The Democratic advocate., 1874-06-27
Select Storp,
A ROMANCE OF THE STREET,

A ROMANCE OF THE STREET
A group of ragged girls were playing
on the side walk of Baxter street, hall
blocking the way with their boisterous an.
tics. Dr. Henry Cotton, young physician
attached to a charitable institution in the
ncighborhood, found it almost impossible
to push his way through the crowd of hoy,
dens. Uncouth faces and rough words
greeted him, us with no very gentle hands
he made for himself a passage through
their midst. Ono of the girls, boldcr even
than her noisy companions, caught at his
coat and pulled him half around. lie look
cd at the girl, whose temerity excited his
surprise, She was about twelve or thir-
teen years old, aud as ragged and dirty as
any one of the lot /; yet her beauty shone
through the dirt and rags. Her checks
were round and dimplcd, her lips full aud
red, her eyes and hair as black as mid
night, and her form apparently perfect
DIR. Cotton passed on II few steps, but the
girls 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 your name, my girl p asked
the young man.
Rosa Garden" she replied.
"Where do you liye?"
"With Nanny Ginger, down there in
the rag cellar-shc's my aunt, she is -
"Wcll, Rosa" said he, as he started to
go, 'you are too pretty and bright wittcd
to live in this place and with these hard
people. Wouldn't you like to go to school
and be lady when you grow up?"
Rosa's idea Of lady was associated with
fine clothes, and so she replied afhrma-
lively. without the slightest hesitation.
"Then III tell you what to do, Rosa,
added Henry; wash your face, comb your
hair, and-do you know where the Girls
Refuge is p
Yes, | guess so.
"You go up there ring the bell, and
ask for Mrs Brown. Tell her you want
to live there and learn to be lady !" and
he went on about his business leaving the
girl with her noisy companions.
But Rosa had no relish for romping.
What the young man had said to her kept
running in her head and she soon went to
her squabbling home thinking it over and
over.
Rosa received little but bad usage aud
short rations from Nanny Ginger who
only kept the girl for the work she could
squeeze out of her. Her prcscut life was
10 miserable that no change could well
have been made for the worse, and 50 she
was inclined to follow the strangers ad.
vice. That night she dreamed Of being a
fine lady, dressed in silk, aud with plenty
to eat and upon waking in the morning
she no longer hesitatcd.
After exciting Nanny Gingcr's wonder
by washing her face and combing her hair
as well as she could with her fingers, Rosa
slipped out and went to the Girls Refuge,
an institution for the care and education
of orphan aud paupcr girls. Ringing the
bell, she inquired for Mrs. Brown, as the
stranger had told her to do, and at last
reached the presence of the matron of the
institution.
"Wel little girl" said Mrs. Brown,
"what do you want?"
" / want to learn to be lady"
The odd reply, covered with the strik-
ing beauty, won the attention of the ma
tron, and Rosa soon found herself regu-
lar inmate Of the institution.
Eight years rolled by, bringing Doctor
Henry Cotton to the age of thirty Eight
cventful years to the country and to him.
For they compromised the bloody years of
the rebellion. At the first breaking out
Of the hostilities, he entered the army as
an assistant surgeon, and served through
out the entire struggle. At its close, like
thousands of others, he found himself
completely unsettled iu habits and dispo-
sition. With few hundred dollars saved
from his pay, he returned to New York, to
find that his friends had been scattered.
Nobody knew him, and he had not a
relative in the world
But | have profession, he said to him
self, perfected by years of practical army
experience. will establish myself and
prosperity will bring friends around me
again.
Naturally buoyant and hopeful he pre-
pared to recommcnce life, with good spirits
and bright anticipations for the future.
He hired a respectable but modest office,
on scmi-fashionably uptown street, fur
nished Il plainly, and displayed sign de-
noting his calling. Days passed aud no
patronage came. lie saw his dollars go
ing out out with none coming in.
l must economize, he concludedi ] must
give up my boarding to begin with
n M4I|