The Washington times., 1933-07-25
GRIEF STRICKEN
AMY BRAVE FOR
JIM 5 SAKE
Mrs. MoIIison Weeps Over
Tragic Ending of Their
Ocean Adventure
BY DIXIE TIGHE

NEW YORK, July 25 Q.N.SO.
Until sleep blinded her from the
sight of her husbands exhaus-
ton, Amy Johnson Mollison,
ignoring her own WearineSs,
fought with the weapons of nerve
endurance and charm to shield
him from the strain of realiza-
tion.
Whatever the flight h as cost
Jim and Amy Mollison in fortune.
a m e, and future, it has not
robbed them of their intent to
find the success or the failure of
adventure together. The journey,
designed as the greatest gesture
Of their mutual faith, finds them
side by side-together after an eX-
perience that nearly defeated their
determination to live or die to-
gether.
Their landing in New York was
pitifully different than that they
planned. Eager to arrive at Floyd
Bennett Field as pilots, they
landed as passengers; Jim physi-
cally and mentally spent; Amy
straining at the last efforts at
courage and strength.
To Bed and Sleep
The dream of brilliant land
ing was shattered with the night
mare of the tragic crackup. The
planned whirlwind entrance into
Manhattan crashed into helpless
ness and the wheelchair.
Side by side, their two wheel
chairs were pushed into the Plaza
Hotel, where they were wheeled
off to bed and sleep In on e
wheelchair, Jim too utterly weary
to pretend: in the other, Amy with
her characteristic nerve resistance,
forcing herself to acknowledge the
friendlineSs of the crowd.
When the door closed in the
necessity of impression, Amy,
whom Jim calls Johnnie" still
struggled against her own near
collapse. It was she who ordered
tea for two and with superhuman
resistance, fought off sleep until
Jim by her side, slept. She cried
herself to sleep.
From the moment of the crack
up, Amy forgot herself. She re-
membered only Jim. In the dark,
dampness of the night, it was
Amy who found her way to Jin's
side. She found with the bleed
ing head pillowed in her lap,
caressing him, protesting his mis-
take with her reiteration, "he
couldn't See-he couldn't see"
In the hospital at Bridgeport
IT, few miles that seem to them
the longest from London to New
York-Amy steered the questions
from Jim to herself. Saving his
strength. Rescuing him from
realization.
In the plane that flew them
over the miles that cost the sue
cess of their venture, Amy in an
attempt to bring the memory Of
success to her husbands mind, ap-
pealed to him to point out New
York to her; she tried to keep his
mind from the thought of failure
by rousing him to watch the sky.
line for buildings he remembered
when he sighted New York on his
first transatlantic crossing.
But, Jim Mollison in pain,
shock, and disappointment, was
too beaten a figure to pose as
city guide.
When the plane landed at
Floyd Bennett Field, Jim Mollison
turned to his wife with quick,
intense look of bitterness. Per
haps as the wheels Jared out the
news that they were down, Jim
Mollison thought of the airs good
bye-"Happy landing"
Lifted From Plane
Jim was lifted from the plane,
carried to the waiting car.
Amy, her face gray with tired
ness made an effort to walk to
the crowd. But, she couldn't
make it. A woman stepped from
the crowd and pressed an enor-
nous bunch of crimson roses into
her arms. They shadowed her
cheeks with false color.
Amy, too busy with things that
count more to her, has never
bothered with fashion. At home.
grease smeared overalls are her
costume. For the transatlantic
flight she ordered no new. arrest
ing flying togs.