The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-04-09
A PERSONAL MATTER.
BY FRANCIS ELLINGTON LOOP.

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idea of that atmosphere of blissful tran
quillity which settled down on their earl
married life. No mother-in-law profferet
ii-timed advice in the settlement of house
hold difficulties; no impecunious cousins
tugged at the strings of their joint purse
Moreover, husband and wife were scrupu
lousy cOnsiderate of each others comfort
Cadwallader never broughta any of his busi
ness annoyances home with him; they
were carefully locked up over night in tn,
iron safe at his Office. When he donned hi
great-c0at TO go uptown, the investitur,
was magical in its effect, Transforming
1apScott, Esq.," the merchant, int
"Caddy, DEAR" the husband. He in nC
wise lost his reward. His wardrobe fairly
bristled with buttons, and shOne witt
salutary stitches: his slippers were in :
chronic state of caleficence before tn,
library CRATE; tardy meals and bad coffe,
were things foreign and unheard of
butcher and grocer, plumber and gas-cOl
lector, were promptly paid out of the al
lOwance set apart for that purpose
Cynthia mended her gloves and made he
own bOnnets, evinced marvellous tact il
managing servants, arranged her hail
without resort 10 curl-papers, and nevel
appeared in her lords presence minus
collar. In short, the conjugal felicity o
this model couple was as nearly perfect a
anything earthly could be: the stream O
their existence presented a surface as un
rufiled as that of a meadow brook: days
came and went, and We're nodded int
weeks, weeks gliding by in their turn be
came months, and the months were already
fast approaching twelve before cloud
rose above the marital horizon.
The Tapscotts seemed so entirely anC
indissolubly unit, that their friends had
dubbed them the Siamese Twins. They
gloried in having no separate secrets
each being blessed with rather inquisi
tive and jealous disposition, it had been
deemed advisable on their wedding-day
to arrange this matter on an equitable
basis, and to the resolution then formed
they boasted.they had rigidly adhered. AT
first, in an excess of frankness, they were
wont to exchange condolences respecting
the most trivial circumstances of their
lives, but soon began to omit sundry an
noying details of business transactions OF
domestic economy; these omissions were
followed by Others and still others, till at
length their conversation assumed some
resemblance to that ordinarily indulged
in by married persons.
The anniversary of their wedding was
fast approaching, when Mrs. TapscOtt's
acute sense discerned-Or she fancied ii
did-a singular change in her husbands
manner. 1t had crept over him so gTadu-
ally as almost to have escaped her ObSer-
walton. He grew abstracted and thought
ful over his newspaper; and sometimes.
when she had come suddenly upon him, she
had found him chuckling mysteriously
to himself. Mr.. TapscOtt, with sensibili-
ties less refined and delicate, had noticed a
liov. In, Ill
but attached no particular significance
thereto. He once had occasion. for in
stance, to use something which she kept
locked up in her escritoire: and instead
of giving him the key, as of old, and tell
ing him to go and rummage to his hearts
content, she took the responsibility of the
search on her own shoulders, and exhibited
unusual caution in locking everything af-
ter her.
Entering the library before breakf st,
one April morning, Mrs. TapscOtt found
her husband absorbed in the perusal of the
supplement of the Metropolitan Messenger
As the page was entirely devoted to ad-
vertisements, his occupation struck her as
rather remarkable.
"What do you find so interesting on
that page. my dear?" she inquired.
"Ah. Cynthia, that's you, is it?" he re-
sponded, looking mp with a start, and lay
ing the paper hastily aside. Breakfast
almost ready?"
at wants still two minutes by the
clock, " answered Cynthia.
$50 it does; so it does" said Mr.. Tap
scott i'm an absent tone. Il wonder wheth-
er | shall need an umbrella to-day; the
sky is clouded over He strolled to the
window, looked out, and drummed uneas-
lily on the sill.
But Cynthia was not to be disposed OF
thus easily; her husbands attempt at
evasion was too apparent.
Il don't think you answered my first
question, dear, did you?" she asked quiet
ly.
Didn't |? beg pardon. Let me see
you wanted TO know"
"Whatyo found so interesting in the
newspaper that you did not observe my
entrance"
"Oh, yes; so you did. Important de-
spatches from China, my love. The Khe-
dive"
"Of Egypt?"
mo, no; | don't mean the Khedive.
The Shah"
1.-The Shah reigns in Persia, Caddy"
Him, you're quite right; don't mean
the Shah. either. do I? Fact is, [ am in
somewhat of a hurry this morning, and
my ideas are little bewildered."
At this moment relief appeared in the
person of Bridget, who announced that
breakfast was on the table. Her husband
speedily iHtrenching himself behind cof-
fee-cup, Mrs. TapscOtt raised the siege.
There was no use, however, in telling her
such nonsense about Chinese dispatches; ;
she knew very well that if the khedive,
fh. hoh hrg oil firlp
the Emperor of all the Chinas, figured any,
where in that mornings Messenger. it was
in the capcitv neither of advertiser nor of
advertised. The story was merely a ruse
of her husband's-depend upon ito hide
something from her. Recalling all the
trifling peculiarities in his recent conduct,
and putting this and that together, her GU
riOsity received a sudden impetus. 1t was
the first time mystery had ever thrust it
self between them; and to probe it she
was determined.
In due season breakfast was concluded,
and Mr.. Tapscott started for his office.
His wife had no sooner said, S'Good-by
Caddv: come up early" and kissed him.
and shut the door behind him with the
most bewitching reluctance, than her
whole appearance was altered in an in
slant. and she strobe back to the library
like a woman bent on some desperate
mission. Selling the Messenger, she
swept its advertising columns with pen
etrating glance. Presently ifel- fingers re-
IaXed their hold; the sheet fell to the floor,
and she sank back into a chair rvTith stlfied
moan. The following personal" had
caught her eye:
c. t. Meet me at the old place on Saturday.
Two p m.
The sickening horror that had at first
overwhelmed her now gave way 10 very
different emotiOn-that of jealous indigna-
don.
Saturday. p. m? Not if / can pre-
vent it!'' She procured pair Of scissors
and cut the paragraph out.
Then she proceeded to her own room.
opened her escr1toire, and lifted number
OF papers. As she stood gazing at these,
her bearing was changed again. Sadness
took the place of violence.