The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-11-29
Recommendation
!. MARGARET OF !
!. NEW ORLEANS
AN IDEAL CHARITY REALIZED.


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. 1T looks Just like
her
"Ah, thank you You live here?'
Il 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.
How delghtful.' concludes my friend
but the lady shakes her head and taps her
fan lightly on the girls soft cheek and
says musingly: 1T did not seem as if |
would live through it, but l have, and
now comes one who calls my trials de
lightful' How cruel!"
"Ah, pardon. But | was thinking of
that charming man who wrote the deli
cious Nine. Delphine.' l was thinking
how perfectly lovely it must be to live
here and know him-and then to live in Il
city that has had such history-it is so
romantic. And can you tell us anything
about Margaret"
This little space-'Margaret place. it
is called-it is a pleasant spot to rest in
With this invitation, given more in
looks than in words, we seated ourselves
near Cur new acquaintance on the scttees
in the little park. The perfume of March
roses ovcrhang the city; we forget in its
deliciousness the signs of decay that in
portions of that quaint old town imparts
q penSive melancholy to its beauty. Near
by us in the green grass is Il pool set
about with low border of cactus; a
mimic fort, with all its bristling thorn
guns out, and its blossom floating from
the ramparts, which are guarding from
such tierceneSs only lazy fleet of water
lilies under the shade of which there is
whirl of goldfish. \ stone footbridgc
crosses the pool and spans the river of
cactuses. 1t is a very odd and tasteful
device, this pool, and the little park in
which it is placed is unique in its way
There is nothing oycrdone, neither neg
lected. 1t is well kept, refreshing. sim
pie setting for the statue itself
''She was working woman-a s~.ant
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 a strange looking person
remarkable in her appearance | think
now as | recall her she had broad fore
head, serious eyes, pleasant, broad
smile, rather short, stout figure. | do
not suppose she ever in her life wore any
dress better than guinea blue calico; she
always wore heavy shoes and a black
straw bonnet trimmed with neat band
of black over the top. From my residence
| could see her many times Il 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
ried and at that time was 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 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
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 small bakery. The place was sold
for a trihe, but now Margaret was in
royal trina landowner and manufac-
turer; for she opened the shop and began
bread and pie making for the neighbors.
Presently there was large bakery built;
soon bread carts were running over the
city bearing the words 'Margaret's Bak-
cry. 1t became the fashion to buy at
Margarets place. During war, pestience
and disaster Margarets fires were never
out, and the delicious 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 pam
ic. 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 a God bring
thee better timesr There was no distinc-
ton in Margaret's favors. She gave to
white and black, of any church or none.
Are you hungryY 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 Mar
garet; 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 Il 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 Mar
Earot'S bread carr. with its smoking rolls,
was seen daily: at every charitable insti-
tuition whatsoever she took the privilege
of giving her bread freely. and Margarets
name headed the list for every charity.
"Our gnd Charity hospital. one Of the
most famous la the world was largely
tho sjA Il Margaret You must visit
that hospital Il will make You better all
your life FOR having seen il. Right
through tine trees there at the right. do
You see that magnificent building with lis
-four galleries running around the FIRST
four stories Of The house? It's gate tells
in golden letters that this is chillrpn's
home. siven hy Margaret, whore To the
end of time orphans will be cared for and
educated by her requests. Many Of oar
cemeteries contain in form of handsome
tomhs Margaret's simple but munifcont
thoughtfulncss. Here you know all are
buried above ground in crypts or ovens
Of masonry, and when you visit our cCme-
teries-as strangers always do. for there
are no burial places like these in America
you will see stone tombs. containing
M hn1 iaA IN,