The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-25
Margaret Gaffrey.

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Among women Of modern fame there
Is not one grander than the subject Of
this sketch. Margaret. It was not
beauty Of feature or symmetry Of form,
which caused the sculptor to endeavor
to be so true to life in cold marble,
as her statue received the last artistic
touch, a statue destined to be one Of
the chief attractions Of New Orleans.
In front Of the female orphan asylum
Is a park. where. seated In an armchair,
Is the figure Of woman with one big
hand resting upon a little boy who
stands at her side How natural she
seems with the cape about her shoul-
ders lshe generally wore a cape oro-
chetod by one Of the orphans) and her
plain dress. The statue bears the sim
pie inscription Margaret" and was
raised to her memory By the people OF
the city to the orphans Of which she
had devoted her life.
Margaret was born in Baltimore. Nd.
Her maiden name was Margaret CAT
ney. When she was quite a child her
parents d'ed with yellow fever. A kind
family named Richards raised the or
phan, who early IN life married Charles
Taughery, with whom she went 20
Kew Orleans This WAS about 1888.
Her husbands health failed; be sought
to regain It by a voyage 20 Ireland, and
died on the way. Death also claimed
their baby boy
No ambition for q high station In life,
no schemlng for wealth was hers but
the big heart vas overilowing with
deep and high genuine religion. a faith
ever showing noble works Having a
robust body and willing hands. Mar
garet entered the service Of some Prot
ostant ladies and Sisters OF Charity in
the small home foi orphans founded
by Julian Poydras and named for him
poydras asylum A little later the sis
ters withdrew, founding anothei in
sttution Margaret went with them.
taking charge Of the dairy but even
then every leisure moment was given
to the little orphans with mother-like
Joy. Upon one occasion she was seen
wheeling a barrow. loaded with pro-
visions. from the grocer's % the asy-
lum, though she ordinarily shrank
from public display Of benefcence
Later she Fiartcd a dairy sun later
her financial sagacity prompted her 70
open a bakery IN the heart Of the city.
This was IN 1860. Business increaeod
and with It her charities Even after
she had accumulated q fortune her big
heart knew no pride save that ~ Civ
ing. and every day she drove 70 the or
phan homes. where with her own
hands she delivered hundreds of loavcs
Of bread She was known as "Marga-
ret. the Orphans Friend" God alone
knows how many thousands Of dollars
this good woman gave away yearly
Her establishment became the iargesi(
and most prosperous in the south.
Margaret was q Roman Catholic. yet
she readily helped the poor Of eferF
denomination.
What made the unleltercd ard gross.
red-faced woman 90 famous7 Nothing
but giving 90 freely 70 the orphans
The whole city honored her. No man
or woman commanded such respect as
was given to her. IN a quiet part OF
the Crescent City IN an unpre.enfious
house. plainly furnished. died Mar
garet the Orphans Friend" m 1882
She left her vast fortune to the or
phans.
One Of the writer's sweet remlnis-
censes Of childhood Is that OF having
often talked 20 Margaret Five yeas I
ago she and her husband visited - E
Margaret Place. as IL Is now kfoWn.
and gazed upon the statue or this no
bic woman.--Mary F. Savage 10 The Z
Housekeeper.