The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-04-05
BY A HAIRS BREADTH.
An Old Maids Romance

Miss Selma sat knitting aud hum
ming softly to herself in the tiny
porch in front of the house where she
dwelt supreme mistress. The golden
sunshine darted through the rIstling
vines and flashed upon the swiftly
moving needles, sending dazzling rays
in every direction.
"Oh, Miss Selma" cried q high,
clear voice, ''do stop knitting for a
minute. I am nearly blinded" Down
dropped the work, as Miss Selma hast
lily sprang forward to meet this most
welcome visitor.
'sComo in, dear; come in" she cried.
ssIt's nice and cool here on the porch,
and I have been baking those nice
seed cakes you like so much
you're an angel" responded the
girl, as she kissed the cheek where
time had furrowed a few wrinkles as
year posts for nearly half century.
ssBut even seed cakes won't console
me, for we are going home tomorrow"
stFor the lands sake, child" ex-
elaiaaad Ger hostess, genuinely g:.ieved;
,sSoa don't say SO. z thought Shat
- would Be here another month, at
Beast Is anything the mattec?''
4 ssOh. aothing IN aT; U1l5
ID >namsha has a touch Of rheumatism
and is afraid to have any more east
winds. Oh, de :, how can I 80 ane
leave all this beA. .nd:'' and as she
spoke the girl gazed over the cliff
where the little house stood like sig
na! tower, ross the smiling ocean
where the ing waves were creste>
with foam L.. .aey frolicked with the
refreshing wind.
'sSuch perfect blue and gold day
as it is. It seems to me 1t grows hard
er each year to go back to the prlm
sedate, old city: What shall ] dc
when there is 10 more fishing or row
ing or bathing or anyihing?' and tht
girl leaned back, with slight cloue
on the usually sunshiny face. ."Whert
are you going, Miss se:''
After the cakes, DEAR" and Mis-;
Selma vanished, with step as ligh
as girls.
But even the cakes failed to baaisl
the girls unwonted mood, and Mis-:
Selma felt at her wits end.
''See here, dearie," she said a
last, II know it is hard to leave now,
WHEN it is all so lovely, bnt yot
wouldn't like to stay here all winter.
wouldn't ], though" put in th'
gni.
''That is easy to say, but sometime
when I look out Of the windows
really wish lived somewhere else. |
is gray and white and angry, and tn
clouds hang so heavy over it. Tnel
the surf comes to the shore, as though
it wanted 20 tear it away and drown
everybody it hadn't got already" Mis-
Selma snivered, and the girlimpulslve
~ turned toward her friend.
':Don't, Miss Sc, please. 1t is aw
fully mean OF me to make you thlni
of these things. 1 wonder that yo'
don't hate the sea, after all the harm
It has done you.
"Hate it? No, child; even thoug]
it has my father and brothers IN it
keeping, and somehow it makes ~
feel as though were doing somethln;
for the daughters and sisters who ~
watching end waiting everywhere, b.
putting my lamp where it will sho7
all night. They call it the Selin
light, you know. But come, We won
be solemn any longer. Tell me VIVA
you are going to do this winter, nov
that you are 2 young lady,
<sI don't know, I am sure. wanted
to go to college, but mamma says sh
cannot spare her only girl, so viii
have to content myself at home. How
lam not sure, unless I become pre-
fessional ha;rdresser, which is reall.
the only thing for which I seem t
have any talent. Oh, Miss Sc, won
YOU please let me do your hair up 70
YOU. You have such pretty pin
cheeks and nice hair that you will b
beauty when I have finished it.
"For lands sake, child, what pu
that ridiculous idea into your lead
Why. T have done my hair this wa
for years, and it wouldn't seem nat1
raj in any other fashion"
ssThen it is high time you changed
Miss Sc. You want ponpadour II
stead of drawing it straight bach
Come and let NE try. I won't touc
the scissors or curling tongs."
Miss Selma never cor!d refuse th
girl an nything, and obediently went IL
with many inward misgivings as
the result.
s-Sit down here, num-" cried th
girl, dragging low seat before IL
old fashioned mirror and seating hs
victim thereon. In minute Mis-