The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-04-08

with the whole town of HeathertOn
thrown in. / surrender to you all the
rights of the Heathercloughs. if they ever
had any, in this property, and you are to
take it, and welcome you are to it. That's
what came here to say"
She looked up at the broad-shouldered,
brave young man, with bright glow in
her fair cheeks.
"Mr. Heatherclough," said she, "you
are very generous and noble. But don't
care two cents for it either.'
"Then We'll donate it to the town for
lunatic asylum" said the broad-shoulder-
ed, brave young man.
They walked peaceably away together,
in the pale November light, Clough and
Heatherclough, side by side. So calm,
strong and self-controlled these two were,
so different from the noisy, squabbling,
cackling Clough and Heatherclough who
had died bequeathing their mutual hate to
these their heirs. Genuine strength is al
ways calm "inferior force is alway vio-
lent"
Pale November whitened into winter,
winter changed into green spring, and
spring, again, deepened into the gold
of summer; but still the Clough and
Heatherclough dispute had not been set
tied. Since the werld began there never
was dispute which required so much
consultation between the chief parties as
this dispute. Dame Heatherclough would
have surely jumped out of her year-old
grave and clawed the red-brown cheek and
bold black eye of Wolf Hestherclough,
like a cat O. mountain, if she could have
heard the mysterious hints which were
rife in the village about new way to pay
old debts.
AS to Mariana and Wolf Marlborough
of course; why not?
Once more they met beside the lovely
little lake in the midst of the "Bone'-the
little lake where the trailing vines dropped
to the waters edge, and the darting tiny
fish turned up their glancing red-gold sides
to the light. She had gone there first, and
he followed, seeking her, his enemy" he
always said.
"Miss Mariana" he began, without
moments ceremony, 1--WE have been en-
gagged"
"No, we haven't" said Mariana, laugh
ing.
He blushed like big cabbage-rose. 81
mean we've been quarreliDg with all our
might for nearly year now, and we're no
nearer to an agreement than we were at
first. There is one way of settling our
dispute which I've often thought of lately,
but which I've never mentioned to YOU.
I've been afraid you would't like it."
May | inquire what that is?" asked
Mariana, very composedly.
He looked hard at the ground, and when
he spoke at length, it was hesitatingly, and
with much embarrassment. He was very
modest, this brave fellow.
"Miss Mariana, Pm but rough fellow,
because [ never had time to learn the fine
ways which ladies like, though think
might learn them even yet-from teacher
of my own choosing. That's neither here
nor there, though. Once, standing right
here by this little kettleful Of water,
begged you to accept this patch of land
with the old house up yOnder. | must
have bungled wretchedly in my effer of it, |
for you refused it, and you have refused it |
steadily ever since. Miss Mariana, Iwish |
to offer it to you again, and this time
beg you very earnestly to accept it, it and |
and a half-clviliZed fellow who would |
carry you in his heart to the worlds end |
so tenderly that life should scarcely have a |
rough place for you"
He seemed as if choking with the effort |
to speak, he was so embarrassed. Mariana |
was silent. How could she look into the |
eyes of this trough fellow" this brave, |
pure, child-nearted man, and tell him that |
he himself was more of knight to her |
than any other living man?
81 meant to go back yonder," said |
Wolf Heatherclough. =" But | have no |
heart TO go back to my wild mountains
again, because my heart will be here
here where you are. Dear Mariana, let |
me stay where my heart is, and call you
by the name which my heart has called
you a million times"
Once more ClOugh and Heatherclough
walked peaceably home from the little lake
side by side, and this time they walked
arm in arm, and it was to be side by side
and arm in arm to the worlds end.
The very last words fierce old Dame
Heatherclough ever wrote with her own
hand were these: MAY the house be
leveled to the ground, and Heatherton
Park sown with salt, before this property
shall come into the hands of a Clough!"
But for all that, Clough and Heather
clough, wife and husband, live together
in that very same house, and they are as
happy as two angels-which is saying con-
siderable.
Hate cannot last; the devices of spite
and avarice pass away as a summer cloud;
and it is all one in the grave. What is
there of earth that can last? Listen
Sometimes Wolf Heatherclough clasps his
wife's hand, and looks into her face with
his bold black eyes, now moist and gentle
and tender, and says to her,
- Nothing is enduring in this world but
love-"