Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-06-26
A ROMANCE OF THE STREET

I
ing the way with their boisterous antics.
DR.. Henry Cotton, a young physician at
tached to charitable institution in the
neighborhood, found it almost impossible
to push his way through the crowd of hoy
dens. Uncouth faces and rough words
greeted him, as with no very gentle hands
he made for himself a passage through
their midst. One of the girls, bolder even
than her noisy companions, caught at his
! coat and pulled him half around. He look
ed at the girl, whose temerity excited his
| surprise. She was about twelve OF thir-
teen years old, and dirty as any one 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 as black as midnight, and her form
apparently perfect. DIR. Cotton passed on
a 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 arm s reach.
"What is your name, nay girl ?'' asked
the young man.
s'Rosa Garden" she replied.
"Where do you live ?"
! with Nanny Ginger, down there in
the rag cellar-she's my aunt, she ISL
"Well, Rosa," said he, as. he started to
go, ''you are pretty and bright witted to
live in this place and with these hard peo-
pie. Wouldn't you like to go to school,
and be lady when you grow up?"
I Rosa's idea of a lady was associated
with fine clothes, and SO she replied af-
frmatively, without the slightest hesita-
ton.
fsThen III tell you what to do, Rosa,' .
added Henry; ''wash YOUR face, comb
your hair, and-do you know where the
Girls Refuge is?''
eyes. 1 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 tc
her squabling home thinking it over and
over.
| Rosa received little but bad usage an6
short rations from Nanny Ginger, who
only kept the girl for the work she coulc
squeeze out of her. Her present life was
so miserable that no change could wei
have been made for the worse, and so sht
was inclined to follow the strangers ad
vice. That night she dreamed Of being {
fine lady, dressed in silk, and with plent.
TIC eat, and upon waking in the morning
she no longer hestitated.
After exciting Nanny Ginger's wonder
| by washing her face and combing her hail
as well as she could with her fingers, Rosa
islipped out and to the Girls Refuge, al
institution for the care and education Of
orphan and pauper girls. Ringing TIN
'bell, she inquired for Mrs. Brown, as tn
the stranger had told her to do, and at las
reached the presence of the matron OF tn
institution. @ssl.0s.f.
"Weu, little girl,'' said Mrs. Brown
a''what do you want ~
/ II want to learn to be lady,"
The odd reply, covered with the strikin
beauty, won the attention of the matron
and Rosa soon found herself regular in
. mate of the institution.
| Eight years rolled by, bringing DR.. Hel
d nv Cotton to the age of thirty. Elgf
eventful years to the country and to hin
For they compromised the bloody years
the late war. At the first breaking out
the hostilities he entered the army as a
assistant surgeon, and served Throughout
the entire struggle. At it's close, liz
thousands Of others, he found hlmse
1completely unsettled in habits and dlsp
sition. With few hundred dollars save
from his pay, he returned to New 4orl
tn find that his friends had been seattle
ed.
! Nobody knew him, and he had not
relative in the world.
But have profession, he SAID TO MI
e self, perfected by years of practical arm
e experience. I will establish myself an
] prosperity will bring friends around n
again.
Il Naturally buoyant and hopeful ne pr
is pared to recommence life with GOOD Spit
'r and bright anticipations for the future.
lie hired respectable but modest ONO
~, sonoi fashionable 1lp town street, tn