Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-04
ALlTrLE GIRLS STORY.
It's n Curious One and Not Thorough
~ Believed.
Now York Time2l

No business Is done at the shipping office
81 Fuller's Patterson Express on sunday,
but Monday morning pOrters get 10 work at
o'clock preparing for the departure OF the
Old Dominion steamers. Yesterday morn
ing George Reidy and gang reported
for work. but before they shifted the
first package Reidy saw that dirt bad
shifted between the heavy platform over
the gratlngs aud the stone steps. lie decided
that when daylight came be would have the
refuse removed. 4 little while after s O'Clock
Reidy found child's buttonless slice at The
west end OF the platform. lie stopped to
pick it up and saw something dark beneath
the heavy panking, completely stopping the
space, whose dimensions were not more than
~ by ! inches. "IIeIe. boys" he cried,
"we'ye got TO clear this platform now (;
there's bundle underneath it,"
The men chopped away the fasieuineS and
raised the mass Of heavy boards. To their
surprise they found the bundle to be no.
thing else than a title girl. not more than
twelve wears old, poorly but Clearly dressed,
and unconscious. she lay face d0wnwarc,
her left cheek resting upon her hand. One
shoe was upon one OF her feet. the other
shoe Reidy had found The strong men
raised her as quickly and gently as
they could and bore her within the Office.
Liquor was procured and forced between her
teeth, but with no effect. She still lay quite
unconscious. At last q patr0iman OF the
Leonard. Street station was called, and THE
child was removed 10 the Chamber-Street
Hospital. Dr.. Harris, who received the pa
tent, declared she was suffering from hySie-
Iia.epilepsy, and that II would be seve-
raj hours before she recovered. The
men who found her declare that
her rescue was the merest freak OF
chance. The platform had not been
cleared OF its rubbish for nearly year, and
Reidy's suggestion that the dirt be removed
was entirely unprecedented. IL was Eys-
terry how the little one succeeded in wedging
her body within the exceedingly small space.
In order to have got so far wtain the aper-
ture she must have lam on her 'iomaeh, aud,
clnlchiug the transverse gratings, dawn
herself by main strength witnIn the hole.
Then, seized BY the hysieria because she was
unable 10 extrac, herself, she remained un-
conscious until found.
1t was not until shortly after O'Clock that
the child fe.alned consciousness. Thea she
was given warm bath, ullcd with nutri'
tious food. gwen brand.new pair OF shoes
and STOCKINGS by one OF The NURSES, and
pretty litsie jacket OF ecru cloth 10y another.
After all this dressing ana atxntiOa the little
one showed bow g0od.iOOking she was. She
shades 10 II, witch nad been carefully cut
across the forehead, forming a straight haug,
straight and weit-formed nose, and
full lips. The frat words she uttered
startled her hearers. She said she was Ger
man, had only been here about three weeks,
spd had been sleeping 10 The streets all that
time. The surprise wa. oecaaioned by Tie
excellent English m which she said Il.
There was oniyayery siisbtirace ofan acceut.
Then she continued her story. which the
authorities believe 10 be absolutely false.
She SAID she came from Dresden, Germany,
where she lived 10 kireh Sirasse win Der
grandmother. Her nstDe, she declared, IS
Mamie Grucn. Wien she gas six years old
Der mother died. Her father married ayais.
and two years later her stepmotber and her
father died shortly after each other.
Last spring, she continued, an uncle
nsmed Gustaye Lehman, who has q farm
and SIX children 10 Baosas, came 10 Dresden.
took fancy 10 her. ard with Der grasdmo-
TIERS consent brought her to this country.
They landed ut Castle Garden three weeks
$50 last FRIDAY. After remaining Ia the
Garden day her uncle took Der out, and
81 pignlisii sent her into q bake-sbop
10 buy some bread. WhcS che re-
turned 10 dBd hir1 be wee gene, Since then,
the child said, abe tas lived in the streets.
Boxes alo0g the piers sisye born her fasorlio
rcsoft. For food sue begged yennies from
ladies' and spesf them for esse. she lost her
hsf % suaday Ia the Wind sorm. and that
nisht shs was thoroughly exhausted. she