The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-01-25
Ten Years After. A True Story.
BY AUNT GERTRUDE.

Ten years ago to-day I was ut Shir-
ley, and Amy was celebrating her
twelfth birthday. She had eleven lit
tie friends to tea, and merry party
they were. Amy poured the tea, Ell
joying the honor of sitting in man.
mas place behind the tea service, and
urged the girls to drink great many
cups so that she might have the fun OF
pouring them. Lille served the straw
berries and Sue the ice-cream, and
much chatting and little eating was
the order of the day.
Fannie got the piece of cake that
had the ring in, whereupon-as it had
been agreed that one would be the
first to wear wedding-ring-the
thought of the party turned to the fu-
ture. Alice began teasing Fannie to
know which she would choose for her
husband, doctor, lawyer, merchant
or prince" and from this it came about
that they began to talk seriously, and
each one told what she would choose
her future life to be if she could have
her choice, and I became their histo-
rian. UNLIMITED and unobserved !
noted down at the time what each
said, and have followed them all along
the way.
Fame said she would marry a bank
er. and have fine house and horses
and carriages. She did indeed have
all these things, and did marry q
banker; but to-day she is again under
her fathers roof with her only child,
l. IL l. 90,
q term for embezzlement.
Belle said she would like to be a
hospital nurse, and devote her life to
the afflicted. But loving friends have
to do for her what she had hoped to dc
for others, and for eight years bave
seen her suffering wearily with spine
disease. This is not the life she plan.
ned, and yet she is so patient and
cheerful an invalid that it may be she
does more good by her beautiful exam
pie than she could do in any other
way.
Alice, who chose to be "missiona.
ry," is still single, and devoting hel
life to all invalid mother. She has
never worked in foreign fields, and YET
she is a "missionary," indeed to many
an humble home, whose inmates arc
the recipients of her mothers bounty.
Amy, who hoped for brilliant and
useful life, is in a private insane asy-
lum, surrounded by every luxury, but
hopelessly insane.
Lille, who would never marry, but
would be o teacher and some day have
"a big seminary like Miss Rochefort,'' u
was married when she was eighteen
and yesterday I found her teaching
her second child his letters.
Sue, merry little Sue, who said she
'never thought ahead, but just had
good time every day as it came along
died of scarlet fever only six months
after the tea party, ten years ago.
May declared that she would "mar
ry some rich man, and give dancing
party every week." She did not mar
ry the rich man, but has become the
mistress of a quiet and happy home in
the country, where, instead of the
dancing party every week." she de,
votes herself to the mission boys and
the sewing-classes, and is altogether
"the best, most useful, active little
body in the whole parish"
Dell intended to "devote her life and
money to the poor and suffering
and, though she died one month after
this was said, her wish was accom-.
plished; for her mother spent hel
only daughters fortune in endowine
an orphan asylum and hospital, and
keeps "Dell's purse" always filled tc
help the many poor families to whom
she is constant visitor and friend.
Bessie would be an "authoress," and
is one, though at that time she little
guessed her gift would be needed tc
earn her daily bread.
Lizzie wanted to travel "all over tho
world and see everything" Alas, and
alas! Tn the past ten years she has
not been fifty miles from home and
she is blind.
Ada, who 'couldp't guess and didn't
care" what might be in store for her
has started out in life with fattering
prospects as the wife of young law,
yer.
Helen sits at my side, and I find her
weeping quietly as I finished reading
this story, which brings back to hei
the many changes since that bright
May-day tea party, ten years ago: She
says the only thing can say of her is
that she is strong and well, and, being
older than Alice, is entitled to the po-
sition of "old maid" of the crowd.
4 Talk With Girls