The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1863-08-14
geIstt Gale.
-
"A NEAR SIGHTED OLD MAID
BY CLARA AUGUSTA.

D |. H o.
Almost any one would be willing t'
admit that one Of these misfortunes, alone
was sufficient for any individual but botf
vals Of wrath were unstopped above my
.defenceless head.
l am near sighted. and husbandless
and sm--well, no matter how old. No
woman gets so old as to lose all hope,
they say, and l am inclined to believe il
is true. 0.
! have not been near-sigbted always.
In childhood, am sure, could see as
far as any one who could see no farther
At the age Of twelve years, | was pros
trated with the measles, and they 'eit me
short. sighted.
You fortunate people who have good
eyes, and cau see to read signs across the
street, and can recognize your friend
without the necessity Of crossing over tC
be sure il is the right one, know nothing
Of the perils and trials Of the near sight
ed person. Nothing at all and no pei
could picture them to you.-were it eve
so graphic. ,..s
All through my girlhood, l was en-
gagged in picking up pins and needles
which proved to be straws; bowling te
people had never seen before, upsetting
invisible cans and baskets, and hurrying
by my best friends, never dreaming oI
their propinqnity. .-...,.
! shook hands with the governor o'
the state, once, under the impression
that it was my uncle Jefferson and as
touished him beyond measure by inquir'
ing how aunt Polly's rheumatism was
and if she had good luck with her las
boiling Of soft soap.
have searched half the day for some
particular storo, or shop, which l had
passed twenty times without being able
to read the sign. ..-.
Nature had endowed me with a good
voice, and | was needed to sing in our
choir--but goodness | was 50 near
sighted that | coul not see 10 read the
mu ic unless | held the book close to my
eyes, and then the whole congregation
would ignore the singing, and whisper
loud enough for every one to hear-one
to another-"How near-sighted Agnes
Graymond is r
l could not bear the notoriety. SO left
the choir. ....
If l made an appointment anywhere,
| was invariably an hour too late, or as
much too early, because, fit had been to
have saved the city | could not have told
the time by the town clock. =
never dared to so out nights-not on
account of ghosts, for might have gone
directly through ghost without ever
seeing it-but because l was liable to
dash my brains out against any lamp post
that happened to stand in the way.
Ny friends deserted me. l used to
pass them blindly by. and once | ran a
way from my own father thinking him a
pick-pocket.
stumbled over poor old Mr.. Blake,
my mothers most revered minister, as l
was coming down the stairs-never see
lag him until / heard the noise Of his
fall. a ..s......l ......
Once. l went into a strange church,
and there being no sexton. | very grave.
y took my seat with The deacons, great
y to the scandal Of the congregation. ]
wrs not to blame. The church was dark,
md | certainly took the white head OF
The tallest deacon for woman's white
bonnet and veil.
AT lrst l fell, in love. Perhaps you
wonder how / ever came near enough to
my man to fall in love with him ; this
rhornwell Creighton was my music
and | had to sit near him in or
ler to sec the notes, you know.
Mr.. Creighton was lawyer in good
Practice a man of wealth and influence.
At the urgent solicitation Of my father,
10 consented TO give me instructiop-and