Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1932-01-27
WEEKLY SOCIETY STORY FOR
EVENING ROUND THE LAMP
READING TO WHILE AWAY
TINE AFTER DAYS CHORES
"White Missy y, an Interesting
Short Story Written by Stand
ish b. Reamer

a former president. A town OF
twenty-five hundred beings-only
one white, and that one a woman.
Mrs. Netty Young sat at the tele-
graph desk as the train pulled in.
She was operator at the station-a
life appointee, first because of the
herOism which brought death to her
husband and second because she was
competent enough an operator to
take the few messages regarding
train movements-for a personal
message or two from a town inhab.
ftant was a rarity. Two years had
passed since her husband was killed
Two years of such activities of an
unusual character for a woman in
her position that sadness at her loss
long had been softened.
As she dispatched the regular
train passing formula, she noticed
that a mana white man-was
standing on the station platform,
evidently having alighted from the
train.
After gazing fixedIy at the one
main street Of the town a few mo-
ments, the man turned into the sta
ton. Raising his hat, he said:
Pm wondering If there is no
tel in this town-or some place
where l can put up for awhile"
Mrs. Young smiled in a friendly
manner and replied. mo, we have
no hotel here Only travelling men
stop here-and get out as quickly
as they can. You see-well, l am
the only white person in the town"
"What?" the man cried in sur
prise. do you mean that the entire
population is coIored?"
Yes. The people here-that is
the men-all work in the OIL fields,
going over on the train-ano the
women work in the cotton fields, or
do homework on the plantations"
swell, why do you stay here?"
Mrs. Young fiushed-pleasantly, for
she could not feel indignant at the
honesty of his searching eyes. Be
fore she could reply. a small col
ored girl entered the station, weep
ing. and put out q dark finger cut
and bleeding, and cried out "FfXie.
Missy. fiXie."
Mrs. Young turned smilingly to
the man. THAT is my answer" she
said These people-all of them
depend upon me- am their first
aid on almost every occasion-in-
jury like this. their family trOu
bles, even their love affairs. II is
my life work
When she had finished and the
child had scampered off without
even a thank you." she turned to
the stranger and said, You cannot
find any place in town where you
would want to ROOM"
My name is Railton-Charles
Railton. This town is near to a
locality in which have certain in
terests. You see, | am a rancher
far western part Of the state.
Dads ranch--left to me to carry on
when he died, although my college
training fitted me for city business
life. | suppose must 60 on to
Tulsa to find a hotel-but" he hes
ftated, then resumed haltingly, as
he continued studying her features.
81 wish there was some place here.
You see-well. its so close to where
| want to be-
Nettie had been moved strangely
by Railton's appearance and his evi-
dent appreciation of her neat, ma
ture beauty.
There's a vacant cottage on the
street back of the station" she
said. st is clean and neat. If you
could batch it"
Just the thing" Railton replied.
heartily. III take it solely upon
your recommendation"
Nettie closed the station office and
went with him to the cottage and
also called upon a colOred woman
of the old NANNY" type who
agreed to cook for RailtOn.
Days passed and Nettie and Rail
ton became friends. Railton never
tired of hearing Nettie's tales of
how she took part in the lives of
the colored people about her. To
them she was "missy"-tO young
and old she was the arbiter of dis
putes, the healer of family jars. the
refuge of youth and maiden when
! hearts were wrung with doubt or
/ jeaIousies. But her work among
| the children interested Railton the
i most.
Railton finally told Nettie he hal
/ invested a considerable sum in the
oil regions about Tulsa and had
come TO keep watch on affairs
without his presence being known
Their friendship developed quickly
grew into the steady. lasting love
of mature lives and shortly Railtor
insisted upon their marriage. Net
tie. however. refused to consider
! wedding Railton unless he would
consent to erect home outside OF
the town and establish a school. tC
..a1or l1u aaI x,ag,1