The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-08-27

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! sion TO the imminent danger of "a necessity
| for padding.
Once commence that, Mr.. Fithian, anC
the Lord knows where it'll stop. There
them that wears bales of it, and it must b.
most awful i'm the hot weather. Then yOI
see, again, it plays the very deuce witt
| light materials. II won't do, Mr.. Fithian
you'll have to tone up.'
"But how to do it, Bigby, that's th'
question. I'm afraid I'm booked for {
declivity."
Not a bit of it. Just you try some
thing. See here would you mind doins
me favor? IT'S a big thing to ask of you
Mr.. Fithian. | know it's a little out o
your line, but you'd oblige me-"
lifts anything that lies in my power,
replied, warmly, IN be glad to do it
Heaven knows you've been generous
enough with me-"
Well, it's just TO run out some evening
20 my place to dinner. I've got a light
wine there that's the best tonic in the
world. You might see how you liked it.
and if YOU could stand it I'd send you a
dozen bottles or so. VIII you come, Mr.
Fithian? I'll take it kindly if you would
"Why, of course | will, Bigby, anC
right gladly too, | assure you. When
shall II be?"
ANY time; the sooner the better
The train leaves at five"
1 heaved a long sigh. / was sOrely
tempted to close in with the offer in spite
of an engagement of an eleemOsynary
character with Gertrade. But | declined
SC No, Bigby," replied, family. " not TO,
night, thank you; but Tomorrow I'll come
out to your place, and We'll try that light
wine of yours"
was glad afterward resisted the temp.
tation. for there was a cold glitter in Miss
Vandewater's stony eyes. and compress
sion about her thin lips that forbade tritling
of any kind.
"An exalted and unselfish character
Augustus said Miss Vandewater-and
yOu can see by her calling me by my first
name how intimate we were" has IT.
first interest in benefiting the human race,
To see these dear young faces beaming
with delight, to behold these youthful
forms clothed with comfort and warmth,
and be aware that my hand piled the nee
die in their behalf, is happiness enough foI
me-
Ii was pleasant to hear that somebody
had enough of happiness, for | never saw
"A more miserable and detected group than
that composed of the children attached to
the st. Johns Mission and their patrons.
|, myself, felt that couldn't get lower in
the scale of felicity, although a cadaver-
Ous-loOking gentleman had for forty min
utes by my watch held forth upon the
awful miseries that awaited us all in eter-
nitv. When he had concluded, and Miss
Vandewater's severe phaetOn drew up to
the little iron door of the school, when we
were securely fastened in this grim and
heavy vehicle, and impelled slowly in the
direction of a melancholy Lenten meal at
the house of the heiress, felt that my ca
reer was finished, that no light wine, how
ever brilliant its qualities, could save me
from eternal padding and eternal woe.
Buffeting with fierce and bitter wind
on my way home that night, reaching my
rooms to find there no fire, and Il vulgar
perseverance on the part of my landlady for
money, plunged beneath the bedclOthps
with the firm conviction that nothing,
however terrible. i'm the future could equal
the miseries of the present, and that the
sooner life was over in this mundane
sphere las Gertrude was fond of calling a,
to me, once jolly wOrld) the better for Au-
gustus Fithian, Esq.
| concluded not to go out to Bigby's,
not to try any light wine, but to let Il vile
and vindictive fate do its worst in my be-
half.
But awoke to a bland spring morning
April had stolen in upon March, and
brought with her balmy air, sunny skies,
and the songs of a few dissipated blue
birds that had preferred the city to the
suburbs. There was something eXhilara
ting in this sudden warmth and bright
ness that melted the soul of my lOng-en-
during and justly eXasperated landlady.
The mullins were actually hot, the coffee
fragrant and mellow, the beefSteak rich
and succulent. | carefully avoided Ger
trude and the st. Johns that day, nursed
the faint ray of hope and joy that had
sprung up in my respondent breast, and
reached the five O'Clock train for Bigby's
with something Of my old appreciation
of life.
Just as we were about starting, and |
fingered on the platform to finish my ci-
Gar. was positively startled by vision of
loveliness. in the shape of schoolgirl,
making frantic efforts to catch up her
skirts and bundles and run for the train.
She was within few feet of me when the
whistle sounded. and puff went the engine.
A look of absolute despair shadowcd all
her young beauty. She stretched forth
her hands with a gesture of cntreaty, and
her blue eyes filled with veXatious tears.
was Immediately opposite her, and
flinging away my cigar, held forth to her
a helping hand. She leapcd trustfully for
ward, was caught in my arms, and landed
safely on the platform.
:. Now that YOU are safe | said, " | am
shocked at the risk yOu ran. Never dc
that again, | beg of you; it might have
cost you your life.
"Oh, don't regret it, she said; . | am
so clad. There is no train after this one
till late at night, and papa would be SC
frightened"
As she spoke she looked up in my face
with the most innocent smile in the world,
had procured her a seat near the cold,
rayless stove; and if the weather had been
wintry, the warmth of that smile would
have heated the stove, would have radiated
the car. All heaven was in her eyes, they
were so bright and blue; there shOne in
them so much of feeling, of Joy, of candor:
a vivid color famed in her cheeks, glOwed
i'm her lips. She was like a scarlet cloak in
a wintry landscape, and rested the eye that
looked upon her.
made an effort TO engage her in cOnver-
satiOn, but i'm her slight and cold reply
saw an insurmOuntable objection to chance
acuuaintances. She spoke no more, mol
smiled, save at some happy fancy of heI
own. but tapped nervouSly on the window
pane, and watched eagerly the vanishing
landscape. As looked at her | tancieC
what that home must be to which her de
Sires and fancies flew, and sighed TO think
how far above my-1each were these do
meStic joys that clung to this fair young
creature before me. "Ah," thought l.
=. if she were only Gertrude. how delight
ful would be the path through duty tC
pleasurei !"
While all these thoughts ran rapidly
through my head the train fastened on
and presently stopped at the station which
Bigby had told me was short ride from
his house.
To my immense delight, the fair young
stranger gathered up her bundles, anC
went before me to the door. Ileaped from
the car, held out my hands to her, but she
threw herself into pair of sturd:er arms
than mine; and looking in the face of this
intruder, found it the honest, beaming
face of Bixby himself, my magnanimou;
/ tailor.
He lifted her from the ground in hi'
| close caress; then looked over at me witt
the happiest, the fondest, the most exalted
satisfaction | ever saw in any one in my
! life.
Oh. the delicious sensation of finding