Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-15
& Co. could no longer

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stances, had been announced in the city.
Hollingsworth & Co. had smashed-failed
for an extraordinary large amount, and,
in its ruin, had dragged down many
smaller firms with it.
There was long consultation at the
coroners inquest, and the jury at length
returned verdict of feJo de Sc. For,
when matters were more closely investi-
gated, reasons, stronger, and stronger
appeared to show that the miser-
able mans rash act had not been
unprecedented, nor caused by an
unsound state Of mind. Had he lived,
England would have no longer been safe
home for him; the bankruptcy was a
fraudulent one; pena. servitude would
have stared him in the face.
Many were the articles that appeared
in the daily journals on Hollingsworth's
bankruptcy and suicide, and far and
wide was the suffering it caused spread !;
and as l travelled back from Chester to
London, [ wondered if / had done right IN
making bllndfold the promise [ had
made to the unfortunate man. But it had
been made, and I felt must abide by it.,
and do the work had promised to do.
1t was leu: days after my return to
town that read, for the first time, the
address on the packet that had been con-
feed to me:
"Mrs. Gerald Connington, No. a Vul-
ture Court, Golden Lane, Gray's Inn
Road"
"a slum that, fancy" thought 1.
"Who can Mrs. Connington be? I don't
much like the idea of penetrating into
such places alone, but ssppose it must
be done,' and [ put on my hat ana coat
and started off to hunt out Vulture Court,
not, however, in the best Of tempers
AS I was walking down a narrow side
street, in which groups of roughs STOOD
smoking idly, and knots of houseless,
shoeless women chartered and screamed
together, and dozens of dirty, dull-eyed
children shouted and fought in the gut
tiers, saw man, ragged and miserable
looking enough, but bearing for all that
the stamp OF a gentleman about him,
coming down the street in state of evil
dent agitation and distress.
'What'a up now? Here's Gentleman
Jack all of a huster," said dirty woman,
staring at the approaching figure,
30, aye; his mlssus be real bad, they
say. Maybe he wants DOCTOR" replied
girl with bold black eyes, and arms set
akimbo, that prize.fghter might have
envied
AS she spoke, the man came up, and
his eyes fell On me.
''For the love of Heaven, sir. if you are
a doctor. come with me! My wife, /
'ieve, is dying" he said
"Deat, dear!' chorussed the women
'Poor soul, she did look mortal bad last
week!"
AnG they stared open mouthyd at nc.
II am doctor, sir" said. Lead the
way, and III do what can for your wife :"
And down the street l followed him,
into q squalid, dark, dirty court, reeking
with filth and the air loaded with bad
smells, into a dlngy house, and up three
pairs of rickety stairs, till we stood in a
wretchcd garnet, lighted by one small,
shattered window.
1t was November, and bitterly cold
and damp, but there was no fire in tie
fire on the hearth, and single blanket
covered the bed whereon lay the sick
woman. mans threadbare coat lay
over her feet.
It was half dark, so the man struck a
match, and lighted a farthing dip stuck
in am old tin candlestick, and held itup, to
let the light fall on the invalid.
Great Heavens what sight met my
Mortified gaze! On the bed lay a girl,
beautiful still, though, as I saw, in the
last stages of exhaustion from starvation,
and beside her lay a tiny child barely a
month old.
"Have you brandy2" cried.
| The man shook his head
Nor the means to get it, I suppose?
Here, send and buy some, and food also.' y
And held out half sovereign to the
man.
Heaven bless you, STRIP he sal dis
appearing down the dark staircase, and
leaving me alone beside the sick bed.
looked around the garnet, half lighted
up by the glimmering candle. What
scene OF Indebtedness was presented to
my eyes! A broken chair and table, 8
pitcher and basin, and a few rickety cups
and plates were all that it contained No
carpet was on the floor, no curtain before
the window. No article of dress, save an
old bonnet and shawl, were to be seen.
|
the Last stage of restitution, for, beyond
dry crust of bread and mug OF water,
the room contained no trace of proyis-
| IONS
The man soon returned, bringing with
him brandy and provisions, and while I
strove to rouse the sick woman from the
deathly lethargy into which she had fall
len; he, aided by miserable, skinny
child Of perhaps thirteen or fourteen
years of age, lit a fire, and set some wa
ter on to boil in delapitated tin sauce
pan. Then he came to the poor bedside
and assisted me to administer the brandy
to his wife, and saw how thin and
starved he was, with the unmistakable
signs of recent illness written on his wan
features, handsome still in spite of pow
erty and hunger.
At length my patient opened her eyes
and fixed them on her husband. che
tears came into his eyes as he kissed er
tenderly.
Gerald" she murmured, in a faint
voice. 81 thought it was all over. Who is
this?" And she looked at me inuuir-
ingly.
81 am doctor, madam" I replied,
cheerfully, "and had the good fortune to
be passing just as was wanted. Now
you must be good, and do as I direct.
Keep quiet, and talk little, and you will
soon get round again. Now let me see tie
little one. All! not much wrong here;
but he is small and trife weak. Never
mind; / don't doubt but that he'll grow
up to be blessing to you. Now and
I turned to the husband, and walked as
lar as could out of ear-shot of the inva-
lid-'now, sir, I see we'll enough that
you are in trouble. Make friend Of me.
and tell me in what way can assist