The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-09-02

"you shall pnt2that I have received
his letter" =" She blurts forth, as though
struck with good and sudden thought
The fine steel pen proceeds to work
and makes a few fine flourishcs on the
pink paper, while the girl looks on ca
/ ger and intent.
"That have | written" says the
/ Scriyano at last. ''What neXt?''
s'And next next! You shall put
/ that he does too much honor to poor
peasant girl such as To Again the
pen moved warily oyer the paper, and
/ this Sentence takes long to indite, for it
can be inflated with many a fine word
and sentiment; but in time the seri-
yano looks up for fresh matter. Poor
Teresina. She is sorely perpleXed, in
deed. z .t -..
"But, vossignoria, who knows Lat
in, " says she again, tcan YOU not put
together n fine letter."
"That can do, my daughter; but
do you wish me TO say say he shall come
and see you or not?'
"Tell him that there is n fair at San
StefanO, and that he might come to
see; but say ] know not if | shall be
there-you understand"
The scriTaRo huns and haws. This
letter is fairly hard one to write. 1T
Is easy enough when he has but to
~rite a love-letter. The boys or girls
falter out coyly their little tender senti-
mentS, and down they 90 on the paper
mashed into a smooth Jelly, and about
rs unlike as possible to the simple and
hearty phrases which have been die
tated. What matter? They cannot
read, and there are plenty of flourishes.
Who conld say they are not lOve-letters
But what scrivanO was ever taxed with
50 tangible and yet so intangible task
as this?
"It's not the fairest truth, that, eh e,
my girl?'' he demonstrates feeblv In an
swcr 10 her last request. Nevertheless,
something he writes on the paper
Poor. credulous Teresina.
81 don't want much more written, -
says she now, thinking of her quatrini.
But the priest means TO earn some
thing more vet out of this weary letter
"You have said nothing hitherto, >
he complains. 'Poor young man! He
won't know if you intend to have him
or no. One must give him at least to
understand if you mean to look fayora-
bly, of his suit or no.
"But if | don't know myself?"
"Eh, ell, per Bacco, what is to be
done then?''
There is a long pause. The scriva-
nos pen glideS cunningly over the
sheet! it forms capital letters and flour
isheS; it reaches the bottom of the page
sprinkle ii over. TereSina has been
looking on gloomily. She has been
watching her little earnings ebb sadly
away with all those lines and strokes
and dots, and vet it seems as though
she were to get no good out of this let
ter. She is very sore and angry.
''Is there any thing more?' said the
little man at last, in a provOkingly mild
tone.
"'No, per Bacco, there is no more.
Is not that enough?n she mutters cross
ly.
''But | have said no word rs TO
whether You viii have him or no. ="
"Eh, Holy Virgin, say what you
viii, j care not. For the rest, SO long
rs YOU make it fine, he will not under
stand much of what you mean, unless
he is more of an ass than | take him
for. Give here, - she concludes, petu-
lantly, ''till put on my cross.
And the letter is Sandrd once more -,
and sealed and addressed, and Teresina
pulls ont her silken netted purse.
'tIIOw much?n she asks curtly.
"'Well, my daughter, for Il loye-let-
ter so long and so wen written, YOU will
give me n franc--and, more, two soldi
for the paper and sand" .
''Oh, believe yOH. You may keep
yoT fine letter many day before | give
you frame for it. Ten soldi. - M .
''Eh, my child, You dream! Ten
Soldii might have made two Spirito
Santos in the time. Impossible
Eighteen"
Nevermore, - declares Teresina
stanchly. "'Before pay you eighteen
soldi take the letter to some one who
| knows how to read, and I make my
self be told if you have said what l re-
quired.H
The poor scrivano begins to get
| frightened. What would this bode? He
might never write a letter again
"Orsu, make it fifteen soldi," he
pleads.
And long and hotly they wrangle ere
the price can be fixed between them.
Bat at last TereSina triumphS, and car
ricS off the letter, and she has paid no
more than her ten soldi. The Scriyano
is Sorely discounted. Who would have
thought of meeting Il girl so obstinate
and over love-letter?