New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-26

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OF coarse and greasy sack which lay across
her little shoulders, each end being tightly
packed and reaching nearly to the ground.
broken broom handle with a hook Sc
cured in the end, was the insignia of her
| occupation, and that she did not lack zeal
in its pursuit was evidenced by her stopping
when she had come almost to the street, de-
posting her burden, and quickly rescuing a
morsel OF faded calico from some superin.
eumbent trash, and proceeding in system
attic manner TO add it to her previous store.
So much preoccupied was she that she failed
to note the handsome and elegantly dressed
lady who paused near her, arrested by c
kindly commiserat.on for tte unsuitable
TOT. to which being OF such tender years
was subjected, As the child was in the act
of again resumiag her burden, MIS- Sian.
ford spoke to her;
What is your name, little one p
Turning At the sound OF TIE gentle voice,
the dininutive rag picker revealed face
the bright and sparkling beauty Of which
might have been coveted by many mother
| OF wealth and fashion for der pale mani
| mate offspring.
| Her skin, though embr0nzed, and not al
together guiltiess of dirt was clear even to
Transparency; and lips and cheeks glowed
with the vital carmlne. Her small teeth
were white as the rarest pearls Of distant
sea-, and her hair though disLevel,ed and
ro1ghened by exposure to the weather,
trOrn -b.an s.,T, 10 Inn
extemporlzed from frayed fragment of
crimson meriuo, gathered from tie high
way, in rings and spirals Of tendril ike
elasticity, which prisonei in their coils
some OF the riches of the belefcent sun
that had lain go often it's blessings on her
unprotected head Her eyes were of dark
haze, yelled as it were when first seen
with shade of premature earnes tness, but
filed with grick, warm light as thev
rested upon the vision of embodied good
ness, whose soft unaccustoned accents had
fallen upon her ear The question was a
second tine repeated before the child shyly
answered:
Most folks call lie Rag Baby, but Aunty
Patch says my name is Leda"
And who is Aunty Patch"
"Aunty Patch" echoed the childish voice,
with an intoDato1 Of establishment, why,
she's got big cart, and a pony with bells.
Doa't you know A1nty Patch She buys
rags from them that tramps. She made
me this nice bag with glance of satisfac-
ton at the article northumberland gives
NE money for my rags, too-uice, bright,
silver money; but she keeps it, and says,
b!me-by when there's enough Of it, | am
to have pair of shoes and go to school"
Has Leda mammal asked Mrs. Stan
ford The little girl paused for minute as
if trying to recall something from the past,
which time had gradually efaced, and then
said slowly, as if pronouncing word
which, once familiar to her lips, had now
grown strange
Mamma, alb, mamma, the snow was SO
white and then the connecting link was
broken, and, after second OF puzzled
silence, the effort of memory was aban.
doned and she answered quite positively,
"No, ma'am"
As she lifted her eyes to Mrs Stanford
=
slight quiver about the crimson lips which |
seemed TO betoken vague consciousness of |
her great privation in that respect, gathe cred |
perhaps from silent observation, as some |
poor toil-worn mother bestowed the caress |
of overlooking maternal love. which never |
came to bless her young existence.
In the glance there was a mute appeal to |
which the heart of Mrs. Stanford involun-
tarily made response. Beneath the Chris
tian calm and serenity of this lady's life |
there lay sorrow which bent in resigna.
ticn only to the voice of divine eonsola-
ton, and though long years had now passed |
away since the tragic event occurred from
which it had sprung, it often revived with
a Pc ignancy as overwhelming as when in
its early days she had wrestled with tAe
irrevocabe.
Born in distant State, this lady, while
still in the beauty and freshness of
early womanhood, had been united in a
marriage of tenderest affection, with Mr..
then young lawyer, whose way
was yet to be made in the world. Ramov-
ng to the city of New York, it was not long
before the talent and energy of the gentle
nan secured him a lucrative practice, and
vt an age almost unprecedentedly young,
10 became judge of one of the courts.
When they were thus fairly launched upon
he tide of prosperity, the crown was added
% their earthly bliss by the birth of a child,
which had hitherto been denied them and
ss they hung over the cradle in which
iestled this embodiment of their granted
'rayer, their CUP of happiness was full, ard
hey asked no more of God or man,
In this, perhaps, they set up an image of
LAY, and fell down and worshipped, but
are!y does Judgment or visitation befall
dolatry like theirs.
Passing out in response to an invitation
% join the festal circle of a friend, who re-
ided in distant part of the city, from
ZONE which was the shrine of contentment
md comfort, with their baby girl reposing
n the sweet sleep of infancy, safely guarded,
's they thought, they returned to find the
cherished spot reduced to heap of charred
imbers and snouldering ashes, sending up
TOlumes of binding smoke dun and suffo-
'ating as the despair which struck them
Town when their extended arms failed to
eceive the fair babe which they sought,
md their ears were greeted with the awful
idings, "burned to DEATH" When the first
tupor passed away keeher pang was added
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