The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-21
Communicated

Dear Children,-The other day l was travel
ling on the cars with very pleasant and intel
hgent lady who had recently made a journey
entirely around the world. OF course she had
great deal to talk about that was entertaining
and delightful; but nothing interested me more
than an anecdote, which she happened to tell
me of her little cousin now living in Alexandria,
Egypt You boys and girls who are so clever
at making and guessing geographical enigmas
for the Central Presbyterian, will at once know
Just where this little American girl has her far
away home. The child has no brothers or sis
tiers, and being constantly associated with her
father and mother, becomes interestedin all sub
jects of which they talk or read But nothing,
the lady said, seemed to give her as much de-
light as hearing about the great Napoleon and
everything connected with the Bonaparte family
Last year when the young Prince Imperial went
off to south Africa to help the English fight the
Zulus, this little girl would watch the papers
and read all she could find about the war; In
June came the sad news that the brave young
Prince had been killed by the savages and the
child refused to be comforted. She gave up her
accustomed plays, lost her appetite, wept and
moaned in her sleep, until her parents feared she
would become sick from grief One day she
said to her papa, II have written letter to the
poor Empress to tell her how sorry am You
must send it at once. 1 think it will do her
good l must tell you that as this little girl
has lived abroad for some time, she speaks and
writes the French language as readily as you do
your own. Her little letter was very neatly
written in French, and was something like this
Dear Empress,-I am so, so sorry fol- you
| have cried great deal since l heard your
brave and beautiful boy was dead. Oh I wish
he could have lived. l do not know what to
say to you. l am only little girl, ten years
old, named Kate Baxter of the United States
My papa and mamma have no other child, and
If any body should kill me, what, 10hat would
they do? l cry whenever 1 think of you and
your dear, noble son. / am sorry for you. | ask
God to comfort your heart, Goodbye, dear
Empress"
The father would not wound his little daugh-
ters afectionate, sensitive nature by telling her
how useless was this expression of her sympathy
He quietly laid the letter aside hoping this
would end her sorrow. But the child came
again and again to ask if her letter had been
mailed and seemed so panied at his neglect that
to relieve her mind the letter was posted at last
and nothing more said on thesabject But after
awhile there came one day an envelope with
deep black border, just leaving white space
enough on which to write the address of Made
moiselle Kate Baxter" This mourning envel-
ope contained letter written by the Chamber
lain of the ex- Empress Eugene, saying he wrote
by command of her Majesty to thank the little
American girl for her letter so sweet in its afec-
tionate sympathy. His lady valued it very
highly indeed because it had come from the
heart of her little friend, and she prayed God to
bless the dear child who had wept for her in this
sore affection. And so the little girls own ten
der heart was soothed and quoted, when she
felt that she had done all in her power to com
fort the poor, bereaved mother.