The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-01-07

some OF the more startling terra incog-
nita imidges :" after these departed the
warlike old Don and all of his fellows in
''brOnge."
Rather strangeI'' say /, but 1 arrive
at the conclusion that Mrs. Smiley thinks
that do not appreciate these works of art
as should; or, that she has concluded
that they-they being the ''gOods and
godsD of her ''sweet Marier'-should not
be profaned by the daily gaze of sacrile-
giOus eyes.
Soon my reading-stand, towel-rack, my
lamp, and even the lace curtains from the
windows disappeared-also my last chair
goes.
The "sneak thieves" so dreaded by
Mrs. Smiley, now came into my head
they were gradually stripping the room
l now, for the first tiHe, remembered
that had not seen Mrs. Smiley since TAX
inc the room. | also recOllected that in
that last interview, when she said, 'Thirty
dollars i'm advance, underestimate she for
got her dulcet, motherly tone, and her
voice had harsh, metallic riDg-the chink
of hard goldl
resolved to see her and tell her how
things were going, but every day the
Chinaman, Wing Lee, met me with:
|" Madam gone out; she gone down town.
Yes; sure she 90 down town."
The end of my first month was now ap-
preaching, and lone fine night l went
home and found my fine bed-''iit for a
prince'-gone. while in its place stood a
little rickety ''three-quarter" concern.
TABTTHA WAS EQUAL TO THE EMERGENCY.
This was the feather too much, and
besieged the house in season and out of
season, rushing in whenever could snatch
a moment from my business. Finally |
pounced down upon the old lady and
turned loose upon her all the batteries of
nv wrath. Bless mel she was as serene
a. a Mayday morning. She had known
all along how things had been going. She
didn't blame me for the loss of the
''brOnges" and other fine things-''nO !;
poor child! he wasn't to blame!" She
had had the ''perlice to work constantly
for three weeks" "It's the nasty sneak
thieves - said she.
But said |, chow about that fine bed
the sneak thieves didn't take that and
bring in a little, old, rickety three-quar-
ter-o
40, nv. no! but the bed-you must
have noticed it. sir?-the bed was sadly
out of repair. The little spirous springs
was all smashed down and I've sent it to
the uphOlster man to have it fixed. Ii
will be home tomorrow. then you can
have it again"
About the broken-nosed pitcher she
gave Wing Lee all the blame also about
the chairs and many other things-but all
should be "'tended to-" The curtains
were taken down to be washed" and
finally al seemed right enough, except
that there was not a decent article OF fur
niture of any kind left in my room, and for
over a fortnight had been reduced to a
tallOw candle.
The next dav. and the next, and the
next, saw no Mrs. Tabitha, but | finally
saw her, and she abused the "upholster
man" at a great rate.
PETARD TAKES "MARIER' ROOM"
A day or two later, as | was leaving my
denuded room. met in the hall my friend
Petard. Secretary of the Hoist Gold and
Silver Mining Company.
" Hello - said he, and Hello J" said |.
Petard informed me that he was rOoming
i'm the house. and invited me into his room
to take a cigar.
''Been lodging here nearly a week" says
Petard, as we enter his room.
No sooner have | entered than my eyes
begin to expand, as they roam about the
room. There. before me on the mantel,
stands that masterpiece Of modern art.
" Little Mary and her Lamb :" near by Is
Don "QuickSet." the war-like, and all the
other s'bronges," while on the wall flames
the "CruciiiXtiOn.' and other familiar
''picturs." Looking further. | see my
lamp. lace curtains, reading-stand, and, last
but not least. my bed! That bed. aft for
a prince :" and nearly all lost from my
room, here see snug and safe in the room
of my friend Petard.
vigorously puff the cigar, which by
this time have lighted, and neither by
word nor look give Petard any hint of the
discovery | have made. Finally, | ven
ture the remark: "Petard, this is q
very snug room in which | find you quar-
tered'
Yes" cOmplacently aSSents Petard.
"GoOd many works of art?" said |.
"Well," said Petard. " the room is good
enough, but as for the works of art as
you are pleased to call them-bah! hOrri,
ble things, most of them! 1t is a room, y
continued Petard. - that the landady has
never before let. 1t was formerly Occu
pied by her Slaughter Maria, young lady
who is now at school at Benicia, California
| She must be an exceedingly romantic
Young lady! Why. Mrs. Smiley tells me
! that Sne would sit for hours at that nOrtf
window, gazing out there at that old pile
! of rotten granite called Cedar Hill-tha
| she thought that dirty old wart on the tact
of fcreation perfectly magnificent QueeI
taste, must say! ~ sneers Petard.
"MAR1ER's ROOM" AGAIN BECOMING
FESTIVE.
All this time Petard is seated on the sid,
of - that bed" while | occupy the Onl!
chair in the room. Presently he says
II did have nice easy chair in the room
when first came, but it disappeared da!
or two since. Some of the Chinaman'
| blundering, | presume; and-blast IN
almond eyes II see that he has given m
an old cracked wash-bOwl. also, is throw
ing off on some other little things"
| see that the game has been commence
with my friend Petard; but | only asl
what rent he is paying. He tells me 81
per month, and thinks it rather high; bu
| saws he could do no better at the time b
took it" didn't have time to look abou
much"
[ take my departure, leaving Petar
smoking his cigar and musingly studyin
the Z" CrucitiXtion."
In going down town made inquiries {
two or three friends in regard TO turnishe
rooms. One of them c1re essly asked m
present " camping-place." When l mel
toned Mrs. Smiley's, gleam of hgh
showing suddenly awakened mteres
flashed across his broad, gOod-humOre
countenance. What" cried he, "aI
YOU housed in 'Marier's rcOm?-ht
bOodwo-ra ?'-and is the sweet child
still at 'Bernicia studying the Frenc
tung?"
| fear that blushed slightly as mao
answer that, for time, the boodwo-ra WI
mine: but | lost no time in eXplainin
that our mutual friend, Petard, was no
the happy posSessOr of that mythical apar
ment-the CrucifiXtion," the knight
Don. and all the movables.
"sAINTED MARIER" But A "BEAUTIFU
DREAM"
! NV friend laughed long and heartily b
, fore proceeding to explain that he, too,
one time reveled in the possession
- Marier's ROOM" He then went on
fell me, that Maria" was myth
least as painted by Mrs. Smiley. i" III
only daughter she ever had, said n
friend. - was a grass-widow when she tir
struck the Comstock range, and she w
, not here a month before she ran away
Montana with a faro-dealer. Mrs. Sm
lev.D proceeded he. 4" has about three sc
/ = - Ir,. rarhola hnnCa ~