Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-05-24
In the County Hospital.

In the County Hospital.
Many persons in the county will re-
member Kelly Davis the sport who
made matters lively in this section some
years ago and whose death was report
ed the past winter. To those whose
memory of Davis and his wife has not
been dimmed by future events, the fol-
lowing serio comic sketch taken from the
Chicago Herald win be of some interest.
What an awfully sad place one of
these big charitable institutions is, any
way. Take the county hospital, for
instant. 1t smells of chloride of lime
and carbolic acid, and makes one think
of paupeiism and the sub-fundamen-
tai problems of society.
"Who isyou want to seep" asked one
of the attendants Lizzie Livingston?
All right. Here, John.s' addressing
the elevator boy, take this gentleman
up to Ward ~
Strange place Ward is, with its
clean floor, long rows of white cots and
slippered attendants moving noiseless-
ly around. Here is where the news
paper reporter gets in his work gener-
ally. He usually pens something about
''wan features and half-closed eyelids
outlined against the snowy wilderness
of the pillow, over which flowed the
dark, disheveled locks" and if it WASH t
for the editor this might get into the
paper. How dreadful the wards of a
hospital are.
Certainly you can see her." says
the muslin-capped head nurse, laying
down her sewing. "Come with me.
But let me tell you first, you must
make allowance for what she says.
People who use opium rarely tell the
truth, you know
She stopped beside bed. 1t was a
cast iron bed, and full of romance, they
said. 1t was little disappointing that
the romance was not good looking.
But she wasn't. She might have been
once-say sixteen or eighteen summers
ago.
/ "Oh, it is hard to have wasted q
life," were almost the first words she
uttered.
The reporter confessed that it did
seem little tough. Life is such a big
thing, you know. Life, life what
would we do if it wasn't for life?
"Have you wasted your life?" asked
the reporter, with suitable tenderness.
YES" she sighed, II was a giddy
girl. i thought it would be grand
thing-a runaway match, you know, so
l married man when L was scarce
fifteen and we came West. My name
is not Robinson, you know, but Davis.
Kelly Davis vas the name of the man
l married. We lived together side by
side when children, but | did not know
he was gambler when married him.
How could | know itp / was only
Child. .....4 :
Then she shed a tear or two and
mumbled to herself, and the reporter
bent "beside herto hear what she might
say but her mind had turned to Bin
gen on the -
"Pittsburg was my home," she whis-
pered. "My fathers name was Ralston
William Ralston. He is merchant
in the town of Allegheny now"
''Is it true that you are niece of Mr..
Ralston, of California;
"No, not a niece. He and my father
are cousins"
This was crashing blow to the inter-
est of the interview, but reporter has
to stand just this kind of thing. BY
Ralston was meant the millionaire, who
made an end to himself by swimming
out into the river one day and neglect
ing to swim back.
''How do you happen to be called
Robinson, if your name is not Robin
sonP" asked the reporter.
Mr.. Ralston's second cousin drew
her hand across her eyes and family
said, "Wait minute. I'm trying to
recall. My mind is weak little now,
you know, doctor" Then she smiled
sickly smile. II did not mean 10 call
you doctor. forgot. Let me see what
did you ask? Yes, / remember now.
Why, my husband treated me badly,
and left him. That was five years
ago. Three years ago | went to live
with Nelson Robinson. He is an archi-
tect's craftsman and works for Mr.. -,
Mr.. -; oh, know his name just as
well-York; that's it, MIR. York, in
Metropolitan Block. No, I'm not his
Wlic. lc lust perouaueu ihe, Thai ala.
do wish he'd come TO see me. How
did come to eat opium? Oh, it was
after my second child was born. had
such dreadful pain, that the doc
tors gave me laudauum, and from
that l went to opium. / have
not had any to-day, and / feel
so very badly Would / take it if they
gave il to me? Well, / should saw /
would. I'm nearly crazy for it."
She smiled bitterly, and her mind
wandered again. The reporter learned
at the door that she had come there of
her own free will, to be cured of the
habit ofopium. Il knew her five years
ago." said one of the doctors. ''She
lived at the Grand Pacific them