The Washington herald., 1911-06-11

One afternoon as he was going along
Lime street he felt some one touch him
on the shoulder. He turned with a shiv-
er. There was queer feeling expert
enced, as though something was passing
out of his life. His accoster proved to be
a wee bit of a girl not more than twelve
years at most.
She spoke a few. words, the tears roll
ing from her eyes. He perfectly under
stood her.
She's dying" the girl appealed. "and
wants you-wants you so bad. She said
you would come II I told you. Please
come with me. It's only a few streets
up"
The child need not have said 50 much,
for he we'll understood who wanted him.
Without a word he followed her meexly.
1t was his dying wife he met up several
flights of rlckety stairs in the rear room
Of a wretched tenement. Penury, star
walton, misery, death-aH were there.
The unhappy woman, with no traces Of
her former beauty left. lay gasping for
breath in the final throes Of consump-
ton. She was breathing her last as her
husband stepped, with tears, into the
room.
His great love was hardly prepared for
this shocking spectacle, this extraordi-
nary change that approaching death and
sin had wrought A sob met him. a weak
cry, a few inarticulate words, a lifting
OF two pallid, emaciated hands, and the
poor creatures troubled and humbled
spirit had passed from earth.
There IS little more to be written. The
handsome infantry officer, firing OF his
victim, had deserted her in less than a
year. After that Mrs. NJ. fell lower and
lower in the depths Of her misery and
daeTQ mt af La IR,,l
ly stepped in and ended the struggle.
And this is how "'Ostler joe came to
be written, Sims Disgusting personages
OF the real story by introducing actors IN
a humber walk Of life.
About twenty years afterward "'Ostler
Joe" became notorious, rather than IA
nous, In the United States owing to the
resentment Of some Washington ladies'
attending a reception at Secretary Whit
ney's at the audacity Of Mrs. James
Brown-Potter in reciting Dagonets bal
lad. Mrs. Potter was at that time q
young matron IN New York society She
was known as an elocutionIst and reader.
When she recited "'Ostler joe IN Wash
fngton II was said that q number OF
ladies' present left the room. Immediate
ly afterward the ballad was printed In the
newspapers throughout the country. and
almost every shade Of opinion was sx-
pressed regarding the auQdclIy OF MIS-
Potter IN reciting 1t.
One example OF the critical attitude was
when George Bancroft. the venerable
historian, requested Daniel Dougherty,
the silver-tongued orator, to recite lost
Ter Joe" to him. Mr.. Dougherty doubt
less read the verses with a beautiful
enunciation and splendid elocutionary ef-
feet. Bancroft listened attentiveIy, and
when he was through expressed his opin-
ion Of the selection by saying that not
only was the sentiment Objectionable, but
the literary quality OF the poem was poor
On the other hand, Mrs. Potter had hun
dreds of defenders, and the poem found
its champions as a very touching ex-
preston Of homely sentiment and hum
BILE life, carrying a forceful lesson Of
Christian charity and the strength of a
mans love.
'Ostler joe instantly became a favor
ite selection with elocutionists and read
ers, and It is wholly difficult at this dis
tance of time to fully appreciate the SEN
sation that was caused by Mrs. Potter
when she dared to introduce "'Ostler Joe"
to society.