Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-09-05

your Iife for having seen It. Right through
the trees there, az your right, do YOU see
that magnificent building with its four
galleries running around the first four
stories OF the housel It's gate tells In golden
letters that this Is q children's home, given
by Margaret, where 10 the end of time or
phans viii be cared for and educated by her
requests. Many OF our cemeteries contain
In form Of handsome tombs Margaret's sim
pie yet 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 ICON
tanning one, two or four dozen bodies, may
be- inscribed: 'Given TO the Little Sisters
OF the Poor by Margaret The Strangers'
Tomb, given by Margaret 1 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, a black straw
bonnet, knitted jacket or shoulder
shawl, an iron bedstead in q room
without even rockingham, and over
looking the bakeshop. She had no time
20 enjoy Injuries, even had she possessed
child or a friendless woman In the city,
what time had she to fold her arms in a
rocking CHART While there were unburied
coffinless forms, should she adorn her home
OF the livingl And so IL happened 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 bust
ness houses were closed, ali 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-bearers; the pub
lie 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
ecciesiastics; there never was here .
funeral like Margaret's.
"Afterward IL was found that her pos
sessions had been so disposed that had
death come At any moment the affairs Of
this life were well and intelligently wound
up There were no personal effects of
value, but even her few garments she left
70 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 II very like Margaret. The
motherly figure, seated with one arm en-
circling standing child at her side; the
untrimmed dress, coarse shoes, the little
crochetted shawl about her shoulders are
homely, but who would change them for
finer clothingi 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
did you ever see such q head on q
woman's shouldersl Massive, wonderful.
That Is the head Of q statesman and fnan-
cier, while its mouth, with its pleasant
smile, telling Of the tact and natural suavity
OF Margaret's character, proclaim the ele-
ments Of born diplomat. Yet, look again
at the broad, massive brow, and see the
earnest, loving eyes that speaks Of true
womanhood; look once more at the coarse
garments and you will see that poverty ad-
ded her load TO the ordinary burden Of
womanhood, while ignorance, bereavement,
affiction, loneliness join hands with poverty
against this 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 consider what Margaret did for
one city under such desperate disadvan-
tages wonder what she could have done
for the world IL all the environments had
been right I was thinking OF that as
looked, in passing for the hundredth time,
at the strong, fascinating face this morning,
when your question met my ear.
never be another in marble like il to the end
Of time. She was grand character-ten-
der, strong, original, pitiful, helpful, wise"
-MefropoIlan