quite SO alto
gether horrible as it became in
aiter-years; SO / jumped up, and,
putting on my wrapper, opened
the window and called aloud to
know who wanted me. Hearing
no answer, and the night being ut
terly dark, l slipped on my clothes
and went down to the door. To
my surprise there was no one Wis
ible, and the street was black and
silent. Annoyed at the impotence
of my visitor, l went sullenly back
to bed. The next night, at the
same hour of two o'clock, the bell
rang again, and, as before, family,
like the ring of child. The night
was cloudless and the moon brill
liant, but no one was on the steps
or near them. Instantly l was
possessed with strange impress
ion Of terror as / closed the win
dow and stood a moment thought
full before going back to bed. !
had scarcely fallen asleep when
the bell rang once more. On this
occasion ] dressed instantly and
went down to the door AS before,
there was no one in sight. Still in
doubt, l went out and explored in
vain the dark side of the street
and the nearer shadows. You
may laugh, colonel, but the thing
wasn't pleasant. The next night l
resolved to sit up and catch the
disturber. Providing myself,
therefore, with a good stick, / left
the street door unlocked, so as to
be easily opened, and then lit a
cigar and settled down to read in
my Office. Precisely as the clock
struck two the door-bell rang.
In a momen. 1 had opened it. ex-
claiming, so I've got you at lasl'
Then / paused in my wrath. On
the step was q wee little figure OF
a child about nine years old, as l
judged, barefooted. although the
night was cold, and muffied up in
something like the torn half of a
ragged coverlet.
Come in out ofthe cold,' I said,
'and tell me what you want
Without saying, a word, the
child walked into my office. AS it
faced the light 1 saw the wanest
and weariest little visage, with
great brown eyes, long, tangled
yellow hair, and white lips, which
said, feebly,-
NANNY is dying. You come
along quick sir
I put on my overcoat and went
out with her, saying
Good heavens, child! who sent
you out in this d esp For the
little thing seemed to be in short
white petticoats and without
gown.
She made me no reply, except
to repeat, Come quick, SIR Out
we went.
What's your name2' said 1.
'Susy.'
Aren't you cold2'
NO
Were you here last night?' ]
said. on sudden.
Yes
who sent your
Don't know
why did you run away?'
Don't know
Meanwhile the little naked feet
trotted on in front of me swiftly,
and suddenly turning into Crosby
Street, dived into dark court.
Here she opened door, and 1 fol
lowed her upstairs. We climbed
three stories OF mean, ill-smell-
ing staircase, till she suddenly
stopped before door in the attic,
which she opened in turn, so that
we went together into wretched
garnet. The room was deadly
cold, and I saw by a Pickering tai
low candle a freless stove, bare
floor and walls, and every sign Of
the deepest misery. On straw
mattress lay women with features
pinched and haggard, her feet bare,
because she had drawn the scanty
covering up about her chest.
what can 1 do for your / said,
arousing her with difficulty.
Nothing said weak voice,
husky and broken. Il am starved
that's all Then relapsing into
the delirium from which my words
had called her for moment, she
began to wander anew.
Upon this / turned to the child.
To my surprise, she was gone,
leaving me alone with the dying
woman. Kneeling beside her, !
called aloud in her ear and gently
shook her, when again she grew
partially sensible.
Where is the child?' ! said,
Il want her to call some one in the
house, 80 as to get little help
Child" she said. What child?'
'Susy,' said 1, recalling her name.
AT this the woman suddenly sat
up, pointed across the garrett, and
exclaimed, 'Susy! She's over yon-
der-been dead these three days.
Starved too, / guess and SO say
ing she fell back, groaned, strug-
gled an instant, and was dead.
Shocked at the horror Of the
scene, I slowly got up from my
knees, and taking the failing can
die, walked over to the far corner,
where a confused heap lay on the
floor covered with o torn counter
pane. I raised the corner, and
bending over saw that the heap
= looL nh,l1 and that to Ga M