The Hattiesburg news., 1915-03-05
MISSISSIPPI GILL
ASKS 70 Be IDENTIFIED
fC.ntin. "A Ero,. 3seo tina,
fceatins ID From Page Ona.I

|
known. The records Of the convent re-
veal nothing of her coming; the good
sisters have no memory Of who
brought her there. Within the dim
cloister walls she was known by that
name-how it came TO be hers is past
their recalling.
when was little GIRL" Catherine
said Thursday, az remember that
lived in Columbus. Mississippi. II
could go back there now l am almost
sure that l could point out the house
where l lived, could point out the
plantation store where the people
lived with used to deal.
Little Mystery" Girl.
Il was little then, but remember
that lived with an aunt, and l think
her name was Mrs. James Murray. It
was big house that we lived in, and
the Mississippi river swept along like
a silver thread mile away. Lots Of
times my aunt would hold me on her
4 lap and cry and say that when | grew
up she would tell me my own name
who was my father, and who my
mother. Then she married again, a
| ms LNraIorto1x Da11nrf
then she died.
people came from all around to the
funeral. They cried, but l did not;
| did not know what it was all about.
Another aunt came to the house then,
but she didn't stay. She closed every
thing up and took me away with her,
TO Monroe, La. Her name was Mary
Gore, I think, but / am not sure of
that.
Anyway she kept me at her house,
but she wasn't good to me; she never
used to hold me on her lap like my
other aunt did, and she never kissed
me. and she never promised to some
day tell me who | was, and / never
asked her. l don't know how long
lived with her. but one time she sent
me away. She gave me to priest to
bring me to New Orleans. I think
his name was Father Picay. and he
left me at st. Theresa's Convent. ]
stayed there until I was IL years old
and no one ever came to see me from
the outside world, and no one ever
wrote to me, and l never heard that
anyone inquired about me.
Longs For Life.
Then they took me to st. Elizabeth
convent in Napoleon avenue. l was
there long time, about six years.
was satisfied. But girls who had beer
In the convent before and WHO hat
gone away. would sometimes come
! back to visit the sisters, and they't
tell us stories Of the outside world.
: wanted to see It: It seemed 80 differ
ent from everything had ever known
and 30 they let me go.
The streets looked 80 strange e
me. People and houses and animali
even seemed like things from q differ
ent planet. The sisters secured me :
/ position before I left the convent, bu
couldn't do the work. I didn't know
= how. And SO I left it. didn't wan
. to go back to the convent. though;
had left there with hopes 80 higl
that couldn't go back. nss n,
/ money 80 went into the Jesuit churcl
4 to pray.
Everything seemed so peaceful
4 there. The light came dimly through
the stained glass windows just as
used to do in the convent. l praye,
and cried for long time, and I wa
tired and hungry, and fell asleel
whileT prayed. On my knees will
my face In my clasped hands fel
asleep, and l cried while / slept.
Paiis Asieep Praying.
"A lady came into the church an,
woke me. She asked me why I va
crying and l told her. I don't wan
70 tell her name. perhaps, she wouldn'
want st known. She has been so soot
to me. But she works for only a lit
tie pay, and she has had hard tim,
providing for me. l want to work, toe
but I can find nothing to do. Sh'
can't keep me much longer; the lit
tie money that she had saved is abou
: all spent. l have to do something VIII,
will give me something to do?
"And l want to find out my nam,
II | cam | want to know who am;
want to be like other girls and hav
aNname all of my own" &