The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-07-20

buoyant spirits, her voice was such a
warbling voice, her ways were such
winsome ways. Lucian Malvin felt that
he must forswear her presence unless
1 be wanted 10 make life burden to him.
self; and he ceased going to Mrs. Bar
netta's, where she was staying, almost
as suddenly as day forsakes the hori-
zon in that dreary season when twi-
lights are not. n
But if he could shut himself out from
| the Barnettas', he could not shut Miss
/ Rosa out from general society; and 90
/ where he would, he met her almost
nightly, laughing gayly, singing sweet
ly, dancing lightly, till he declared to
himself that if this was going to last, he
must indeed cease going out at all. But
chat was little too much; he did not
know how positively to deny himself
the mere sight of her. Yet things were
growing very precarious when be could
not take book but he saw that blush
ing gold-enringed face slide in between
the pages, when he could not make out
a writ without being in danger of slip
ping her name into the blanks, when
he heard the delicious voice murmuring
in his ears when he walked, and walked
all night with the little spirit when he
slept. He made a compromise with
himself-it was all he cOuld-and de-
clared that at any rate he would not
dance with her again. ....-......
1t was an idle effort. He might al
most as well have danced with her as
have stood looking at her, quite uncon-
sciOus of his general air, and all the
lover in his glanceg Mrs. Barnstta
beckoned him 60 her side; he stood
there just a Rosa came up from her
promenade and left the arm of one cav
alier to be carried off by another.
'You are not dancing, Mr.. MalVin?"
she said. "Oh, would you hold my fan
and handkerchief" He followed them
with his eyes again as the music crash
ed into a dashing galop.
What right had that other man with
his clasp about this darling? why did
she suffer it? what decency was there
in the society that commanded such
sacrifice? In his embrace-whirling
wildly to this wild music!
"You do hate him, don't youP" said
Mrs. Barnetta, in his ear. 81 If looks
could slay-" He started. Was he
carrying his heart upon his sleeve for
DAVIS to peck at? "Oh, l don't pity
you a bit," laughed Mrs. Barnetta, low
toned. And, putting out her hand, she
took Rosa's fan and opened it as she
talked. "Any body" said she, "with
such a power of making misery, ought
to enjoy it.''
"I-I beg your pardon, Mrs. Barnet
ia, but if you read me riddles, l must
ask you also to be their Sphinx"
"Oh, no; it was the function of the
Sphinx to PROFOUND the riddles, not to
solve them" And Mrs. Barnetta laugh
ed her low, pleasant laugh. "You do
not come to US any more" she said.
" And as l used to be in your confidence
before you deserted me, can imagine
the reason. | do not like to say that it
is very shabby treatment of an old
friend. OF course | can not say that it
is rude. But if you do not dance with
Miss Mercier this evening, l shall be
fearfully offended. l am not going to
have my little treasure made unhappy
for the sake of the safety of the prince
of all good fellows himself"
Lucian changed color so suddenly
that Mrs. Barnetta put out her hand in
half expecting to see him fall
but in a moment he was himself again.
"Do you Is Miss Mercier-" he
began, and paused halfway.
GAS if should say another word, and
had not already said altogether too
muchi " said Mrs. Barnetta. "There,
she has left dancing and gone for an
ice. What do you think of round dances,
on the whole?" And they were, to all
deep in a discussion of
the subject when Rosa returned and
swept her late partner courtesy, and
took shelter on the other side of Mrs.
Barnetta. Perhaps she had seen the
way Lucian's eye had followed her, and
il had given her certain illumination
that made her shrink.
just then the band began one of the
Hungarian waltzes, sweet and rap
turous measure that set the blood itself
to dancing III ones veins. Why not?
One last dance, one last moment of
ecstasy, ere he went out forever into
loneliness. Directly he had crumpled
the bit of lace into his pocket, and was
bending before the little Rosa, who
seemed suddenly to have lost all her
light gayety, and who put out her hand
to him with conscious burning blush
upon her face that his heart reflected
in a melting glow And then there was
no thought of pride, or of negatiOn, or
forgetting; the music was swinging
them at its will; they circled in each
others arms to its delicious and delir-
ious mOvement-eternity would hardly
have any bliss for lovers beyond the
bliss of this moment. Yet only mo-
ment was it, few moments, brief
sweet space of half-cOnsciOus time;
and then a faint recognition crept
through its spell and warned Lucian of
the poison in his honey. He was in the
act of surrender; he was about to seal
his fate and that of this dear girl; to
take her away from her fathers wealth
and her luIuriant ease, and condemn
her to the carking cares of poverty.
All his nature rebelled; he chose not
to be swayed by this melody of horns
and strings; he would have no pas
sion, neither music nor love, so master
his soul as to become the element in
which it swan, an exclusion of thought
and fear, of sight and sound, and all
other emotion; and with his imperious
determination he chose to break the
enchantment; the real world crept
back upon his senses, he heard the
tune, beyond this cloud that wrapped
them, breaking again into its distinc-
tive measure, and, exerting his will, he
controlled their steps and paused at
last beside Mrs. Barnetta, and with n
low bow, gave Rosa back into that
lady's care, and passed into the crowd
and out of the place and home to his
lonely rooms.
1t was daybreak before he sought re-
"a a II n