The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1906-12-21
The DAILY SHORT
STORY
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,

her father died, and as he was the
last of her immediate family, she
| went to live with her Aunt jeanette
whose husband was one of the
most successful business men in
New York.
Amy was left a great deal to her
own devices. Her aunt was too
busy with society to pay much at
tention to the child So the girl
formed the habit of taking an early
morning walk. On one of these
she met Major Hubert Allyn, who
informed her, when he had learn
ed her name, that he had once
known her father very we'll
The major was white haired and
peculiar, people said, although he
was only SO years old. Despite her
| aunt's warnings that Major Allyn
| was not a proper associate for her,
the girl failed to see the force of
her argument and continued to
| meet her friend. For her the
brightest spots of her life at
Beechwood were her chats with the
major. The latter had several
times called upon Mr.. and Mrs.
| Courtney, as became a neighbor,
and they had decided that if it
were not for his battered physique
| and odd ways Major Allyn might
still be a very respectable figure
in society.
A winter in the city separated
| the two friends for a season and
on their return to the country Mrs.
| Courtney had told her niece that
| she expected the friendship with
her old friend to cease. Amy had
written several letters to the ma
jor while away and these he had
answered promptly.
Willis Pendhurst had been in
vited by Mrs. Courtney to accom-
pany the family to Beechwood for
a visit. He admired Amy very
much and was glad of an oppor-
tunity to be near her. On the day
he was to return to the city he con-
fessed his love to Amy and plead
ed with her to become his wife.
She was in reality child, and in
this, her first experience of the
realities of life, she knew not
which way to turn. She did not
care for Pendhurst and frankly
told him SO. No sooner had he left
than Amy made her way to Major
Allyn's little cottage, determined to
pour out her trouble. On the way
she met the majors housekeeper,
who told her that her master had
just met with an accident in trying
to stop runaway horse, and was
now being brought home. Just
then a carriage drew up. A man
stepped over to Amy and handed
her a package which had fallen
from the injured mans pocket. Be-
ing assured by the physician that
the major was not seriously hurt,
Amy returned home and went to
her room. Examining the package
| she found it addressed to herself.
On the inner wrapping was the in
scription, ''To be sent on my death
to Miss Amy Reardon, Beechwood."
There was also slip of paper ad-
dressed to her, which read thus:
"Well as l have loved you, Amy,
had nothing in life to lay at your
feet save partly dismembered
body and a half-crushed heart.
The weer too mean an offering to
make then, but now that death has
thrown a kindly mantle over all,
the thought of what you have been
to me may bring you trifling graf
ifcation. have seen you weep for
others. Can you spare few tears
| for HUBERT"
After reading this, Amy suddenly
blossomed from childhood to
womanhood. All the happenings of
the year before appeared before
| her as a dream. The recent plead
ing of Willis Pendhurst became
| plain, but she was conscious of
only one thing. AS fast as she
could made her way back to the
| majors and demanded admittance
| to the sickrOom. The light in the
| chamber was very dim and the
| wounded man was breathing heav-
| lily as ifin pain. AS she entered
| the room he turned.
Good heavens! Amy, is it you?
What brings you. child?"
| "Where should your wife be but
here?" she asked timidly.
my wife! What do you mean?
Stop, hold up your head and look
at me. You don't mean"
Il am afraid l do, though" she
| answered &c she kissed him.