The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-04
THE STORY OF MARGARET OF
NEW ORLEANS.
wonder if it idealizes her?n

"I wonder if it idealizes herr"
We stand beside the statue of this ia
NOUS woman, Margaret of New Orleans
and, after the manner of strangers, con-
lecture on what we for the first time see
"Not at ALL" a voice answers in the
soft Southern tongue. ct looks just
ike her."
"Ah, thank you. You live here?"
ST was born here; this is my home"
"You were here during the war, and
yellow fever, and everything? and was
Ben Butler SO dreadful? and have you
seen Gable?
A nod answers each one Of my young
companions impetuous questions.
"How delightful !" concludes my
friend, but the lady shakes her head and
taps her fan lightly on the girls soft
cheek, and says musingly: at did not
seem as if L would live through it, but
have, and now comes one who calls my
trials delightful How cruelp
"Ah, pardon. But I was thinking of
that charming man who wrote the deli.
cious mime. Delphine.' l was thinking
how perfectly lovely it must be to live
here and know him-snd then to live in
city that has had such history-it is
so romantic. And can you tell us any
thing about Margaret"
"This little space Margsret's Place.
it is cslled-is pleasant spot to rest in"
With this invitation, given more in
looks than in words, we seated ourselves
near our new acquaintance, on the set
tees in the little park. The perfume of
March roses overhsngs the city; we for
get in its deliciousness the signs of de-
cay that in portions of that quaint old
town impart a pensive melancholy to it's
beauty. Near by us in the green grass
is pool set about with a low border of
cactus; mimic fort, with all its brist-
ling thorn-guns out, and its blossom flags
flying from the ramparts, which are
guarding with such ferceness only lazy
fleet of water lilies, under the shade of
which there is whirl of goldfish. A
stone foot bridge crosses the pool and
spans the river of cacti 1t is very odd
and tasty device, this pool; and the little
park in which it is placed in unique in
its way. There is nothing overdone,
neither neglected. II is well.kept, re-
freshing, simple setting for the statue
itself.
"She was q working womsn-a servant
here. When / first remember her / was
living near here, and she was taking care
of the COWS in a stable that stood almost
on the very spot where her statue stands
now. She was working then for the sis
tiers of the asylum. She fed and MIXED
their COWS, and sold milk in cart about
the city. She was strange looking per-
son-remarkable in her appearance.
think now as recall her she had broad
forehead, serious eyes, pleasant, broad
smile, q rather short, stout figure. I do
not suppose she ever in her life wore any
dress better than Guinea blue calico;
che always wore heavy shoes, and black
straw bonnet trimmed with a neat band
of black over the top. From my resi-
0ChCC l. NOhA0 SEQ hOl Lhohg NAhCo q 10Y
while she was at her stable work, or COM
ing back and forth with her milk cans.
"What was her name? Her name was
Margaret Hauggery; she had been mar
ried, and was at that time widow. Her
husband and little child died just after
she came to New Orleans, SO we learned,
after she became famous. She was alone
and poor, in a strange country, and went
to work In the stables for living. Some
how everybody liked Margaret; her smile
was sweet, and her words shrewd. The
children called her Margaret, and she
knew their names and answered their sal
utstions along the street as she drove by
in the milk cart.
"Aftsr some years Margaret had saved
enough to buy bit OF ground that had
on it a small bakery. The place was
sold for triAe, but now Margaret was
in royal trim; land owner and a manu-
fscturer; for she opened the shop and
began bread and pie making for the
neighbors. Presently there was large
bakery built soon bread carts we're rum
ming over the city bearing the words,
'Msrgsret's Bakery 1t became the
fashion to bay at Msrgaret's place. Dur
ing war. pestilence and disaster Marga-
ret's free were never out, and the deli
cious rolls kept up their weight and quail
ity, no matter what else in life failed.
Then she began RAINING free bread carts
during the fever panic. No one went
hungry who was within sound Of her
cart wheels. From that time on no one
need go hungry in New Orleans-those
too poor to buy were given a loaf fresh
and white as the best, and it was given
heartily, with God bring thee better