Sue Langley

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Marble Springs 2.0 screenshot of Sue Langley

What we know

1868 - ?
Origin unknown. in 1882, when she was fourteen and pregnant, she rode the rails for as much money as she had and ended up in Marble Springs.

Confinement

Sue was thrown off of the midnight train
and no one knew how she’d gotten that
far without a ticket or a husband to help her
in her condition. Sheriff Granger
took her in for Disturbing the Peace
so she wouldn’t have to show herself.
Matilda, his wife, fixed up a
large, comforting room in the jail’s attic
that overlooked the horse troughs
and wood planks of Carlton Street.
She put up pink flour sack curtains,
tied them with blue ribbons,
and carried up the best
fried chicken with blood gravy.

Sue said she didn’t want the baby,
but Doc Nancy said it was too late
for foxglove or ergot.

Millie Horner came every third Sunday
with her five children in tow and her pitying looks.
Emmy sent up a buffalo-blood broth and dried apples.
Susannah delivered an oldLadies Companion.

Then Rachel Cole kept all of the Ladies Aid away—
Charity was fine she’d say. But not
for such a fall from grace as that.

When Bridget came in on her
Saturday Drunk and Disorderly charges,
she rubbed Sue’s neck and child-heavy legs.
There was talk of sending her off
to the Denver Cottage Home1.
But that was dropped when Sue cried out
that she wouldn’t show herself in public
now and pressed stained handkerchiefs
through the bars.

When Doctor Hudson was called for
from the Redstone Inn,
he never showed up and
Matilda did the honors with Doc Nancy.

Pastor Horner took the baby
to another town and erased the blot
from his records, just like the snow-laden
clouds erased the stars
when Matilda escorted Sue back
to the midnight train.

Connections

connect-langley.jpg

Portal

Sources

Folks, Homer.The Care of Destitute, Neglected, and Delinquent Children. Reprint of 1902 edition. Washington: National Association of Social Workers, 1978.

Portal caption and links

A drawing of young pregnant woman.

Zandra Miller
Doc Nancy
Mariah Horner
Bridget O’Shanty

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Portal for secret connections
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