The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-06-18

it upon himself to fall in love with both
Addie and Joe. 1t had been great puZ-
Zle to him TO know which of the sisters he
really admired the most, but beholding
Joe grow pale from care and overwork.
his sympathetic heart soon decided in her
favor, and he was not long thereafter In
bearing testimony of this. Little baskets
of fruit, delicate clusters of fragrant eXOt-
les, selected with exquisite taste, and occa-
sional volumes of poetry, soon found
themselves at Mrs. Stillman's door for Miss
Joe, with Mr.. Hickman's compliments
hidden somewhere amongst them and Joe
would acknowledge them with grateful
word, but no heightening of color, or hap
py lighting of the eyes.
One day Mr.. Hickman missed her from
her place, and upon dispatching a messen-
ger to learn the cause, was met by the an
nOuncement that Miss Stillman was very
i'll with brain fever. Somehow, he was
never able to tell the precise manner of his
transportation, but Mr.. Hickman found
himself in Mrs. Stillman's parlOr, explain
ing to that lady how much he loved her
daughter, and asking to be allowed the
privilege of doing something for her COM
fort and welfare.
This Mrs Stillman found herself almost
compelled to grant. and for the three
weeks of Joe's serious illness, he haunted
the house like shadow, bringing so much
comfort into it, that the good lady became
quite anxious lest Joe should, in one of
her perverse moods, refuse to give him
the reward of his kindness. But as Joe
came back TO reason, Mr.. Hickman's visits
became less frequent, he trying to content
himself with little messages of flowers
and fruit
1t was the second week of Joe'S cOnval-
escence, and the pale and pretty invalid, in
a pink wrapper, was taking her first whole
hour of sitting up in an easy chair. when
Mr.. Hickman presented himself with
desperate resolve in his heart. He really
could not wait any longer; his hungry
heart must have something to feed on or
he should 90 wild. In the event of a re-
fusal he was prepared to do almost any of
e approved things that rejected lovers
are supposed to do. Seriously, however,
this thought had troubled him great deal,
for Joe had never given him single word
of encouragement.
AS he entered the little sitting-room,
Joe held out her hand to him with a
brighter smile upon her face than he re-
membered having seen, there for some
months. This seemed to be good augu-
nv, and he took the chair which Joe offered
him, with a very comfortable feeling
of satisfaction. A little desultOry con-
versatiOn, and then the two relapsed
into silence, and very eloquent one
after a while. for Joe looks up to find
Mr.. Hickman's eyes fixed upon her with
a look she cannot mistake, and following
close upon the look comes an outstretched
hand and the words
"Dear Joe, if you knew how much |
love YOU"
And Joe takes the hand and says:
g can guess"
After which neither speaks for some
seconds, Mr.. Hickman looking very happy
the meanwhile, until an unpleasant
thought seems to strike him, and he asks
quickly:
"BGt you love me little, don't you,
Joe?'
To which Joe replies "Yes, but I'm
not at all acquainted with YOU"
"YOu shall have a lifetime for that,
darling" and tender, reverent kiss marks
the beginning of an acquaintance that shall
grow happier with each second of time.
"DO you believe in second lOve?' Joe
ked suddenly.
asMr. Hickman gives an amused look into
the face that is raised to his. and answers,
Yankee-like:
''Why do you ask?'
"Because-because you are not the first
one | ever loved"
81 know it."
Joe's eyes are raised in puzzled inquiry.
you talked about one John Dolway in
your delirium. and | was terribly afraid
you had let the rascal break your heart
but you haven't"
mo; he wasn't worth breaking ones
heart over" and very quietly, without a
word of regret, but with many happy
smile for the tender eyes watching her,
Joe tells her story and she ends it in
this wise: :" suppose his fear of Mrs.
Grundy wouldn't let him marry a shop
girl"
g For which am very thankful. If you
hadn't been a shOp-girl, | am afraid
should never have known how much
perhaps, if it hadn't been for those later
misfortuneS, never would have learned
how much of this womanliness lay in you,
and not learning this, | might not have
learned a sweeter lesson. So you see what
adversely has done for you" adds Mr..
Hickman, with truly masculine vanity.
(which. translated, means that | am to
thank adversely for the loss of a poor lover,
and the finding of better one" and Joe
looks up with an unusual smile.
Exactly" answers Mr.. Hickman.
But this was only the preface to Joe's
second courtship. The courtship itself
lasted through all the years of life that re-
mained to her.-IOLedO Blade.