The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-05-06

"Her father sent her to we'll known
seminary near Charlottesville, for Eir-
oinia was the land Of her dear, dead
mother Her father was Philadel-
phian and had great expectations for his
daughter. He would make her rich;
she was always beautiful; she would
be a leader in society; she would mar
ry great man. But she married a
senior at the University, and they
kept the marriage quiet until he should
be graduated.
"FoolisL? Yes, but they loved each
other ardently. The day that he was
graduated they announced their mar
riage to few friends, and month
afterward he was in that hopeful band
of young Virginians who followed
Lee.
Zone day little girl was born, and
a fortnight after, struggling soldier
brought letter from the boy-husband
with his last good-by. He saw Death
the same day that the baby saw Life.
The young mothers father lad never
written to her since the day she an.
nounced her marriage, and in her pow
erty and agony she came to Philadel-
phia to find him, for he had gone to the
support of the victorious flag, and had
met death when honor had just crown
ed him"
Miss Carter was leaning forward
with both arms on the table watching
the doctors face with growing interest
He loved dramatic story, and he was
telling this one with all the resource
of voice at his command.
"In this city," the doctor went on,
"she found no one to whom she could
turn. She had placed her hopes on
her father, and he was gone.
"When l tell you the next step
bear in mind she was young-only
seventeen-she was starving, she was
hopeless, she believed death would
claim her any moment; worse than all
the child was dying of hunger. She
left it on the doorstep OF some rich
people whom she had heard her father
speak of as philanthropists, and watch
ed in tue icy twilight while the butler
took the child into the warmth. She,
poor girl, hurried away to face six
months illness in the charity ward of
hospital.
"Truth is stranger than fiction, for
when she applied to church society
for sewing she found it possible, upon
application, to get clothes to make for
the adopted child of the philanthro-
pist. For twenty-four years she has
sewed for this child; first in baby gar
ments, so delicate, demanding such
gentle work, then the underwear for
the school girl, then the dainty things
for the young lady in society.
woman friends of the girl wonder
ed and grew envions at the exquisite
work done on these garments, each
was made as delicate as spiders web.
Three times a year the girl would
send for the seamstress, and each time
the girl would be touched with hands
that trembled and had her eyes noted
the woman's, that look Of love and bun
ger must have had its explanation.
"Time and again the mother would
pray to God to give her strength not
to say a word nor give look that
would rum this girls chances Of wealth
and happiness. She would beguile the
girl into talking of her beaus and her
parties, of her life as young lady,
and of her hopes and ambitions as.
schoolgirl. When the girls beauty
became society's pride the mother kept
every mention of her daughters name
made by the newspapers, and when
her ball gowns were described she
knew that it was the work of hours
of her love. Twice the papers rumor.
ed her bet, othal, and the seamstress
would find pretext, some new meas
urement, to go to the house and ask
the girl if the rumor was true. When
it was denied she was happy, for she
knew that the girl was safe in b pres
ent home.
"rhen came an awful day. The
girl went to Europe with the philan-
thropist, and the seamstress had to
find other work. For years she had
been struggling, but her eyes gave
out, and today she sits here an appli-
cant for room in the almshouse," and
the doctors voice broke.
"On this beautiful Sunday morn
ing" he went on, ''she has just walk
ed from the hospital and has given up"
and the doctor turned away sobbing
The veiled head of the woman had