The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-06-10
Ir.f 6eaFd ofhsr and by that ilaa.s you

first beard Of her. and bv that name you
are 10 know her now we are to live IN
Arcadia for q whole enchanted month;
and as is BETTING. we are 10 be TO each
other Marguerite and Edward and Hippo
lyte. Have not the kind fates proved that
we are akin, as / told you years agoI
Why, else. have they brought us to-
/ bowed low above the lady,s hand; but
did not call her Marguerite. Neither
did | call her Madame L'Estrange."
some subtitle, underlined feeling prevented
that. compromised by not calling her
any thing. 4 7ts-s gfysh
must not make my story too long.
You anticipate all l would say. There
were no other guests at the chateau. We
three were as isolated Is Adam and Eve in
the Garden of Eden. That was truly an
enchanted week in which we rode. we
rambled. we talked, we read, we sang
happy dwellers in Arcadia. And then
then-I awoke one dav, to find there was
no safety for me but in flight. This Mar
guerite" was growing too dangerously
dear /. who pray daily. "Let me not be
led into temptation" what business had
there, dallying with danger? ~
was not villain / was not an idiot !;
had no more conceit than my fellows !;
yet, could not help seeing that Marguer-
ties soft brown eyes grew softer still when
they met mine, and, that the long lashes
dropped over them with a subtler grace
when | drew near. did not look for this !;
but il was there, and | saw i'll must 60.
A determination that l made known TO
Nj. l. Estrange the next morning.
but you are not gong he said. ut
is too soon. Did | not say you were to
stay a month? We vii have more guests,
if you tire of this dull life; and you shall
see the old chateau alive with dance and
song. My friend must stay ~
No answered; "your friend must
90. Do not make it too hard for him to
leave you" ~
He looked at me narrowly.
Has any thing gone wrong?" he ask
ed, in low tone. "Tell me, my friend
| had thought had dreamed Is there
any thing amiss with you and-Marguer
ite?' ~.-,-. = ---
He spoke in his own tongue now, as he
always did when any strong emotion
stirred him. / answered in mine, my
cheeks white and cold but my eyes
"AmisS-any thing amiss, NJ. LES
ltrange? Do hear you Alright? You are
speaking Ofthe lady who is your wife, and
of one who would fain be an honorab e
mani Any thing amiss, monsieur?"
He looked at me for an instant as if he
thought had gone mad. Then sudden
light broke over his face, and, TO my anger
and aStonishment, he laughed genuine,
hearty laugh. But. before / could speak,
his mood changed, and he caught me i'm
pulsively in his arms zE.t
90, my poor boy 2" he cried. 81 see it
all now. And you thought Marguerite
was my wife? But | told you she was
not, when you asked me so long ago. Do
you not remember? | suppose you I'M
derstood. The woman who should have
been my wife lies in the church-yard yon-
der. Monsieur Rlpon, Marguerite is my
sister 7"
covered my face with my hands. /
could have sunk into the dust at her feet.
1t wasal so clear now-as clear as noon
day. Yet, with my preconceived ideas OF
| their relationship, and in country with
whose domestic life and habits | was so
unfamiliar, could not so much wonder at
my mistake. The patois of the servants,
| too, had helped to mislead me-and | had
| seen no others.
dared not look at him. The gentle
dignity of his last words overpowered me,
| CNCu NultV, III SpllC VI my COlliuolOh anu
dismay, my heart was thrilling with a
newborn hope. -f-a
lifted my eyes at last, to meet his
filled with inefiable tenderness.
You know my secret, y said 'Shall
you take me at my word, nj. L 'Estrange
must go away"
Nay, nay" he whispered, sit was for
this that we were thrown together that
October morning. Was it not charmed,
the token gave you? Stay, now; and il
you can win her gentle he, TT, | will give
you yet another pearl-my Marguerite
Just as long as live, mean to remem-
Der in my prayer the gentleman who
missed conn ctions at Syracuse;" for, i
it had not been for him, would ever have
worn the rare, pure pearl that was given
to me two months since by my brother
Hippolyte L'Estrange?-ApplstOn's Jour
| nal