Marion Marlowe's Noble Work, or, The Tragedy at the Hospital — page 21: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

and bare-headed, except for the light shawl, which she was just slipping to her shoulders. 9? “Come right in,” said the young man, as he went quickly forward, then stopped sud- . denly at the thought of his professional dignity. “Oh, Miss Marlowe, what ward do you come from, please? I am almost afraid to make you welcome.” “Don’t fear,” said Marion, smilingly, as she stepped into the ward. “Since I came back from the city, I have only been helping - in the linen room. They have been kind - enough to keep me off the wards until I grew a little stronger.” | | “Big Belle” was just passing on her way to the vitriol patient and Marion watched . her movements with a look of wonder. The cleverest ‘confidence woman’ in the pe a. _world,” whispered the doctor. “She counts the victims she has fleeced by the score, yet i j ee how gentle she is with my patients.” FY “What is the matter with her?’ asked ¥ Marion, nodding toward the patient with the om bandaged face. _ “Why, she was in some drunken fight | I believe it was over _ some man, and as they left Jefferson Mar- ket Court her rival fairly deluged her with a itriol. ~ with another woman. | She only came up from the city __-yesterday—sent up as a ‘drunk and disor- ) a erly’ for ten days only, but she’ll never go _ back. She is slowly dying.” — “Poor thing!” sighed Marion, with tears m her eyes. “But her fate is the same as dozens that I have seen already. Oh, this awful island! This awful island!’ _ She was moving toward the patient when Dr. Brookes stopped her. _ “No, Marion!” he said, firmly; ‘ ‘you must Erysipelas has set in : ; MY QUEEN. 19 so forgive me, please, for being inhospit- able!” | “Big Belle’ came back and stood quietly beside the doctor. She had something to say to him and was awaiting his permission to speak. | “She wishes me to send for her father,” she reported as Dr. Brookes turned to her. “She knows that she is dying, and is anxious to see him.” “Get his name,’ was the doctor’s answer, but “Big Belle’ smiled sadly. “I tried to,” she said, quickly, “but she lapsed into un- consciousness that minute.” “They may know his name in the office,” said the doctor. “I’ll go right down now and see if I can wire him.” As Dr. Brookes and Marion reached the door of the building, a breath of salt, fresh air came over the water. ' “What a mockery!” said Marion, with a heart-felt sigh. tiful with its wonderful, changing scenery, yet how sad are the hearts that dwell in these buildings. “Oh! this place is so beau- How weary are the eyes that gaze out on these waterts!”’ The tramp of many feet came as an echo to her words. Marion turned, and through the iron grating saw the convicts marching to their luncheon. “Oh! do let me go in and see them!’ “It is the first time I have been in here, although I have been a month on the Island.” she cried, impulsively. Dr. Brookes spoke to the turnkey who at once opened the great guard doors. As Marion stepped into the dim corri- dor, with its small high windows and bleak gray walls, she shuddered involuntarily as all do at their first visit to a prison. Tier after tier of cells rose above her head and now that the convictS were on their way to the dining-room she stood still for a mo- ment and gazed morbidly into the black- ness. eComicbooks.€©