The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-04-02

either spinning or h0uSewOrk. l wasn't
bit afraid Of making good living.
could spin my days work-sa run and
half OF warp Of, two runs OF filliig-3i'
get through by three o'cI6ck, And tHasn'
AFRAID 10 show my tille45i, either linen 0
weolen, Beetle anybOdy's in Greenwich.
4 l. = Ou didn't do crochet work in thos
daysl'' remarked Violet, who was max
ing a dainty little blanket for some baby o
other.
mo. It wasn't the fashion. though W,
did make mltlens and gloves with hook
too. But we had plenty of nice pretty
/ work, netting and knotting-making tat
ting you call it-and sprigging on muSlil
and crewel work, and pieci.H bed9uilts
Well. as | said, I niade Gp my mind that
would &c With Aunt Betsy, but wouldn'
I stay Unless found it comfortable.
4" 1t wasn't comfortable at all. Aun
I Betsy was close enough, but Abiram wa.
I far worse. 1t was save, save, serimf
scrimp. from morning till night. ! was
/ fond of new milk fresh from the COW, and
used to take drink almost every night
/ but il Abiram saw me, you would think
had stolen five pounds by the fuss he made
! He said there was skim-milk enough if
must have it, and every drop of new milk
/ robbed the churn of SO mitch butter.
suspect Aunt Betsy gave hini Mint about
J that, fOi he came aion2- one night when
was milking. and t5ld me he hoped
wouldn't ..ind what he said, but would
! help myself to all | wanted. After that
never touched it again, and took a real
dislike to it.
"But the srriIrrtps Wash the worst of
it BY great deal. | began to feel like a
fly caught in a SPIDERS web. | could hard
ly ever get a chance to speak to Lewis
never alOne-and Abiram was always in
my way. hanging round and giving me
presents and trying to make himself
agreeable, Aunt Betsy watched me
as a cat watches a mouse, and by
and by it began to be said about
the village that | was engaged to Abiram.
| told Emma Parvin, who was my most
intimate friend, to contradict II eveFS-
where, and so she did but 4 gfeat many
believed it, Ever lewis almost began to
doubt, because Ne never could see me
alcn.. About this time he went across
the creek, and took on with James White
car who had a deal of stock and horses.
James did well by hiul, for Lewis was very
knowing in such matters. and he began TO
lay up money. Well, of course we saw
less of each other than ever. but his going
was an advantage in one way. Old Uncle
Jacob. an old negro used 10 paddle across
and up snd down the river fishing. He
was good friend to both of us, and used
to carry our letters back and forth. Then
every morning at just such an hour Lewis
used to wcve his handkerchief out of his
wiIjiow and | used to wave one Out of
mine. So we knew that al was well.''
Aunt Elisabeth h%G looked uneasy for Il
few minutes, and rs grandma paused to
take up a stitch she said mildly:
"SOme people would say, grandmother,
that it was not very wise to be putting
lOve-StOrics into the heads of these young
girls
Grandma looked up, and her still bright
eyes twinklcd little.
Elisabeth - said she; ''does thee know
that the white kitten had her nose in the
cream this mOrningr'
"Yes." answered EllSHbet tn, , "f saN her."
Did thee SHOW her the Way to the
milk, Ellsabeth?'
"No - said Aunt Elisabeth. surprised.
"Oh. said grandma, IL didn'tknOw but
some one had put it in her head"
Aunt Elisabeth smiled and went on
with her erhemstitching.
But there was another thing which
annoyed me almost Us much as the love
making" continued grandma. at was.
as | said, in the year l714-the year
before the war. The whole country
was stirred up against the British, and
their unjust and illegal ti,NAtlOns and
other pprcsSipnS-thotgh | do think
the bad msnners and arrogance of the
British officers and governors had almost
as much TO do with the business. The tax
on tea had caused specially hard feeling,
and you know how they served the cargo
which was brought to Boston. When we
got the news of the Boston tca-party, as it
got to be called, there was q good deal of
division of opinion. Most of the young
men were on the patriot side, and so We're
many Of the old ones, but still those were
not wanting who called the business a
shameful outrage, and stood up for the
British through thick and thin. Abiram
was one of these and Aunt Betsy another,
and they used to abuse the patriots and
uphold the British till they made my blood
fairly boil,
'Well. one day, along in the last of Oc-
tober, Abiram said he was going to Phila-
delphia for few days, aud he had the i'm
pudence 10 ask me if we hadn't better be
married right away, so | could go with
him. And while | was fairly struck dumb
with rage and surprise, Aunt Betsy put in
her word and said it would be a very good
plan, as | could buy my wedding clothes
myself, and she would give me money
for a nice satin gown and gray Grape
shawl.
Then, can tell you, girls. flared up.
| told Abiram just what thought of him,
and Aunt Betsy what thought of her;
and said Iwouldn' marry Abiram then or
ever, if he should pave my way with gold.
| told Aunt Betsy she knew that was en-
gagged to Lewis Howell, and that | should
never marry any one else. Abiram was
so angry he turned all kinds of colors, but
Aunt Betsy was as placid as you please.
and when had fairly broken down, and
was crying as if my heart would break.
she said calmly
"EThee needn't be so violent, Sybilla.
Abiram has no occasion to 90 begging for
a wife. If thee chooses to disgrace thyselt
by breaking thy word to him and marrying
a vagabOnd :
al never gave Abiram any word, and
he knows it,' said |.
- Actions speak louder than words
said my aunt. We won't say any more
about it now. Abiram, | have an inward
persuasion that Sybilla will come to bet
ter mind. Thee must excuse her violence.
She wasn't brought up with Friends. and
hasn't learned to rule her spirit. Sybilla,
thee had better stop crying and eat thy
dinner
But wouldn't eat any dinner, and |
never sat down to the table nor spoke a
word to Ab;~am till he went away. Aunt
Betsy was rs calm as ever, but she kept
me so close. | couldn't even get a chance
to send word TO Lewis. However, old
Jacob did smuggle one TO me, in which
.ewis told me how Abiram had told James
Whtecar that we were to be married when
he came home. Lewis said he knew |
never would be false to him of my own
free will. but he didn't know what might |
be tOrmented into doing, and he begged
me TO leave my aunt, and come over to
Deborah Whitecar, who knew all the sto- |
ry, and would be the same as a mother to |
me. Deborah herself added a few words |
10 the same effect. Deborah was a good, |
kind woman, besides being a preacher and |
very much thought of. knew she meant !
every word she said, and that [ could be !
useful to her; and beside that it was a
great encouragement to have such a wO- |
man take my part. Still didn't like the !
notion of going rightinto the family where |
Lewis was, and thought | would wait a |
little. Beside that, Aunt Betsy was lame |
and ailing, and didn't feel quite free to |
leave her. So staid ON, and certainly |
did have a pretty hard time. Even the |
,,;l, l,,., l,aoran to notice how I Lyas ,na11;