Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-08-04
,ernment of the needs of the poor the

cernment of the needs of the poor the
half could never be told. She spent
nothing on herself. A clean, blue
calico, stout shoes, a black straw bon
net, a knitted jacket or shoulder
shawl, an iron bedstead in a room
without even a rocking chair, and
overlooking the bakeshop. She had
no time to enjoy luXuries, even had
she possessed them. AS long as there
was weeping child or a friendless
moman in the city, what time had
she to fold her arms in rocking
chair? While there were unburied,
coffinless forms, could she adorn her
home of the living? And so it hap
pened that to the end of life Margaret
spent neither time, care nor money
on herself. She forgot there was such
a mortal as Margaret.
"And when, one day, the news
went around that Margaret was dead,
the great city arose and put on
mourning the business houses were
closed, all the employments of the
city stood still. The day of the bur-
ial thousands of her little orphans
followed her bier as mourners; every
church sent delegations of honor
bearers; the public school children
Joined in the throng; the houses were
draped along the line of march all
the bells in the city tolled civic and
MILITARY joined in the procession with
ecclesiastics; there never was here a
funeral like Margaret's.
"Afterward it was found that her
possessions had been so disposed that
had death come at any moment the
affairs of this life were we'll and in
diligently wound up. There were
no personal effects of value, but even
her few garments she left to the poor,
and with the proceeds of her wise
investments her charities are royalty
endowed.
"This statue is the gift of the city,
to show in this public way the esteem
in which she is held. 1t is very like
Margaret. The motherly figure, seat
ed with one arm encircling a stand
ing child at her side; the untrimmed
dress coarse shoes, the little crochet
ed shawl about her shoulders, are
homely, but who would change them
for finer clothing? The smooth hair,
with its old-fashioned French part.
ing; the strong chin, the pleasant
mouth, the serious eyes-is there not
something fascinating in the contra
/, dictions of the face?
"Did you ever see such a head on 6
: woman's shoulders? Massive, won
!, wonderful. That is the head of {
statesman and financier, while it
mouth, with its pleasant smile, tell
= ing of the tact and natural suavity o
Margarets character, proclaim TIT
elements of a born diplomat. Yet
look again at the broad, massiv,
brow, and see the earnest, loving ey,
that speaks of a true womanhood
look once more at the coarse gar
ments and you will see that povert.
=, added her load to the ordinary bur
den of wOmanhood, while ignorance
y bereavement, afliction, loneliness join
hands with poverty against this soul
. But the massive brow conquered tn
untaught brain triumphed, and unde
j., the leadership of the sad, gentle eye
y gave to the suffering what might
~ ~ had she been man, born in othe
y circumstances, have been the gain @
. nations and the glitter of the trap
" pings of diplomat.
s "When | consider what Margare
i did for one city under such desperat
y disadvantages l wonder what sh
5, could have done for the world if al
u the environments had been right.
D. was thinking of that as 1 looked, il
d. passing for the one hundredth time
:. at the strong, fascinating face thi
= morning, when your question me
4" my ear.
- "Yes, it looks like her, and ther
= will never be another in marble lik
, it to the end of time. She was
- grand character-tender, strong, orig
- inal, pitiful, helpful, WISE"