A brown sunburnt gentleman, who appears in some inaptitude for sleep to be wandering abroad rather than counting the hours on a restless pillow, strolls hitherward at this quiet time. Attracted by curiosity, he often pauses and looks about him, up and down the miserable by-ways. Nor is he merely curious, for in his bright dark eye there is compassionate interest; and as he looks here and there, he seems to understand such wretchedness and to have studied it before.
On the banks of the stagnant channel of mud which is the main street of Tom-all-Alone's, nothing is to be seen but the crazy houses, shut up and silent. No waking creature save himself appears except in one direction, where he sees the solitary figure of a woman sitting on a door-step. He walks that way. Approaching, he observes that she has journeyed a long distance and is footsore and travel-stained. She sits on the door-step in the manner of one who is waiting, with her elbow on her knee and her head upon her hand. Beside her is a canvas bag, or bundle, she has carried. She is dozing probably, for she gives no heed to his steps as he comes toward her.

, a brown sunburnt gentleman, who appears to be wandering abroad because of some inaptitude for sleep, strolls there at this quiet time. He often pauses and looks about him curiously. Nor is he merely curious, for in his bright dark eye there is compassionate interest; he seems to understand such wretchedness and to have studied it before.
On the banks of the stagnant channel of mud which is the main street of Tom-all-Alone's, nothing is to be seen but the crazy houses, shut up and silent. No waking creature save himself appears except for a solitary woman sitting on a door-step. He observes that she has journeyed a long distance and is footsore and travel-stained. She sits on the door-step with her elbow on her knee and her head upon her hand. Beside her is a canvas bag, or bundle. She is dozing, for she gives no heed to his steps as he approaches.
