The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1893-12-17

key, well. maybe he couldn't see over
his own gate post" This gate post for
mula she prided herself In. She said It
meant lots, and II her neighbors couldn't
study UP what the lots were, why 1t was
no business of hers to point them out TO
them.
Mrs. Matilda Askan declared that Amy
Mathis got all them gate sayins O. hers
by settin there in her little porch look
in at her gate and nothin else to do the
live long day"
The truth was Amy Mathis hadn't lived
so long Tor nothing. She had got to her
self a bit OF experience-one here. and
another there-as she went along in life
coming Ia contact with many Mrs Ask
airs, and many representatives, OF the
Theysay, and the Tell-it-all families, and
the hard common sense which She had
In her little head taught her TO antrench
herself behind these gate formulas,
She kept busy. and you might say in a
measure eontented. this spry little old
woman. whose clear blue eyes showed
you there was no guile in her soul Her
black hair was getting smartly gray. and
her form was bent, and she limped badly
from q fall from horse, which she got
In her young days. family, consisting
of an old negro woman and her children
tended Miss Amys farm, MIXED her cows
for her, raised her pigs and from their
labors came her support. The woman had
been a family servant and often declared
to her children "Tll nebher leab Miss
Amy. She was Missus' only prechus gall
her boy done gone, nobody knows where
promise Missus on her def bed / gwine
to take kare OBJ her chile, and rse gwine
TO do H."
Miss Amy was liked by every one. but
somehow Mrs. AslSnll persisted in saving
she wouldn't let people git close 10 her;
when you try to- why she jes' gifts behind
them gate sayin's OF hers, and you can't
move her n peg"
Amy Mathis had had some severe rubs,
and was constantly having little snibs
poked at her. because she wAs Amy
Mathis still, She tried 10 DO good natuTed
but sometimes when little upstairs that
she had watched spring up like mush-
rooms, had their say about her In her
hearing she would set 50 overcome that
they would hear from her.
One Sunday, sitting In church before
preaching began, ahe heard her maine cali
ed behind her by some young curled ana
furbelowod miases ana caught their silly
wonderings about her. She tried TO be
deyout In church, but this time during
the last prayer the little old woman for
got about all her gate entertainments and
her long stored stock OF patience, ana she
crcpt behind those girls and had her say
thusly;
"You needn't wonder why / wear ny
old fashioned bonnet SO long. and why /
carry my handkerchief folded up In my
hand. and why | didn't marry, Wait tiil
yon get 10 be As years old and see what
you'll be- ard 80 home and tell your mas
to put bib aprons on you till You learn
some manners. I've seen your sort be.
fore. and ] know how they generally turn
out, and Miss Amy actually forgot her
usual devout department, and left the
! church. after the deiiveranee OF these
words 20 her persecutorS
Ono day letter came for Miss ANY
Mathis. and the postmaster sent II 10 her
by ono OF Mrs Askall's children. OH
myl what a futter Mrs. Askall was IN N
know what was In that letter. YOU sav
Il had mans name and attorney Ia -la,,
on the back Of its Well I'm goin' 10 81
her this evenin', and IN get her out from
hehlnd that gate Of her'n Il she don't
mind"
she did go. but she found the little ia
maid did mind. and when sho bsean
| 'Didn't M ine you a letter tl4s
molnn' with n mans name on the barls
| Of it?' Miss Amy answered with a caino
look n her blue eyes. and d frm aet ~
the line about the mouth, yea. he came
70 that gate and called me cut thare afd.
save ms a letter, and ! read MY ietfer
ana, you know, Mrs, Ash, all tfat i IKE