Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-08-30
ABSENTMINDED
MISS AMY.
The Dress She Wore Was
Appropriate, After All.
BY LOUISE ). STRONG.

serenely.
"Oh. Miss Amy-I didn't meant
never think of you as being thatr' 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 a blind husband on your hands,
which would have been her fate IL
she'd married Henry Scott. as she
came near doing once"
'She wouldn't think so II she were
his wife, Shed love him all the more
for the affiiction. / know i should. II
Willie Blushing hotly. Elsie ran
from the room.
Mrs. Wridgely laughed, but with a
keen glance at her sister. who murmur-
ed something about the heat. tanning
Did you say that Henry Scott was
blindf"
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 60 to
ruin with hired help managing it"
Amy said nothing. Mrs. Wridgely
regarded her 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"
The same as usual. suppose. II l
CO."
IF you goT' Mrs. Wridgely almost
shrieked. when you know the affair
is complimentary to you'll OF course
you'll gol 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 whcreY' Amy questioned vague
ly.
We'll, II you aren't enough to Be
at the reception, OF course. and Sena
tor Ellsworth. too; he got back this
morning. Mrs. Reed was so afraid
they would not be here. think Ill
dress early and come over myself.
Amy, or like as not you'n appear in
that everlasting black! or course you
are full of your new book. but you
owe something to your friends. Do
put 1t 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 guess she's for.
| gotten that old affair. and mentioned
the senator on purpose to turn her
thoughts. l wish l dare speak plain
ly TO her about Senator Ellsworth. II
she were only little more like other
folks! But then, / suppose. he would
not find her so attractive"
Mrs. Wridgely had constituted her
self first aid to Senator Ellsworth a
few months before. when chance en-
abled her to extract Il 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 posi-
ton for her sister Amy excused any
thing
Amy had been provokingly unappre
ciative OF this advanta geOus 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 aud es-
arrangement could not kill. was added
hero worship. She had sat silent un-
der the news OF his calamity with
control that treasured her sister. but
now her fan fell from her grasp, a
broken heap.
Blind! Blindw she moaned
The dark eyes that had looked into
her heart with n power that no other
could ever attain darkened forever.
Her imagination wildly pictured
what IT would mean to him. 40 active.
30 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