The sound came, once more, distinctly to my ears, I looked around,
above, everywhere, but perceived no living sign. For nearly a minute I
stood still, listening. Yes; there it was again--a low, moaning voice,
as of one in pain or grief. I stepped onward a few paces; and now saw
one of the doors standing ajar. As I pushed this door wide open, the
moan was repeated. Following the direction from which the sound came, I
entered one of the large drawing-rooms. The atmosphere was stifling,
and all as dark as if it were midnight. Groping my way to a window, I
drew back the bolt and threw open the shutter. Broadly the light fell
across the dusty, uncarpeted floor, and on the dingy furniture of the
room. As it did so, the moaning voice which had drawn me thither
swelled on the air again; and now I saw, lying upon an old sofa, the
form of a man. It needed no second glance to tell me that this was
Judge Hammond. I put my hand upon him, and uttered his name; but he
answered not. I spoke more firmly, and slightly shook him; but only a
piteous moan was returned.
"Judge Hammond!" I now called aloud, and somewhat imperatively.
But it availed nothing. The poor old man aroused not from the stupor in
which mind and body were enshrouded.
"He is dying!" thought I; and instantly left the house in search of
some friends to take charge of him in his last, sad extremity. The
first person to whom I made known the fact shrugged his shoulders, and
said it was no affair of his, and that I must find somebody whose
business it was to attend to him. My next application was met in the
same spirit; and no better success attended my reference of the matter
to a third party. No one to whom I spoke seemed to have any sympathy
for the broken-down old man. Shocked by this indifference, I went to
one of the county officers, who, on learning the condition of Judge
Hammond, took immediate steps to have him removed to the Alms-house,
some miles distant.
"But why to the Alms-house?" I inquired, on learning his purpose. "He
has property."
"Everything has been seized for debt," was the reply.
"Will there be nothing left after his creditors are satisfied?"
"Very few, if any, will be satisfied," he answered. "There will not be
enough to pay half the judgments against him."
"And is there no friend to take him in,--no one, of all who moved by
his side in the days of prosperity, to give a few hours' shelter, and
soothe the last moments of his unhappy life?"
"Why did you make application here?" was the officer's significant
question.