The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-06-23

4 Romance of the Stree.
y group OF ragged girls were playing
ou the sidewalk of Baxter street, half
blocking the way with their boisterous
Antics. DR.. Henry Cotton, young ply
siciau attached to a charitabls institution
IN the neighborhood. found it almost i'm
possible to push hi, way through the
crowd of hoydens. Uucuu,h faces and
rough words greeted him,as with no very
gentle hands, he made himself passage
through their midst. One of the girls,
bolder even than her noisy companions,
caught at his coat aud pulled him half
around. lie looked at the girl, whose
temerity excited his surprise, She was
about twelve or thirteen years old, and as
ragged and dirty as any of the lot; yet
her beauty shone through her dirt and
rags Her checks were round and dim.
pied, her lips full and red, her eyes and
hair black as night, and her form appar-
emily wonderfully perfect. DR.. Cotton
passed on few steps, but the girls
beauty excited his interest, and he called
her. At first she was disposed to run
away, but 6ually she went up to him.
taking care to keep just out of arm 5
reach.
What is your name, my girl ~ asked
the young man.
Rosa Garden" she replied.
"Where do you live ?"
"With Nanny Ginger, down there in
the rag cellar-she is my own aunt, she
is"
"Well, Rosa" he said as he started to
CO. "you are too pretty and brght-witted
to live in this place, and with these hard
people Wouldn't you like to 60 to
school and be nice young lady when
you are grown up?'
Rosa's idea Of lady was associated
with clothes, and she replied aflirmatively
without hesitation.
"Then I'll tell you what to do, Rosa,
said Henry. "Wash your face and comb
your hair, and--do you know where the
Girls Refuge is ?"
"Yes, guess So
You 90 I'D there. ring the bell and
ask for Mrs Brown. Tell her that YOU
want to be lady !" and he went on
about his business, leaving the girl with
her noisy companions.
But Rosa had no relish for rompipp.
What the young man had said to her kept
running in her head, and she went to her
soualid home. thinking it all over and
over.
Rosa received little but bad usage and
short ratiops from .Nlamuy Ginger who
kept the girl for the work she could
50 miserable that 40 change could we'll be
made for the worse, and so she was in.
cl ned to follow the strangers advice
That night she dreamed Of being fine
lady, dressed in silk, and with plenty tc
eat, aud upon waking in the morning shC
no longer heoitated.
After exciting Nanny Ginger's won
der by washing her face aud combiug hel
hair as well as she conld with her fngers
Rosa slipped out and went to the Girl'
Refuge, an institution for the care and
education of orpban and pauper girls
Ringing the bell, she inquired for Mrs
Brown, as the stranger had told her t.
do, and at last reached the presence o
the matron of the institution.
"Wen, little girl," said Mrs Brown
what do you want?"
Il want 10 he a lady"
The odd reply, coupled with the girl
striking beauty, won the attention Of tn,
matron, and Rosa soon found herself al
inmate of the institution.
Eight years rolled by, bringing DR.
Henry Cotton to the age of thirty, hi gh
eventful years to the country and to him
tor they comprised the bloody years o
the great war. AT the breaking out @
ho,liliies he entered the army as assist
ant surgeon, and served throughout tn
entire struggle. At the close, like thous
ands upon thousands of others, he foun,
himself completely unsettled in habits an
disposition. With a few hundred dollar
saved from his pay, he returned to Ne,
York to fad his friends scattered. Nc
body knew him, and he had not rela
tive in the world.
but have a profession, he said t
himself, perfected by years Of arm
experience [ will establish myself, an
prosperity will bring friends around m
again"
Naturally buoyant and hopeful, he prC
pared 10 recommence life with good spi,
its and bright anticipations for the futur,
lie hired a respectable but modest offic
in semi.fashionable uptown stree
furnished it plainly and displayed a sig
denoting his calling. DAYS passed. an
no PATRONAGE He saw his dollars ooin