The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-09-17


the sigh. They were drifting apart. am
vet ne and his beautiful city wife had no
been married six months.
The "Summer bOarder" came-a lazy
gOod-looking artist, exceedingly intelii
gent, exceedingly polished in his manners
He and Bell became good friends. Thel
took pleasant walks together while Dam,
! HaScall was churningand Mark was work
ing in the field. They read poetry anC
/ philosophy together till Bell began to b,
/ bright and animated again,
Its quite like old times" she said tC
| Mark. "NOw I've found somebody al
! last who is like my own set, the friends
used TO know before | came to this dull
old place"
Mark frowned. '1t seems TO me, Mrs
Hascall, that you would like to forget
entirely that you've got a husband" he
said, dryly.
"Oh, dear, no, But you are no compa-
ny to me now any more, you know"
This time Mark didn't sigh. He frown-
ed darkly, and muttered something Bell
couldn't hear, though it sounded savage.
Summer heightened into autumn, but
the bOarder still fingered, and once a neigh
Dor remarked to Dame Hascall that her
daughter-in-law and her boarder seemed
very much pleased with each others COM
pany.
So they were. One morning they sat
on half-shaded bank reading. Bell was
radiant in her gray autumn dress and soft
shawl. The artist looked at her with un-
miStakable admiration, as he laid down
the book and said:
"Mrs. HaScall-there isl beg your par
don. but how did YOU ever happen to
marry your husband and settle down in
this desOlate spot? Believe me, you did
yourself grievOus wrong when you
buried yourself alive here"
"SOmetimes | begin to think | made
mistake" answered Mrs. Hascall,
glOOmily.
"Mistake" echoed the artist. "You
have thrown your life away. wish
Mrs. Hascall, | must paint you before |
90. have been looking for face which
would be my ideal of Tennyson's Maude,
for months. The moment | saw your
face, said to myself. Here is my Maude." ."
He picked up the book again. "This is
how should paint you, Lady Maude,
listen:
"Cold and clear-cut face, why come you so cru
ely meek
Breaking a slumber in which all spleenul folly
drowned,
Pale with the golden beam of an eyelash dead on
the cheek
Passionless, pale, cold face, star-sweet on a
gloom profound" "
A strong sudden hand parted some
bushes near them, a tanned, wrathful face,
with white teeth cleaning through the
sun-burnt beard, glOwered at them, and
wrathful voice exclaimed:
''P'raps you'd like to paint her hus-
band. too, wouldn't you? DinsmoUe, if
Won Nxrapf 10 lyDpyr univ cb mo
and threw her life away. I'd recommend
you to ask me. By the Lord Harry
madam, should think you'd be ashamed
of yourself, dawdling away your time
with sentimental donkey like that, and
letting your husbands mother wait on
you like slave! Bell,-go home"
She looked at him a moment as if she
could have struck him down, so much
passion shot out of her blazing eyes. He
never thought it was i'm her. But she
almost instantly that it was un-
as well as unlady-like, to let
the Old Adam rise in her soul. She look
rd at her irate lord a second and answered,
icily:
"Mr HaScall, perhaps you overheard me
a moment ago, that | sometimes
feared had made a mistake. Allow me
to remark, now, that | am sure | have
made mistake"
He swOre savagely, and t1rned on his
heel and strobe away. He did not come
to dinner nor to tea. A little after mid
night something came tumbling and
kicking at the front door, and the some
thing was Mark Hascall, and for the
first time in his life. Mark Hascall was
heavily intoxicated. 1t is a mans way,
you know,
That was the beginning of it After
that, no more peace, no more love for those
two. Mark Hascall's life went by jumps,
and he had taken long and desperate
downward leap. Their life hencefOrth
was a series of chickering's and bitter quar-
rels. These two souls that could not
exist apart. YOU know. At the end of q
year, Bell went home to her fathers, an
disappointed woman. to hang
like a stone on the shoulders of the father,
who, but one little year befOI G, had rubbed
his hands and tondly whispered to him
self that he was rid of the burden Of one of
his children. at any rate. Then Mark
frank himself beastly drunk TO drown his
troubles. and followed her TO take her
home again. She refused to 90, and there.
n the presence of her mother and sister,
ne raised his hand and struck her in his
drunken rage.
Even then her cold presence of mind
lid not leave her. She pushed him
lcroSs the threshold and out of doors
with her own hands, and made as If
she would nave spurned him with her
loot.
81 shall make application for a divorce,
.O-day," she said to him in her calmeSt
7oice.
1t sobered him instantly.
"DO you really mean that ~ he asked.
I" SO help me God, do! will never
i've with you another day. For your fl- !
ure have neither faith, hope, nor chari- !
V. Co."
She pointed with her hand to the street, |
nd he went away without a word. In |
lue course of time, year and half after |
hese two congenial souls had been pro- |
bounced one, because they were unable to |
XiSt away from each other, a divorce was |
granted to Mrs. HaSeall. and the custody |
If their infant son given to her, she being !
n every way fitted to rear him properly |
he court said. The most common occur |
ence in the world, you know-happens |
very day.
Mark made no remonstrance TO any part |
# it. He did not drink so much as before, |
,ut seemed Sunken into a sullen, leaden |
IldlINs Oll Ollt llit OlNOlNt was dlll-
d he came to the house and asked to see |
lis little boy. Even Bell could not find in |
Ter heart TO deny him, especially as her |
ormer husband was perfectly sober. She .
arried the child down stairs herself.
''You are free now,' said Mark.
Yes" she answered, with enthusiasm. |
The old dreams and old ambitions seem
o shine before me again. take off your
ing and return it 20 you, and with that
ut off the old life forever. Thank God, | |
m free, ! am going to put the past out
f my life so entirely that | shall not even
emember it. | have no memories | |
ave hOpes-once more | have hopes. [
m free, free! A hope is better than a
memory. All, | have wings :"
And the little child?'' said Mark, soft
Y.
Her cheeks flushed hotly. She clasped
he baby closer. - | shall take him with
ne wherever CO." she answered. Il
hail devote my life TO him, and try TO
make hlm wiser and better than his father"
she hesitated little, and then added
GENTLY" or his mother.''
Now that il had really come. and she
vas all free from the drunken husband.
he coarse mOther-in-law, and the horri-
lie old life. with its shameful chickering's.