The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-03-18
MARGARET OF ORLEANS.
.I wonder if it idenlizes herr"

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" voicE answers in the
soft southern tongue. ut looks just like
her."
''Ah. thank you. You live here?'
81 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 Cable"
A nod answers each one of my young
companions impetuous queries.
SHOW delightfulW 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 would live through it, but
have, and now comes one who calls my
trials delightful How cruel!'
"Ah, pardonl But was thinking of
that charming man who wrote the de-
licious Nine. Delphine.' | was think
ing how perfectly lovely it must be to
live here and know him-and then to
live in q city that has had such history
lit is SO romantic. And can you tell us
anything about MargaretT
This little ace-'Margaret place,
it is called-it 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 settles
in the little park. The perfume of March
roses overhang the city; we forget in its
deliciousness the signs of decay that in
portions of that quaint old town imparts
pensive melancholy to its beauty. Near
by US in the green grass is pool set about
with a low border of cactus; a mimic
fort, with all its bristling thorn guns out,
and its blossom floating from the rain
parts, which are guarding from such
ferceness only a lazy fleet of water lilies,
under the shade OF which there is whirl
of goldfish. A stone footbridge crosses
the pool and spans the river of cactuses.
1t is very odd and tasteful device, this
pool; and the little park in which it is
placed is unique in its way. There is
nothing overdone, neither neglected. 1t
is well kept, refreshing, simple setting
for the statue itself.
''She was working woman-a serv-
ant here. When | first remember her
was living near here, and she was tax
ing care of the cows in stable that
stood almost on the very spot where her
statue stands now. She was working
then for the sisters of the asylum. She
fed and MIXED their cows and sold milk
in cart about the city. She was
strange looking person-remarkable in
her appearance. think now as l recall
her she had broad forehead, serious
eyes, a pleasant, broad smile, a rather
short, stout figure. do not suppose she
/ ever in her life wore any dress better
than a Guinea blue calico; she always
wore heavy shoes and a black straw
bonnet trimmed with a neat band of
black over the top. From my residence
l could see her many times a day while
she was at her stable work or coming
back and forth with her milk cans.
"What was her name? Her name was
Margaret Hauggery; she had been mar
lried, and at that time was widow.
Her husband and little child died just
latter she came to New Orleans; SO we
learned after she became famous. She
was alone and poor in strange country,
and went to work in the stables for
living. Somehow, everybody liked
margaret; her smile was sweet and her
words shrewd. The children called her
margaret, and she knew their names
and answered their salutations along
the street as she drove by in the milk
cart.
AFTER some years Margaret had saved
enough to buy bit of ground that had
on it a small bakery. The place was
sold for trife, but now Margaret was
In royal trina landowner and a manu-
facturer; for she opened the shop and
began bread and pie making for the
neighbors. Presently there was large |
bakery built; soon bread carts were run
ming over the city bearing the words,
'Margaret's Bakery 1t became the |
fashion to buy at Margaret's place. Dur |
Ing war, pestilence and disaster Mar |
garet's fires were never out, and the de- |
ieious rolls kept up their weight and |
quality, no matter what else in life failed |
Then she began running her 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 loaf
fresh and white as the best, and it was
given heartily, with God bring thee
better times There was no distinction
In Margaret's favors. She gave to white
and black, of any church, or none. Are
you hungry that is all that was neces-
sary. 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 the
city. During the yellow fever panic
Margaret began her noble work of taking
the children from the homes Of death
and putting them into a house under
good care, supporting them herself in
every particular. Soon the one asylum