The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-10-26
THE CoLoNEL,s PROPOSAL.

was giving the last artistic touches
TO a dress of myown CONSTRUCTION, when
a light, prolonged tapping assailed the
back-door of my room. knew thai
knock well.
"Come int" cried. "a ..i !.
A woody head, above a long white
apron, showed itself at the aperture,
and the owner thereof said:
"Miss Alice-he, he, te, he he! dere
is a gemmen in de poller TO see you, {"
smoker, smoker, swallowed and srnoth-
cred, followed this.
"Who is it, Toby?" asked, sol
EMMY. n
"He's Colonel sumthun," Toby gasp
ed, rolling his wonderful orbs.
"That's not at all Definite" 1 went
on, still more solemnly. "Can't you
describe him, Toby?"
Eyes, Miss grinning bravely; he
is de tall gemmen wild de quar- eye,' -
and Toby grabbed his woolly head
with both hands and fairly shook with
laughter. ta.- .l4.. .. -
"That is Colonel Little" l answer
ed, reaching the superlatiyely solemn.
"Toby, you should not laugh at q
person for having guar looks, as You
say."-n- .sy sra.-... ..-rHA
"No, Miss" Toby submissively re-
piled, looking as grave as a judge.
"Please, Miss Alice" he said, after
had given him my message, "please,
Miss Alice, Pse curious to know why
Colonel Little amt named Colonel Big,
cause he's, o golly! awful tall"
"Never mind Go on down, Toby,n
and, as he closed the door, a rap on the
opposite one was followed by the hasty
entrance of Cousin Kate, her sweet face
all awry with merriment.
"Oh! | shall die" she managed to
exclaim. "Cousin Alice, Col. Little is
in the parlor. lie has come to propose,
know he has. Think of calling at II
O'Clock in the morning! know he has
come to propose, or to ask you TO 60 to
Barnum's Hippodrome. He adores the
Hippodrome;" and Kate had another
spasm of laughter.
Gracious!" / shouted, tragically
al hope it's the latter. do want tC
see the Hippodrome, but 1 do not wan
Col. Little. Stop laughing, Kate, anC
tell me, must l change my dress?"
"No. You look very nice. Do hur
nv down; 1 know Colonel Little is dis
arranging every chair, sofa, and otto
man cover in the parlor, and they wer,
all fresh last week. You know he al
ways does it.. Go! or mamma will tea
her hsirp, % " AN1-A ~ LA4
al shall pin him to the sofa," sal,
severely, as | took the shine off my nos
with little powder. "Don't you dar
listen, Kate" 1cH arr Aa
"That's just what I am going to do,
she answered. 81 know the beau idea
of an observatory is the landing o
the stairs. l shall lie flat down Their
and look through the banistersJ rigt
into the parlor. Oh! oh! OH" and
left her with scornful little shrug c
my shoulders.
Cousin Lou waylaid me in the pa;
sage. ale has come TO PROPOSED" sh
said, her face ludicrous and scarlet.
"Got your answer ready, Sis?n cal
ed out a hoarse voice from the librar
as passed its open door.
Colonel Little has come to propos
to cousin Alice, ~ heard whispered a
/ shot by grandmother's room.
From all this you may imagine wa
fully prepared TO have Colonel Little
fame and fortune. six feet two, and on
eye laid at my feet.
| am sorry to destroy romance b
revealing that the Colonel hsd not 10
one of his really fine gray eyes in ii
service of his country, although he Ia
fought bravely for her cause The 10.
was occasioned by some accident whe
he was boy. However, this is d
erosion.
"Good morning, Miss Allen" sal
the Colonel, rising TO his tremendol
height, as l entered the room. .
"Good morning." l replied, lookin
up from my diminutive five feet two.
81 hope l have not selected an il
opportune hour for my call, Miss Allel
] was up this way, and-in fact, woul
come TO see you every day if dared,
and he looked pathetically sentimenta
ooh! if you came every day yo
would often miss seeing me, for al
often out during sone part of ever
pleasant day, l answered.
al am glad l found the courage /
come this morning." pursued the Co
onel, after a Short pause h'' for hay
several important questions to as
YOU"
We were seated upon the sofa by th
time, and endeavoring to prevent II
restless Colonel from twisting the dan
ask cover into string.
"Iell me,r he continued, "don
they laugh at me in this house?" -
"Laugh at youi" / exclaimed, in
voice Of supreme amazement- II w
web done. for how was to answer Y
ortho to the question? @ e. -sa.
"Yes, laugh az me. I know they q
and because l come to see youso ofte
of course they know I come to see 20
for 1 come 8 dozen times now to whe
I came once before you were here. Il