Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-08-20

Margarets favors. She gave to white and black, of any church, or none. Are you hungry?' that is all that was necessary. Here is bread, take it with Gods blessing.' There have been in this city dread days which seemed as if God and everybody had failed us but Margaret; days when she almost literally fed tho city. Dur ing the yellow fever panic Margaret began her noble work of taking the children from the homes of death and putting them into house under good care, supporting them herself in every particular. Soon the one asylum grew into many; the dozens of her little charges were numbered by hundreds and at the time of her death, thousands. At the gate of every orphan asylum in the city Margarets bread cart with its smok- ing rolls, was seen daily; at every charita- ble institution whatsoever she took the priv ilege of giving her bread freely, and Margaret's name headed the list for every charity. Our grand Charity Hospital, one of the most famous in the world, was large ly the gift of Margaret. You must visit that hospital. It will make you better all your life for having seen 1t. Right through the trees there, at your right, do you see that magnificent building with it's four galleries running around the first four stories of the houses Its gate tells in golden letters that thls is a chidren's home, given by Margaret, where to the end of time or phans will be cared for and educated by her beQuests. Many of our cemeteries contain in form of handsome tombs Margaret's sim pie vet magnificent thoughtfulness. Here you know, all are buried above ground in crypts or ovens of masonry; and when you visit our cemeteries-as strangers always do for there are no burial places like these in America, you will see stone tombs (con- taining one, two or four dozen bodies, may bel inscribed: 'Given to the Little Sisters of the Poor by Margaret The Strangers Tomb, given by Margaret I suppose Mar garet spent more money for the city than the richest man in the history of the State and of the sympathy and discernment of the needs of the poor the half could never be told. She spent nothing on herself. A clean, blue calico, stout shoes, q black straw bonnet, d knitted jacket or shoulder shawl, an iron bedstead in a room without even a rocking-chair, and over looking the bal1eshop. She had no time to enjoy luXuries, even had she possessed them. As long as there was a weeping child or a friendless woman in the city, what time had she to fold her arms in & rocking chaira While there were unburied ccfinless forms, should she adorn her homo of the livinga And so it happened that to the end of life Margaret spent neither time, care nor money on herself She forgot there was such mortal as Margaret.
 And when, one day, the news went around that Margaret was dead, the great city arose and put on mourning; the busi- ness houses were closed, all the employ ment of the city stood still. The day of the burial thousands of her little orphans fol- ! lowed her bier as mourners; every church | sent delegations of honor-hearers; the pub lie school children joined in the throng; the houses were draped along the line of 1 march; all the bells in the city tolled; civic and military joined in the procession with i ecclesiastics; there never was here a funeral like Margarets.
 Afterward it was found that her pos sessions had been so disposed that had l death come at any moment the affairs of ! this life were well and intelngently wound ! up. There wero 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. It is very like Margaret. The motherly figure, seated with one arm en- circling a standing child at her side; the untrimmed dress, coarse shoes, the little Crochetted shawl about her shoulders are l homely, but who would change them for finer clothing! The smooth hair, with its old-fashioned French parting; the strong chin, the pleasant mouth, the serious eyes is there not something fascinating in the contradictions of the facet
 I Did you ever sec such a head on a woman's shoulders2 Massive, wonderful ! That is the head of a statesman and finan- cier, while its mouth, with it's pleasant smile, telling of the tact and natural suavity l Of Margarets character, proclaim the ele- ments of a born diplomat. Yet look again at the broad, massive brow, and see the earnest, loving eyes that speaks of true womanhood; look once moro at the coarse garments and you will see that poverty ad- | ded her load to tho ordinary burden of womanhood, while ignorance, bereavement, 1 aftiction, loneliness join hands with poverty against th1s soul. But the massive brow conquered; the untaught brain triumphed, and under the leadership of the sad gentle eyes, gave to the suffering what might, had she been @ man, born in other circum- stances, have been the gain of nations and the glitter of the trappings of diplomat
 "When 1 consider what Margaret did for one city under such desperate disadvan- tages wonder what she could have done for the world if all the environments had | been right. I was thinking of that as I looked, in passing for the hundredth time, at the strong, fascinating face this morning, when your question met my ear.
 Yes, it looks like her, and there will never be another iR marble like 1t to the end of time. She was grand character-ten- der, strong, original, pitiful, helpful, wise" -Metropolhan.
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