The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-02-15
AbSentminded
Miss Amy
BY Louise j. Strong
Copyright, 1906, by c. II. Sutcliffe

"There are worse things than being
an old maid" Miss Amy Colver said
serenely.
"Oh, Miss AMY didn't meant
never think of you as being thatr' the
girl stammered.
"She isn't such q very old maid"
Mrs. Wridgely smiled. "And she says
truly there are worse things 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 wife! Shed love him all the more
for the affection. 1 know 1 should. If
Willie Blushing holly, Elsie ran
from the room.
Mrs. Wridgely laughed, but with
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
blindT'
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 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 her preoccupied face with
slight frown. then closed the subject
by remarking briskly:
well. fortunately, Henry Scott is
nothing to us. 1 ran over to see what
you're going to wear to the reception,
Amy"
''The same as usual 1 suppose, if !
CO."
eff you gor' Mrs. Wridgely almost
shrieked. when you know the affair
Is complimentary to you! OF course
you'll goi And you must wear your
cream silk. I'll send Ruth to dress
you. And, Amy, 1 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 where?" Amy questioned vague
ly.
well, if you aren't enough to Be
at the reception, of course, and Sena-
tor Ellsworth, too; he got back this
I'll
they would not be here. 1 think I'll
dress early and come over myself
Amy, or like as not you'll appear in
that everlasting black! OF course you
are full of your new book, but you
owe something to your friends. Do
put it out Of your mind for this even
ing. I'll be over early"
I'm glad it's out about Henry
Scott" Mrs. Wridgely communed with
herself. I've been some afraid of the
effect on her. but l guess she's for
gotten that old affair, and 1 mentioned
the senator on purpose to turn her
thoughts. l wish l dare speak plain
ly to her about Senator Ellsworth. If
she were only little more like other
folks! But then, 1 suppose, he would
not find her so attractive"
Mrs Wridgely had constituted her
self first aid to Senator Ellsworth q
few months before, when chance en-
abled her to extract a letter from
Amy's mail which was plainly from
Henry Scott. She felt justified. Amy
would be spared mental disturbance,
and, anyway, the letter was probably
only congratulatory note on the sue
cess of her book, such as she received
constantly. Mrs. Wridgely's hopes con-
corning the senator were new then, and
the brilliancy of the possible position
for her sister Amy excused anything.
Amy had been provokingly unappre
ciative of this advantageous opportu
nifty, as she had been of many others,
which was perhaps to be expected of
people who wrote books.
Amy sat alone bordering over her
lovers peculiar silence. Was it due to
jealousy of her success? She had glo-
rified in his magnificent conduct when |
the papers had told Of his plunging |
again and again into the burning |
wreck, rescuing women and children, |
and to her love, that folly and es-
arrangement could not kill, was added |
hero worship. She had sat silent I'M
der the news of his calamity with n
control that treasured her sister, but |
now her fan fell from her grasp, a |
broken heap.
Blind! Blindr' she moaned.
The dark eyes that had looked into |
her heart with power that no other |
could ever attain darkened forever.
Her Imagination wildly pictured |
what it would mean to him. so active, |
so alive to the world and its needs |
suddenly imprisoned in darkness hope |
less darkness, dependent upon others, |
limited to the companionship of hired |
attendants and his decrepit aunt, his |
sole relative.
At least she might write him few |
sympathetic lines, the fact that she |
had but now learned of his terrible loss |
being explanation and justification Of
her former seemingly heartless indif.
ference. In the privacy of her chamber
she gave rein to her emotions, produc |
ing that which she hastily reduced tC
scraps for the wastebasket.
Recalling that other eyes now scan.
ned his letters, she wrote and discard |
ed page after page, finding each short |
epistle more difficult of composition |
In the midst of her perplexity a maid
brought in the remodeled garment and |
an imperative scrawl from Mrs |
Wridgely to the effect that the article
be tried on Immediately and, If not |
satisfactory, returned for further alter
alton.
Amy dismissed the maid and donned |
the garment, her mind turning SEN
fences over and over, still striving to
express only the proper amount of in
terest. Then, as she absently arranged
ribbons and lace, there came the firm
conviction that to write was impossi- !
BILE; that she must see him as soon as
distance would allow.
1t would not have happened had !