The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-05-07

newed vigor the battles of the afternoon.
The Ersn;rg Advertiser had lost its wOnted
attfactiyenpss. and was received as one
whose mission is fully accOmplished
though dozed mechanically through its
columns while Patty went over to our
nearest neighbors just for minute" to
inform her of our good fortune. Before
she returned Patty'S mother came in,
and the story OF the new house was re-
hcarsed with variations and erflbellish-
ments, myself as narrator and Patty as
chorus.
"I'm so glad haven't made my spring
calls" said Patty, after the subject had
been pretty thoroughly canvaSsed = it
will be so charming to have my visiting
cards marked 1877 Chester street = It's
such a select neighbOrhood. And then
won't Mrs. Burnet be mortified when she
finds us so delightfully."- situated? She'll
not preach the advantages ola good neigh
bOrhOOd to me again, when SHE comes in
informally as she says .
(Mrs. Burnet, it may be remarked, was
the wife of our chief clerk, and as she
lived on a better street than OURS, she had
always taken occasion to patrOnize Patty,
and make delicate little allusiOns to our
undesirable neighbOrhOod, which were
rs truly feminine as they were aggravat-
iEg.)
"Still, Patty" said |, sit will be hardly
fair to take undue advantage of our neigh
bors. simply because we have been more
fortunate than they. presume our new
friend is c5hgfattilating himself just .ns
heartily as we do, upon having been lucky
enough to hit upon such people as we
WERE $50 he was, as | discovered after
ward.) But after all, think we owe part
of our good fortune to my prOmptness in
clinching the bargain while MIR. CreSap
was so favorably impressed"
Before we went to sleep that night we
had arranged all our household goods to
our taste, and taken the most solid and UNI
alloyed satisfaction in the prospective envy
of our old neighbors who should come to
visit us at No. 1G7 Chester street. | say
"unallOyed satisfaction" and yet candOr
cOmpels me to acknowledge that Patty and
[ Guarreled Just once over the arrange
ment of the carpets in the new house, and
that | was once compelled to rebuke the
extravaganza which she manifested in
voting appropriations for new furniture.
Indeed. | remarked to her. that man who
had, only thirteen hundred dollars year
could hardly afford, with prudence. to in
vest seven hundred of that amount (adding
together estimates) in household adorn-
ments and appendages,
| went down to Mr. Wilson'S office the
next morning at an early hour, and found
that gentleman had just come in. He was
a pOrtly, ruddy-faced man, with a blunt,
disagreeable manner Of speaking.
L" | have stepped in to speak to you about
the property to let at No. l97 Chester
street, began.
fnl ,-,,torfInH- g :, tlna ta1,lxv
"Ahl presume YOU may have made
some partial arrangement to that effect"
said |, with some dignity; "but this card
from the owner, Mr.. Cresap, will explain
matters" and | laid my receipt on the
counter, adding, " it is Mr.. Cresap's par
ticular desire that shall have his house.
and he will call and instruct you about the
lease"
"When, sir, did Mr.. Cresap give you
this"
Yesterday afternoon, just after leaving
his house; he was good enough to 60
through it with my wife and myself
Mr.. Cresap is not in town, sir, and
has not been for several days. He and
his wife are visiting theirrclatiyes in Vine
land"
His ,oitet"t easped; "he told me
yesterday that his wife was dead.'
Then she is certainly doing her friends
a great injustice, for She is the most deceit
ful looking corpse | ever saw"
| was too much Mortified at the mans
irreverence to reply to this speech, but |
demonstrated:
"HOw do you account for this gentle
mans having Mr.. Cresap's card?"
/" Picked it up, no doubt, on table or
on the floor while he was prying about in
the house."
"But he spoke of going to Europe next
week. and the advertisements"
did not finish the sentence, for | remem-
bered just then that | had read him the
advertisement myself. | was beginning to
feel slightly uncomfortable, for | saw that
Mr.. Wilson had already begun to eye me
suspiciOusly.
''Mr. Cresap, the real owner of the house,
will be at my office tomorrow afternoon.
and if YOU desire. you can call then and
see him. But can tell you now," continued
Wilson. THAT you've been cgregiously
swindled in fact you've made great fool
OF yourself, young man.
1t was not to be expected that anyone
would sit in an Office and hear his business
talent underrated, and | Withdrew. Bnt
called the next afternoon and found a
kindly old gentleman of fifty, whose court
Iy manners and polite sympathy made me
half forget my own verdancy, and wish
that | had been fortunate enough to get
possession of his cottage. 1t took three
days to make Patty comprehend that we
could not hold our evening receptions at
No. 1877 Chester street. and to the present
moment she believes that my money was
refunded by 'Mr. Cresap." But in my pri-
vate caSh-bOOk is an entry that reads:
''M' ch Il. Spanish Castle, $50"
-Locks's Monthly.