The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-04-20

Tet. lnere was only one person In Tue
world who had ever spoken to her on
the street except in taunts. Suffering
and deformed at twenty-seven, she had
never known caress in her whole life
or seen sign OF sympathetic love. Re-
pulsive IN her personal appearance, she
had passionate appreciation of beauty
she kissed the flower petals, and stroked
the green leaves, and stood in stealthy
worshipful forgetfulness beside baby
wagons when their occupants were
asleep, and she could pore over their
pink and white chubbiness withou!
the little things. Her life
was apart from the world. She only
saw through iron bars it's beauty and its
loye None Of it was for Old Margaret.
At last the mothers in the church
sas something about Magaret that fam
med their matronly cheeks with shame.
This was what came of taking the scum
OF the earth into the fold, bringing dis
honor ON the name of Christ. This is
what comes Of Sister Chaduk's unsus
pecting faith in every body No more
than one would suspect of Old Marga.
ret"
Sister Chaduk was informed by the
Sisters of their suspicious. She went
to the girl and charged her with her
crime. There was no shame in Marga-
ret's face as she acknowledged the truth.
No one could make her realize her sin.
She was happy, she was proud. She
said she had been alone and Stunned /;
people did not treat her like woman,
but like monster. She looked like a
monster, and she could only spell few
words, hut she was woman, and she
was to be mother. She envied ladies
OF their beauty, but most of their chill
dren. She had watched their caresses.
She had wondered what it would be to
have little han9 her bosom, soft
cheek against hers; to hold baby in
her arms, to watch it breathe. To see
its eyes close, to feel it nestle to her
heart, to sit and keep it in her arms, and
wait for its walking.
Could there be this happiness for OLD
Margaret Must she miss this, as she
had missed the rest of lifep Tue crav-
ing mother love became in this poor
creature almost insanity. She dreamed
of child, she prayed for it, this igno-
rant, half-idiotic girl A rollickng Ger
man baker told Margaret one day that
he wanted her for his frau; he wouldn',
be afraid Of anybody running off with
her for her beauty. Margaret said be
| was the father of the child; but she nei-
ther felt any passion Or expressed any
love for him, she wanted only her baby.
She was turned out of church; there
was indignant talk of the unclean. by
pocritical, deformed girl, and then Chris
tian life settled back to its usual flow,
and the place where Old Margaret had
foundered was forgotten There was
but one among the many professors who
befriended her. Sister Chaduk, with her
tmotheriy gentIeness said that now, more
than ever the poor ignorant girl needed
her: She put aside her refined shrink.
ing from the vulgar and coarse; she
brought Margaret to her own home
The girls rough fingers had never held
the needle, but Mrs Chaduk cut out lit
tie garments, and the two women made
the baby clothes, and Margaret was
happy, and had not dread or doubt of
the future.
1t was the pretty cottage, with the
rose tree in front and cherries at the
side, that little Elsie was born. The
child almost cost Margaret her life. The
deformed, misshapen creature, scarcely
human in her agony, gro wled and strug.
gled in pitiful desperation. Existence
held q new hope She would not give it
up. She fought death with sort Of
fury. People said Margaret ought to be
left to die, the ungratefql thing. Itwould
be mercy If she was taken, and her
young one, too. But Mrs. Chaduk
nursed the ugly mother through 1t all,
and at last laid the little girl in Marga-
rets arms, and prayed that its life might
be pure one, and blessing to the
world. Margaret WAS too weak to speak.
She kissed her hands passionately, burst
into tears, and in a transport of rapture
gathered the baby close to her lonely
heart. When its soft breath touched
her cheek her distorted features alighted
with such happiness as had never been
seen there before, and the little waif was
named by the wicked mother for the hea.
venliest woman on earth, Elsie Chaduk.
After an absence of three years.
found myself in the town where Marga.
ret lived. I had altogether forgotten
her, when one day saw her limping
down side street.
"Here is Old Margaret. What ever
became of that baby Of hers ?"
/ Before my friend could answer I saw
q tiny girl jump out from behind gate.
post, and call "boo, boo," at Margaret
Margaret chuckled, her broad face all
alight. The little one sped on to the
next gate, and, gathering her short
skirts close around her, waited until
/ Margaret's slow, halting steps overlook
her; then, with spring and shout
she was off for the next post. The
child was unearthly in her beauty. A
straw hat hung by blue ribbons on hel
neck, and her simple calico slip showed
her dimpled arms and satiny shoulders
There were dimples in her pink cheeks
and her golden hair foated in glorious
simmer about her fairy form her eyes
big and blue, had sparkle in then
whenever "ma MAJ came in sight.
j "Isn't it a mystery how that ugly crea
ture could have such child2 She is a
perfect little angel. Her picture was ex
hihited at the Centennial. Isn't she The
rarest specimen of infantie loveliness
you ever saw9 She is bright, too
bright as cricket, sweet tempered and
happy"
i was told that Margaret had a room
lin "Factory Row." and lived there will
her baby. She weIt out washing nearly
every day, earned living in that way
and Elsie was such favorite that sh,
was clothed and almost supported by th
ladies Margaret worked for. 81 dom
know" said my friend, musingly; thing
are mixed in this world-right ant
wrong. Natural motherhood! Is ther
such thingf Can child born out o
! wedlock be heaven sentP Is there
case where such child is blessing
mot a disgraceP If not-poor OI,
) MARGARET! No one. ever loved her bu