The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-05-24
LURE OF THE MAKE
BELIEVE" ROMANCE
1t Happens Much 0ftener in Real Life
Than You Would Imagine.

Not long ago an elderly woman uis"
ia q certain southern city, and tne
mourning for her was so general that
her funeral suggested a public ofiiciafs
rather than an old gentlewoman's-
There was hardly a family in town
who at some time or another had not
been helped by the sweet-faced Old
lady. who always wore black. To the
rich she gave her sympathy in time Of
trouble; to the poor she gave food'
clothing and money.
Her entire life was spent IN dong
works of mercy. Yet, for all that, she
was most comfortable type of saint,
with no 'sholier than thou" reservation
about her. She loved joke; she was
absolutely tolerant of human frailty,
and she wanted everyone to be happy
particularly the young people. :.
She had been the Inspiration OF hall
a dozen young men that had turned out
more than well in their various pro-
fessions, and as for the lovers whose
disagreemcnts she had adjusted, their
name was legion.
Of course the old lady had had a
romance in her own life, but of that
she never spoke to anyone. Every
word and deed, however; was eloquent
Of its ennobling effect. 1t seems that
there had been fance who had en-
listed with the boys in gray, and wh9
had been among the missing in one Of
the great battles of the civil war.
She had been a young woman-25
or 26 perhaps-when she had put-on
widows weeds for the man who was
never to be her husband, and from that
time to the day Of her death she had
never lightened her mourning.
Before grief came to her, people
remembered her as a high-spirited
girl, fond of dancing and amusement,
but inclined to be a little highhanded
and verbeering. The young men with
whom she had grown up had been glad
enough to take her to dances and pla-
ces of amusements, but she had been
little to masterful for any Of them
to care for her deeply.
The fance was from New Orleans,
where she had spent a good deal Of
time visiting relatives, and the news
Of his death almost Immediately fob
lowed the announcement Of her en-
gagement.
Curiously enough, after sorrow had
transformed her, men esteemed her
differently, and there was not an eli
gible in that town who at some time
or another, had not proposed to the
ministering angel in black.
But Miss Agatha-well call hel
that because it wasn't her name
could never be persuaded to forget tht
young soldier from Louisiana whom
none Of her fellowtownsmen had even
seen.
The more persistent of the eligible'
thought she would forget in time. but
apparently there was no time limit tt
Miss Agatha's loyalty And after
years Of waiting, people grew to re
gard her decision as fnal-she wouli
never marry.
In the meantime, how lucky they
were to have her-she greeted half the
newborn babies and soothed their frs
cries.. and she closed the eyes of those
who rested from their long journey
Beautiful, good Miss Agatha!
Then, quite suddenly, one day, shi
died without a bit of warning. Sh'
had been about as usual-they fount
her sitting in her chair with somt
dainty baby garments on which sh'
had been sewing when the end came
They gave her funeral the like o
which that southern city had neve