Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-11-18

OF Moor street. Soho. Straws and
dust and paper turned in the wind ut
her feet. The dingy crowd hurried
ceaselessly past her. Not a soul
stopped or gave her goodnight.
With wandering eyes she began to
move slowly down the street. her
shawl pulled over her head according
to her country habit.
At last Judith stood in Mackford's
Entry.
Painting with WEAKNESS and fear.
she gazed about her. Refuse lay about
the narrow. paved court. On either
side the sombre houses lowered about
her. hiding the sky.
But there was still some courage Of
hoPe left in her heart. She turned
anu entered the dark doorway and
slowly began to mount the stairs. It
was almost dark in the house and her
unaccustomed feet stumbled and
slipped on the dirty steps. From
above she heard cries and voices
whose tones were rev to her: never
had she heard the like.
At the top of the FIRST fight she
halted and stood waiting at the near
est door. not daring to knock. A has.
with a face like a mask suddealv
opened. looked her up and down. then
spat at her feet and shut the door
again.
man passed her on the stairs and
she found breath to ask him for Mrs
Dowdall.
The Idly in the hattick?" he said
with a grin. up at the top. Ye can't
miss them. They're making noise
enough"
Judith climbed on and on. Her head
was giddy. her free hand clutched the
broken rail. her feet caught in the
broken steps.
She stood at last at a door at the
top. Loud noises were inside. She
knocked softly again and again and at
last 1t was suddenly opened The air
within. like a solid wall of impurity.
stayed her at the threshold. But a
strong arm pulled her in and a loud
laugh greeted her. and a voice that
had some echo of her home in II
spoke in her ear:
so here We are at last with the
shawl and the bundle. Arrah. how did
ye lave the pig at home? Laws. it's
20 years or more since l laid eyes on
such a wallin' country innocent
Come in till we look at We. l declare
Yield do anybody's heart good"
Inside. the room was long and low
and seemed full of people. A fire
burned in a little crate and two oil
lamps were hooked on the wall Beds
and heaps of dark-colored bedding lay
in the corners. The walls were black.
the ceiling was black. the floor was
black. Judith gazed round upon the
faces, despair settling down upon her
Villainous eyes answered to hers. She
was come into one of London's myr-
lad foul dens.
She was turning faint and giddy
when an oldish man came near to her
and pulled the shawl from her head
It's a bloomin' buttercup." he said
drunkenly and threw an arm about
her.
Judith turned and struck him saw
aGely, SO that he reeled.
The loud laughter suddenly ceased.
Not much of a buttercup about that
one!" said a monstrous carter who sat
by the fire. It's bloody wild hawk
Turn her out. say"
Judith backed against the wall. and
from that moment her agony began.
Against the wall she stood. her head
bare. her wide-open eyes turned upon
the black ceiling. har white face star
ing, lost. She knew herself in mortal
plight
Rough kindness did not move her
Laughter. abuse and buffetings had nc
effect. Invisible chains seemed to pin
her upright in her place.
Night drew down and still she stood
there. Noxious insects ran upon walls
and ceiling and dropped upon her hair
Noxious human creatures made the
night a loud. evil dream. The air be
came more sitting in it's foulness. but
she still held herself erect against the
wall.
Morning came and the day and night
again. and do what they could she
would neither eat nor drink. nor could
they pull her from her place.
What of evil the girl heard or cav
during those long hours cannot be
known. The angel of innocence sure
ly laid his hand upon her eyeballs
that she might not see and upon the
doors Of her ears that she might not
hear
Like one possessed who strove WIKI
phantoHs. she still stared upward. her
lips sometimes moving as she said her
Our Father which art in heaven"
For two days and two nights she
stood there. without Good or drink.
cra7ed with fear. Ike some wild creS-
ture new taken. but all the Th'e her
heartwos iTpioring help from heaven.
On the Afternoon OF the third day
she saw TIE Virgin IN a white robe
standing in the door and beckoninS to
her with a smile. With sudden
movement she snatched her shawl
and fled with great swiftness from the
room. down the long stairs and out
into the street.
In moment every trace OF her was
gone from Mackford's Entry. She was
swallowed up in the hosts Of the city.