, 1864-01-23
A Near-sighted Old Maid.

l am inclined to believe it is true.
| have not been near-sighted always.
You fortunate people who have good eyes,
and can see to read your signs across the
street, and can recognize your friend with
out the necessity Of crossing over to be sure
it is the right one, know nothing Of the
perils and trials of near-sighted person.
Nothing at all, and no pen could picture
them to you-were it ever so graphic.
All through my girlhood, l was engaged
in picking up pins and needles, which
proved to be straws; bowing to people l
had never seen before, upsetting invisible
cans and baskets, and hunying BY my best
friends, never dreaming Of their propin-
quity. - smt
| shook hands with the Governor of the
State once, under the impression that it
was my uncle Jefferson aud astonished him
beyond measure by inquiring how aunt
Polly's rheumatism was, and if she had
geod luck with her last boiling of soft soap.
have searched half the day for some
particular store OR shop, which ! had passed
and re-passed twenty times without being
able to read the sign. r.a
Nature had endowed me with good
voice, and l was needed to sing in our choir
but goodness! l was SO near-sighted
that could not see to read the music 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-hOw near-sighted Agnes Gray
mond is p
could not bear the notoricty, so 1 left
the choir. p"
If made an appointment anywhere, !
was invariably an hour too late, or as much
too early, because, if it had been to have
saved the city, could not have told the
time by the town clock. r a,'-a.rss
/ never dared to 60 out nights-not on
account Of ghosts, for l might have gone
directly through ghost without ever see
ing it-but because was liable to dash
my brains out against any lamp-post that
happened to be standing in the way.
My friends deserted me. used to pass
them blindly by, and once ran away from
my own father, thinking him pick pocket
L stumbled over poor Mr.. Blake, my
mothers most reverend minister, us / was
coming down the stairs-never seeing him
till | heard the noise Of his fall.
Once l went into a strange church, and
there being no sexton, l very gravely took
my seat with the deacons, greatly to the
scandal Of the congregation, Twas not to
blame, the church was dark, and GER
tainly took tho head Of the tallest deacon
for woman's white bonnet and veil. n5
At last l fell in love. Perhaps you may
wonder how / came near enough to any
man to fall in love with him this Thorn
wall Creighton was my music teacher, and
| had to sit near in order to see the notes,
you know. ol 9srA
Mr.. Creighton was a lawyer in good prac-
tice; a man Of wealth and influence. At
the urgent solicitations. Of my father, he
consented to give me instructions and
the result was just what might have been
anticipated. II
At the end Of three weeks we were be-
trothed. .aS
Mr.. Creighton was handsome, and intel
ligcnt, and kind-hearted, but he had one
terrible fault be was jealous. ~ g
used to drive him nearly frantic by my
attentions to other men, as he called my
lolling my head this way and that, to find
who ! should speak to, and who l should
ignore. So. - Y,
When we had been two months betrOthed,
Mr.. Creighton was called TO New York on
business. We had very aifectionate part
ing, and after he had gone, time never
dragged so slowly. He went away on
Thursday, and would return on the ensuing
Wednesday. gi'te dC
"Wednesday arrived at last. The train
from New York was due at 10 AM, and
by the time the clock struck the hour, / was
in the front hall waiting for him. / had
dressed myself in his fayorite colors--and
was confident }Of making good impress
He came even before l expected him. l
saw him coming up the street at a rapid
pace-I opened tho door and stood on the
threshold ready to greet him. He ran up
the stepsr-I rushed forward and threw my
self into his arms, crying OUT
"Ohlg I am so rejoiced to sec you r.
and then l flung my arms around his neck
and kissed himl Kissed him more than
once, am afraid. - ets
He did not speak, but hugged me with
considerable cmpressnient. Just then there
was wild shrek from some one at the gate,
and woman rushed up the step and COM
menced beating me over the head with o
market basket. The basket contained a
turkey, some potatoes, lettuccs, and pack
ages Of tea and sugar. And about my de-
voted head they all fell in lavish profGsion.
mI'll learn you to kiss other women's
husbands in broad daylight yelled the
man-slapping me in the face with the
unfortunate turkey" amt you satisfied
with one sweetheart, that you must be a Sc
ducing Of my husband r. .E
/ looked up in the face Of the gentle
man had been greeting, and goodness,
me twas the face of an entire stranger
and at the same moment, / met tho eyes Of
Mr.. Creighton looking over the strangers
shoulder. He was as black as q thunder
"Agnes!" !" said he, aI have seen all.
Allow me TO bid you farowellp
"ThornEell Y / cried, " o, Thornwell 4
it was all a nistakel did not know this
mani am innocent--I-" HG
~" Agnes, Isaw for myself he said coldly.
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