Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-10-23
A ROMANCE OF THE STREET.

A group of ragged girls were playing on the |
ide walk of Baxter street, half blocking the O
way with their bosleruus antics. DIR. Henry
Cotton, young physician attached to chart
able institu ton in the neighborhood found it | /
almost impossible to push his way through the
crowd of hoydel.s. uncouth faces and rough
words greeted him, as with no very gentle
hands he made for himself passage through
their midst. One of the girls, holder even than
her noisy companions, caught at his coat and
pulled him ha II round.
He looked Mt the girl, whose temeiity excited
his surprise. She was about twelve or thirteen
years old, and rs ragged and dirty as any of the
lot; yet her beauty shone through the dirt and
rags. Her cheeks were round and dimpled,
her lips full and red, her eyes and hair black as
midnight, and her form apparently wonderfully
perfect. DR.. Cotton passed on few steps, but
the girls great beauty excited his interest," and |
he called her. At first she was disposed to run /
away, but finally she went up to him, taking |
care to keep just out of arms reach.
"What is yor name, my girl?" asked the |
young man.
"ROsa Garden" she replied.
"Where do you iive?"
"With Nanny Ginger, down there In the
rag cellar-she's my aunt, she Is"
SWELL, Rosa" said he as he started 20 go,
"you are too pretty and bright witted to live
in this place and with these people, Would
you not like to go to school and he lady when
you grow up?"
hosa's idea OF the lady was associated with
nne clothes, and so 81 10 replied atiirniatvely,
without the slightest hesitation.
"Then II tell you what to do, Rosa" added
Henry: wash your face, comb Your hair,
and-do you know where The Girls Refuge
isph
Eyes, guess so."
"f on go up there, ling the bell and ask for
Mrs. Brown. Tell her that you want to live
there and learn 10 be lady;'' and he went on
about his business leaving the gii with her
noisy companions
But Rosa had no relish for MINING. What
the young man had sad to her kept running in
her head and she soor went to her soualid home
thinking II over and over.
Rosa received little but bad usage, and short
rations nom "Alammy Ginger" who only kept
the glrI Tor tht work she could squeeze out Of
her. Her present lite IVES so miserable that
no change could well have been made for the
worse, and so she was inclined to follow the
strangers advice. That night she dreamed of
being fine lady, dressed in silk ,,and with plen-
ty to eat; and upon waking In the morning she
no longer hesitated.
After exciting "Mammy Ginger's wonder by
washing her face and combing her hair as we
IS shS f9Ha H5 RF 8ge Ras an @ ana pap
er girls RinGing the bell, she inquired for
Mrs. Brown, as the stranger had told her to
do an at last reached lha presence of tho ma
iron of tue tuition.
"Well, little GIRL said Mrs Brown, "what
do you want?H ''''
81 want to learn to BE- a lady"
The odd reply, covered with The nirl,s ST r,k-
ing beauty, won the attention Of the matron,
and Rosa soon fund herself a regular inmate
ofthe institution.
Eight years rolled By, bringing DIR. Henry
Cotton 10 the age OF thirty. Eight eyentfu
years TO The country aud to HIM, for they com.
bloody ~ a
AT tue hist breaking uul of hustilities he en-
tered the army rs an assistant surgeon, and
served throughout the entire struggle. At 1t.
close, IKE thousands upon thousands of others,
ne round himself implicitly unsettled in habit.
and disposition. With a few hundred dnIl,- .
saved from his pay he returned to New York
to lind that his friends had been scattered. No.
body knew linn amd he had not u relative in
the world.
but have profession, lie said to him
sell, perfected by years of practical army eX
perience; will establish myself in praclice
and prosperity will bring friends around m,
again"
Naturally buoyant and hopeful he prepared
to re-eommehcc life, with good spirits anC
bright anticipatioGs for the future lie hired ;
respectable bat moderate office on a semifash
lonable uptown street, furnished il plainly nnf
displayed a sign dcnoting his calling. Day,
passed and no patronage came. lie saw Iii.
dollars gong out, with UQnc coming in.
81 must economze,' lie concLded 81
with"
After this the lounge i'll his office was LI
bed, and the cheap c5taurant got his patron
age. Still these measures only checked Nh,
drain upon his sturr. I hc few prDfessiona
calls that he had were mainly from those tot
poor or loo dishonest u pay, and his incom,
did not one-hali meet his closely cutailed ex
penses. He grew ,Iown-hcaIted and discnnr,
Mnntl ,tln az I, ea,1
his money was all gone. What should he dc:
The idea OF giving up his profession was dis
tasteful, and he chung to hope until actual want
came in the shape of unappeased hunger. Then
one by one he pa"ned his fine surgical instru
mehtsi gelln1 but a small fraction of their rea
value. Articles OF clothing followed until he
found himself utterly uhproyided to meet the
cold weather that was coming on.
FINALLY, convinced that lie must abandon his
profession, he studied columns of the
newspapers, and spent two entire DAYS in try.
ing III VAN to get employment. The last Of
these two days he ate nothing, and preyiou.
short allowance had enfeebled him.-Wheu
night came he staggered YEARLY to his Off, {
10 md that, after repeated warnings tho land.
lord had taken possession and locked lie
door.
With his brain whirling and his limbs totter-
ing with weakness, Dir. Cotton wandered he
scarcely knew WHORE Hunger aud fatigue were
doing their work. lie had walked several blocks
when his eyes fell upon a carriage standing at
the curb. y goldman in livery sat upon the
box, and the door stood open. Just then a
lady came out of an adjacent house, and walk
ed toward the vehicle. The furnished man
saw that she carried a pocketbook in her hand.
The demon Of hunger suggested robbery as his
eyes fsasted upon the well filed treasure. lie
darted forward 'p quickly as TO attract her at
tenton aud for an rs AM she looked tixedly IN
his face. strange expression then pass.l
over her beau ifII fca mr. ,Hu it seemed SC .rce,
ly that Of fear. She Lestated a moment am
then laid the tips Of her fingers upon his
arm.
"l've been waiting for 1ou,' she said; 'get
into the carriage, pirase."
wondering al the meaning of her words
and scarcely knowing or caring what he did, DR..
Cotton did as she requested.
"Drive home, " said the lady 10 the driver,
and away they were borne up fashionable
avenue.
"She has mistaken me for somebody else,r
he thought, 'and must dndeceiye her,
Then he SAID aloud:
"1 on have doubtless made some mistake
at least, have forgotten you, il | have ever
had the honor Of an acquaintance,
mo sir" was the reply, in a musical voice,
vi have made no mistake, but the explanation
Il too long to be made here. win YOU not wait
until reach my home?
Or. Cotton asseutcd, wondering if the
whole adventure was not creation of his few
cred brain.
They arrived, after short drive, at brown
stone mansion Of considerable size and beauty.