The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-28
ded
Miss Amy
BY LOuiss y. Strong
Copyright, 1896, by c. H. sutcIiffe

There are worse things than being
an old maid" Miss Amy Colver said
serenely.
"Oh. Miss AMY didn't mean
never think of you as being thaty' the
/ girl stammered.
''She isn't such a very old maid
Mrs Wridgely smiled "And she says
truly there are worse things-such as
having blind husband ON your hands.
which would have been her fate If
she'd married Henry Scott. as she
came near doing once"
"She wouldn't think so if she were
his wifel She'd love him all the more
for the affection. know I should. If
WILLIE BIushing holly, Elsie ran
from the room.
Mrs. Wridgely laughed, but with a
keen glance at her sister. who murmur-
ed something about the heat. tanning
vigorously. Then presently she asked,
did you say that Henry Scott was
blindY'
"That's what Kate wrote. The doc
tors think his eyes were ruined, and
no wonder, running into that fire so.
Inflammation set in. He may never
see again. It's a good thing he has no
family He's pretty well off, but he'll
need all he's got, He'll never work
again, and his business will soon go to
ruin, with hired help managing it,"
Amy said nothing. Mrs Wridgely
regarded Der preoccupied face with a
slight frown. then closed the subject
by remarking briskly:
"Well. fortunately, Henry Scott is
nothing to us. / ran over to see what
you're going to wear to the reception,
Amy
1.-THE SAME as usual, I suppose, If
60"
IF you go!" Mrs. Wridgely almost
shrieked ''When you know the affair
is complimentary TO you! OF course
you'll go. And you must wear your
cream silk. I'll send Ruth to dress
you. And Amy, / want to take the
waist and have the sleeves shortened.
You have such pretty arms. I'll run
up and Get it,
Judge Hale and wife will be there"
she resumed. returning to the porch
with the waist
BE whereY Amy questioned vague
ly.
well, if you aren't enough to- Be
at the reception, of course. and Sena-
i1csrr- !, N-N H. Al,
morning. Mrs Reed was so afraid !
they would not be here. | think III
dress early aud come over myself,
Amy, or like as not you'll appeal in
that everlasting black! OF course you
are full of your new book but you
put it out of your mind for this even
ing I'll be over early"
Pm glad it's out about Henry
Scott" Mrs. Wridgely communed with
herself I've been some afraid of the
effect on her, Int | guess she's for
gotten that old affair, and mentioned
.he senator on purpose to turn her
thoughts. ! wish I dare speak plain
V To her about Senator Ellsworth If
she We're only little more like other
'olks! But then. | suppose. he would
lot find her so attractive
Mrs. Wridgely had constituted her
ielf first aid to Senator Ellsworth
ew months before when chance en-
lbled her TO extract letter from
Amy's mail which was plainly from
Henry Scott She felt justified. Amy
would be spared mental disturbance,
nd, anyway. the letter was probably
My a congratulatory note on the sue
ess of her book. such as she received
Mrs Wridgely's hopes con
erning the senator were new then. and
he brilliancy of the possible position
or her Sister Amy excused anything
Amy had been provokingly unappre- ,
iatiye Of this advantageous opportu- ,
ity. as she had been of many others, .
Thich was perhaps to be expected of
eople who wrote books.
Amy sat alone bordering over her
,Ver's peculiar silence. Was it due to /.
,alousy of her success? She had glo- !.
fled in his magnificent conduct when
iC pdDtIS lOiu VI Ills DluH&l1lH 4
gain and again into the burning !.
'reck, rescuing women and children, !
nd to her love, that folly and es-
,angement could not kill, was added /.
ero worship. She had sat silent I'M !
er the news of his calamity with !.
,ntrol that reassuFed her sister, but : :
Ow her fan fell from her grasp,
roken heap.
Blind! Blindp' she moaned !.
The dark eyes that had looked into !.
er heart with power that no other
'uld ever attain darkened forever.
Her Imagination wildly pictured
hat it would mean TO him, so active, >,
alive to the world and it's needs. ;
Iddenly imprisoned in darkness. hope =
SIS darkness. dependent upon others =
nlted to the companionShip of hired "a
and his decrepit aunt, his n
lie relative. :,
At least she might write him few fl
'mpathetic lines. the fact that she n