The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-07-09

Suddenly the music stopped. She lis
tened night after night, but all the hours
Were silent.
Just like eeverything take to lovingl"
cried Virginia, passionately. why
couldn't that woman's supply of Goldfish
have been cut off instead? 1 can live with
out Goldfish, but what shall do without
nv music-soul ?''
II think shall die ~ walled Virginia.
in a woman's intense undertone, as she
dragged through the dusk one evening.
4" kyoS | shall die if somebody don't
comfort me pretty sOoni Oh. I'D like to
steal babyi Why isn't some founding
dropped into my lap? | shall forget all
the pretty ways my own. brother Jamie
had before he died, and shall Just mum
Dag. like Miss Blum Oh, wish a baby d
be lost. and I'd find itr'
Midsummer-night, you know. is a night
on which every spoken wish is granted.
Ii being midsnmmer-night, therefore at
the next corner Virginia did find lost
baby.
It was quaint, pretty child, dressed in
clothing of a foreign cut. One little shoe
was on one little foot, bat the other little
shoe was clutched in fat hands. Fright
ened, but brave, was this baby; crying
and quivering, but looking straight ahead
and mopping its face with its petticOats.
"Whar is it, DEAR" asked Virginia,
STOPPING to the little head.
" Papa!' said the child, bursting into a
wall; ''vo ist er -
"She's so frightened! Are you lost?"
"Papa!" F
Come with me-" begged the girl, will
ming on the convulsed face. and getting
me, won't your She led it along.
whats your name ~
Wooesei"
Louise, is it? All, she's so tiredl
Come up on my shoulder, pet; III carry
yOu."-
She got Louise into her arms and fitted
like a thief. She knew that to report her
find at once to the police would be to
have the child taken from her and placed
in the station-hOuse. She would wait and
send a message. So she flew past Mrs.
Stump. who admitted her TO a dark hall,
and darted upstairs.
Virginia opened the shutters, threw her
hat from her, and sat down in a rocking
chair. smuggling the child. The child had
large blue eyes, curly blonde hair, and an
unmistakable German face. She held Nir-
ginia's neck with confidence, and watched
all Virginia's motions with discerning
eyes.
" Louise ~ cried the girl, and here she
stopped to squeeze and kiss the child S
breath half away. ''Oh. it's been so long
since Jamie went out of his sisters arms.
Oh, you bonnie darling! Do you under
stand me when | talk?"
Louise shook her head and then nodded
it, She was learning two languages, and
often grew confused between them.
"Do Won understand this ?'' Virginia
framed the plump face with her hands and
kissed it again. ''Oh, love you! L do
love you so, baby!'
'Bist du mamma?" inquired Louise,
lifting an interrogating finger and placing
it on Virginia's chin.
The girl laughed out merrily. Her dis
NAL little room echoed. That room was
astonished; to the sound of sObbing il
was accustomed, but against laughter it
set its CHASTITY face and lifts its ghostiy
voice.
No. I'm not mamma," /" replied Virginia,
''but I'll tell you who [ am. Put your
arms up 90. Now say. darling Jeanie y .
Louise made an effort to do as request
ed. but these were two big words. She
clucked at them, broke down, and stuck
her tongue out IN CONFUSION.
Virginia laughed again, and cuddled the
little thing on her neck. But where Is
mamma 2" she asked; ''whO is mamma
She'll miss you, won't she2"
"Himmel!'' uttered Louise with an effort
-"gonev
ais she dead % low and tenderly.
''Yah,'' replied Louise, greatly relieved
at being cOmprehended-''gon dead"
/ ~ S,n,trlnI Mrg
who made towels an excuse for marching
upon a citadel where she heard such un
Wonted sounds of revelry "Whose young
one is that? What on earth are you dOins
with it?'
''She was lost on the Streets" explained
Virginia; IL found her."
Lost a-purpose. | expect. You'd bette
send her round to the station and have he
owners looked up, if she's got any. lain
going to feed no vagrants ~
Don't trouble yourself, madam y
fired up this sweet-tempered young wo
man instantly. Il know very well tha
feeding people is not your forte; and, b,
assured, shall take all proper steps TO
! finding her owners.
Mrs. Stump opened her mouth like
hOwitZer, and was going to plump a tell
| ing ball, when the dOOr-bell startled he
back into her respectable boarding-hous
keeper" demeanOr. She wenC down AM
answered the call. Virginia's thread o
talk with Louise was broken; she listeneI
apprehensively to the voices below.
"Lost, madam ~ exclaimed a man
voice, deep and full of foreign gutterals
"a little child! Vile been gone. Wa
| gone two weeks. The nurse, she careles
she lets mine kind out of her eye-a maj
tell me she vos on this sthreetn
Papa fluttered Louise, pricking u
her ears. ''Oh, papa!r Tr q
Virginia carried her to the head of tn
stairs. She saw below an alert man
broRzed, but blue-eyed and fair haired lik
his child, dressed in travellers gray, an
holding a violin-case under his arm. Thi
he dropped rs Louise reached her arm
and screamed for him; he dashed up stairs
met them midway, and took the child on
| of Virginia's arms.
Il thought had lost thee! Bless thee
All, this Fraulein has been kind TO thee
Hast thanked her?"
"Iah. Ich-ich habe Sill gekusZt :" blum
dered baby, eagerly.
That was well - As he grew calme
his English came more smoothly. Frau
lein, belief me, am grateful -
lit was nothing replied Virginia wit
filing eyes; Il hate to have you take he
i away: there are no children here. | wa
so glad to find her."
= Achr' his face frightened like a SUI
fully unclouded. "She shall come oft
Shall YOU not, Louise, and see the yOun
lady who saved you from danger on tn
street? We lodge Just three square
round the corner" He felt eagerly in a
his pockets, and finally produced care
case. from which he took card to preser
to Virginia. She read thereon in Germa
characters,
Srieberid Safer.
The rest she could not translate, but seem
ed from it something about a Professo
and Munich. -I.
MY name is Virginia Real,H she tol
him timidly, feeling a little afraid OF tn
Professor and Munich.
Friedrich Kaiser lifted his hat with tn
arm not occupied by his little girl. an
bowed with respect. 'a.s' You have don
service to me, Miss Real. Can do no Ii
tie pleasure to you?"
81 wonder" murmured Virginia, g
! il you whom have heard playing on th
, violin so much? Oh, it was so beautiful
, ! so much loved to hear it ~
!. F'riederich Kaiser now fastened TO q
downstairs, TO set his baby on her fee