The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-03-25
THE STORY OF ROSE.


she, and great woodsy brown eyes, with
limpid lights and unquiet shadows, like
the little brown brook in the meadow. A
cheap print whose ground plan is solid
expanse Of brown, and which is besprin-
killed. lavishly with tiny sciilet and yellow
autumn leaves. is fashioned into a wrap
per whose every fold presses itself into
shape over the trim, short figure. A look
of expectancy in the A~oodsy brown eyes
and two poppy burnt cheeks tell their
story ably.
And while he is yet coming, and you
may gaze your fill at the trOpical-hued
robe and tn flaming face, let me tell you
more about her. Her name, to begin
with, l. Rose Van Dyke, nice old name
enough. with hassociations of tubes Of color
and stiff.jointcd mannikins- -easles and sa-
ble-points aud satiny folds of brown, a
name that belonged 20 her good Oldfather,
who, dying five years ago, lett il to her
with his blessing. And upon this scant
heritage the little brown maiden thrlved
and metamOrphOsed into the little brown
woman, who Taught country pumpkins
their first principles, and was well paid Tor
il.
And it was well for her that she had
put every extra penny by, womsn-fashion,
in a precious cracked teapot on high
shelf: well, indeed. she thought, since Te-
rese Van Tassel. a far-off orphaned cousin,
had been thrown on her hands. and was
coming to share her hearth and home
with her on the morrow. Meanwhile -
A hush was in The very air. Up from
the village that nestled at the mountains
base there came the soft chime of the clock
in the church tower-five, six, seven I!
And the echoes had not yet rolled their
silvery waves of sound beyond her alert
cars before the quick tread OF advancing
footsteps set her heart beating wildly, and
she turned her face from the doorway to
gain time-it was so flushed with joy.
" Looking for any one, Miss NanDyke ?
asked very pleasant. rich voice, in very
matter-of-fact manner.
- Yes, Mr.. Lee. was looking for you, "
she answered., simply.
"For me p with an affected tinge of
surprise in his voice. "How did yon
know-how came you to think l was COM
ingT,
graphy," she answered, drawing down the
creamy covering OF her eyes. .-
"Ohi" he vouchsafed, at length, but
seeming unsatisfed with her answer.
What simple little soul ii is!' is his
inward observation; '' so sweet and fresh
and artlessl She has won a place in my
heart of hearts, and ] will enthrone her
there whenever the love light in the brown
eyes grows f ON dancing will-o'-wisp to
a steadier glow"
And her thoughts Tan riot. 6. Will he
never, never know? On, to be woman
to sit and NOPE ones life away and let the
grand opportunities be iUsti Not daring
-, ctr fr.1 Il na hax Of
not daring TO lift hand as the idol passes
poor blind idols that will go by uncon-
scfous. and crush our hearts out in the
passing"
"How goes the school, Miss Van
DykeY" he asked, looking at the queer
frown that knOtted itself upon her fore
head.
"The school? Bah! I'm sick of the
school-tired, tired, tired!" little venge-
fully. "But it goes along smoothly
enough, of course, aud will continue in
the mOnotOnOus tenor of its way, until"
Until what?" he asked. the surprise
all real now, little anxious at her hesita-
ton.
swell, until my cousin arrives-and she
may put me out some"
"Your cousin!' flinging etiquette to
the dogs.
a. Yes, sir; an orphan, if you please" e.
Philip Lee did not seem to please. The
coming of this orphan child mealt TO him
a breaking in, in some way. upon their
quiet lalkS and his study of her. She was
Il charming study to him; and when he
was Just beginning to turn the first leaves
of this interesting book, in must come
some stranger TO break up his lessons
piecemeal.
How old is she, Miss Van Dyke?''
feeling as if he must say something on the
subject of the interloper.
Indeed, cannot tell; somewhere be-
tween ten and twenty, should Judge;
this followed by a dolorous sigh.
"Are you not we'll" All, what would
he not have given to have been free to let
that blessed word of endearment slide
from its perch on the tip of his tongue
You seem sick or sad"
II am weary. This teaching is tire
some work; and then it is lonely here on
the hill when" Er
he turned those perverse eyes Of his,
that aootttd mirror his soul in spite of him,
tGWaEi The open door, and waited for the
conclusion Of her sentence.
But she did not finish. They sat there
In quiet, these two. with glances wide
apart. IL pleased him that this shy being
should show her preference of him before
he spoke of sentiment.
OF course there was a reason for this,
and what that reason was is quickly told.
He had, years ago, loved with young
mans fiery passion creature cold as ice,
keen as a lawyer, as heartless as a sphinx.
But the passionate flame burnt high, and
the incense surrounded the adored one,
l,l.r l,.sl ha- it,x halN of
And when the vision spake, and the al
tar tumbled at her touch; when the in
cense melted from before his blinded eyes
and his soul saw her as she was. the flame
in his heart smouldered and died, leaving
naught to show for it save a scar. And
the old axiom of the burnt dog dreading
the fire proved verify in his case; for, in
his dealing with Miss Van Dyke, he clung
to the mainland of facts. and kept from
the dangerous ground of fancies.
They had known each other some half a
dozen months, and he had called upon her
on an average of twice each week, and
sometimes oftener; for on Sabbath even
ings he walked beside her TO and from
church. He had come to unravel little
tangled thread of her inner life, and of that
little skein he wove a web around and
about himself from which he could not
escape. He did not care TO escape, in fact
but kept weaving the threads with which
she unwittingly supplied him like human
cocoon.
On this evening of which write, he hac
come TO her with plan in his head. 81
can get her to speak out nOw," he
thought, and, thinking this, he said
rather hurriedly, as if waiting longer TO
hear what she might say were thing inn
possible: ~. ~
'By the way, Miss Van Dyke, am go
ing away. May l hope that you will not
forget me ?"
Away she had never thought anything
conld change in this dull, sleepy suburb
and now the greatest change that could
happen had come TO her. Going away!
There was no outcry, although the
heart buried under the flaming calico au-
tumn leaves went throbbing on as if il
were hammer. Into the eyes crept a
look of infinite yearning, but he saw il
NOT. for the womanly pride came to heI
rescne. snd her glance went rowing over
the fady flowers in the three-ply carpel
beneath them.
Al hope / shall not be forgotten" he
repeated.
HOh, no, Mr.. Lee" she replied, more
absent-minded at this instant than any
dulIard among her pupils.