The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-09-14

TO ask an explanation from any lips but
his own; besides she loved him, and it
was her true nature to trust implicitly
those she loved.
And so she waited, hiding her ankle
tywith show of unconcern, asking no
Questions of those who could tell ner
al, going through the days mechanic
ably, aud feeling grateful to the night
that sheltered her sorrow, and LEI flow
the tears of grief and surprise at this
unintelligible, unlocked for reverse in
her life. ---....
A week passed thus, when, hearing of
his return, she sends for him, and list
ems for the first time (from his own
lips) to the story of his ruin and dis
grace. How ithad come he could hard
ly tell, but, having only an ordinary in
come, he had spont money like a mil
lionaire; having only the means of
gentleman in moderate circumstances,
he had indulged in the follies, tastes and
fancies of a prince. On his mother and
sisters, who had been left to his care, he
lavished money without stint; his home
was model of elegance and luxury; on
Julie he had showered costly presents
and Jewels, which she, poor child, ac-
cepted gracefully and unquestioniugly,
with no thought of their cost. She mad
rarely stopped in all the course of her
life to ask the cost of any thing or to
debate whether she could afford this or
that. s.
jules father had for some time fore
seen the end of Lees eXtravagant hab-
its, and had determined when it came,
the engagement should be broken. And
so when one morning Cameron came
into the Office of his partner with an
unusually care-worn, restless look, the
latter said TO him, not without certain
ring of sregret in his tone, for he had
known him from his boyhood and had
honored his father right heartily, "You
are a ruined man, sir; not only ruined,
but something worse; your business
debts of course the firm will be held re-
sponsible for; but your debts of honor, "
with a scornful stress on the last word,
81 can not cancel; you will understand
that it is all over between my daughter
and yourself. / could forgive you the
complications in your business affairs
on the score of your experience, but l
could never trust jules future with a
man who borrowed money of his dear
est friends without a prospect of ever
paying them, and without allowing
them to suspect the truth that he was a
ruined man."
The words were scathing and bitter,
the more so that the culprit felt they
were Just. He only. uttered one appeal
in broken voice, sinking into chair
and hiding his haggard, agonized face
in his hands.
"On, sir, you do not know how l was
tempted; for her sake | strove to keep
off the evil day"
And so," answered The other, ''you
have spoiled the future for BOTH" and
then, in a gentler tone, as some thought
of the suffering that mus come TO his
child, and some remembrance of the
love he bore the dead father of this man
stole on him, he said:
" Cameron, il you had to borrow this
money, why, oh, why, didyou not come
/ to me? | might have saved you this
but pow it is 100 laie. You must write
10 Julie at once, and release her. Il
would be better, IN my opinion, for YOU
not to see her again; but 'eave her C
decide that. can trust her fully TO dc
what is right"
And so this was the story OF the ru
med man, poured into the ears of thu
girl who had loved him and placed he
happiness in his keeping. She ha'
summoned him to her, and no one haC
] :.4o-fo,.o1 ,,-;4b big oCp,iDor ort bad laf
them alone in the cosy library seated a
window that opened on beautiful
garden. Ii was he sunset hour of
late spriug-day, audthere was a warmth
of splendor and beauty outside tina
contrasted strangely with the sad
heavy-hearted silence that followe,
Lees recital. --.
She had heard him very quietly, Onl
r closing her eyes, when he spoke of tn
interview with her father, and when h
, spoke the scornful words, "Your debt
of honor [ can not cancel" she irstinC
tively drew her hand out of Lees -th
f spirit OF her father for a moment pos
sessed her-theH, remembering all the
? had been TO each other, she hastily pU
it back and murmured in a stified TOM
"My poor b Y, that was hard"
After he had finished, she sat perfec
: " mute, lost in thought; the shadow
r twilight crept upon them, land present..
thing of the silence, Lee raised his hea
T wealy aud said:
2 "SDeak TO me; tell me somethin!
I anv thing. What must we dO?"
ave can not do any thing" 81
: murmured, with a slight infection
[ her tone and strarse, troubled loc
I in her eyes; "but ) oa must go avs
somewhere at once OF course there
: no chance for you here"
"Go away?" he repeated wondering
"; % 90 away?"
I "certainly," replied Julie, imp
= tiently; edo you suppose you could ev'
b. do any thing here? Your failure is p
u so bad; but who will trust you? w
= not The whole town know Cf-Of-
:, she stopped short; she could not fran
the words, The thought of the dishono
able conduct smote her with so keen
4 parr; ber own instincts were so hi2
f ard noble, she would sooner have di
than praciiced such deceit upon unsu
q pectiry friendship as he had done; al
4 il huII her more than she cared
n show TO miss this quality of homo
which she deemed so essential to a tr
= manhood, in his character.
" "You are cruel!'' he exclaime
v fiercelv. "God knows am wretch
|. enough, without being reminded
) that"
I She rose and faced him steadily
studied his counteuance as physio
II Enomist. the face she had never befo
# studied save in love. Was it fancy,
e had she never before no ed ihat e
s preston of irresolution al ut The sen
h tive, mobile mouth-too beautiful,
!. most. for a man? the ewes looked I
a TO her with the tender, appeaIl
: glance of a woman. But she tbrr
# these thoughts away from her hastil
|. they seemed treachery to her gracio
nature; he had been SO dear to her
r their brighter sunlit hours, and b
d whole heart went cut to him ia iutin
l. pity in this the frs lay of his adversit
e Alasi the birth of nat pity was but {
n prelude TO the death of her great loN
If Love, they say, is sometimes born
n pity; but a woman rarel y continues
10 lowe a man whose weakness has on