The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-03-16
THE FARMERS DAUGHTER.


olutely, feeling His moustache; sbut,
you see, Charlie is so set on it, and-''
"That makes no difference. one way
or the other" interrupted Cleve, with
that quiet firmness which made one
think he might be nodded in iron. " 1t
IS impossible-nothing more nor less
Your son, my nephew, TO marry a coun-
Try girl--a Wisconsin farmers daugh-
ter-simply because she has a pretty
face and a pair of hazel eyesi Why,
man, it would be a lifelong mistake -
And thus saving, Mr.. Fairfax passed
down the broad aisle
Mabel Thorpe, sitting in the crowd
under the balcony Of the Academy of
Music, had heard all Of the brief colo
guy with a singing through her veins
and burning flush upon her check.
"Cruel! crueli" she thought, as
they passed on, "and needlessly so,too.
l did not care for Charles Fairfax. /
should not have infringed on the digni-
ty of their race by marrying him. They
need not have been afraid"
And Mabel drew herself up with
pride no less genuine thgn that of the
tairfaXeS, if she was "a Wisconsin
farmers daughter" "
Miss Thorpe went home thinking
that New York had lost all its charms
for her. She had been very happy in
the great metropolis, with a girls inno-
cent, unsophisticated happiness; but it
was all over now. And when Charles
Fairfax called the next day he was as
founded to learn that Miss Thorpe had
gone home.
So ended Charley's young dream of
love, until the next pretty girl should
strike its answering chord. And Cleye
Fairfax thought no more of the Girl
who had given him a momentary an
noyance, save TO congratulate himself
on the fact that the danger was over.
An October afternoon, with an atmos-
phere full of bracing vigor, in the wide
chimney of the long, low, farmhouse
kitchen blazed fire of well-seasoned
logs, and Mabel Thorpe, standing in
the level crimson light, seemed the very
incarnation of the home deity, in her
calico dress and ruflied white apron.
"How is he now, mother?'' she
asked with a slight shadow of anxiety
in her eyes, as plump, matronly dame
came down the narrow, winding stair
way that led up from the chimney
jamb.
"Oh, he's BETTER" said Mrs. Thorpe,
briskly. "He'll do well enough now.
don't see how he could possibly have
been so careless as to let the gun dis
charge itself through his own arm"
alt will be some time before he re-
covers, | suppose, mother?n
"Your father says he wouldn't be
surprised if it was a month before he
got well around again"
"a MONTH" Mabel Thorpe drew
long breath. OF all men in the world,
she most disliked and distrusted Cleve
Fairfax, yet here he was, thrown, as it
were, on their hands for the very boon
of his life. Little had honest old Obed
Thorpe thought when he brought home
the disabled sportsman, upon whom he
had stumbled through the merest chance
in the world, whom he was bearing
across his threshold. Mabel did not
Judge it best to enlighten him.
"We were never introduced to each
other" she thought, "and it is not like
ly that he will recognize me, or even
remember my name"
But when Cleve began to get better,
Mabel could not but feel that. a new
change was coming over the life that
had been rescued from the grave.
And Cleve, watching her, began to
have vague ideas of a home and its
home goddess.
The marvel and mystery of love-
who may ever hope to read its enigmas?
For Cleve Fairfax, who had run the
e l.
seasons heart-whole and unscathed. had
come beneath the lowly roof of a West
ern farmhouse to lose his heart after
all,
"Mabel!'
He spoke one night, after a long
silence, rs she sat opposite, quiet and
sell-contained.
" Yes, Mr. Fairfax
ado you know that the doctor has
decided that Imay go away nextweek?"
a heard them say so this morning.
"Shall you be sorry to have me gone, :
Mabel?''
She glanced quietly toward him.
"Of course it will be lonely without
YOU, Mr.. Fairfax
He looked wistfully at her. What
made him love her so passionately?
What charm did she hold that so at
tracted his whole nature?
MABEL he said, suddenly, 81 can
not 60 away from here until have ask
ed you one question. | can not leave
you until | tell you how dearly love
you how earnestly / long to make you
my wife,
Mabel looked up, pale, but self-pos-
seSSed.
" The idea is simply prepoSterous
she said; the very words that had so
chilled her upspringing happiness
wear ago, when she sat under the pillars
of the balcony in the Academy of Music.
''Preposterous, Mabel and why?''
alt is mpossible-neither more nor
less" she went on deliberately ''You F.
to marry a country girl-a Wisconsin
farmers daughter-simpl because she /
has pretty face and 4 pair of hazel /.
eyes! Why, man, it would be a life /
long miStake!"
Cleve Fairfax felt the blood rising hot |
and red to his temples. He had an eX-
cellent memory, and in an instant the /.
whole scene in the opera-house rose up
before his minds eve. His own bat /
teries were turned against him with a
vengeance.
Mabel-yOu heard me then?"
i heard you then, Mr.. Fairfax" 4 J
"B But meant didn't know"
" 1t is not at all necessary to tell me
what you meant, or what you knew or
didn't know. | am the same Mabel that /
| was then; nor have the naughty race |
of the FairfaXes waxed less aristocratic. .
that l am aware of. Consequently Won
will perceive the futility of further ar
gument."
"But have learned TO know and
love you since then," pleaded Cleve,
eagerly.
al am sorry you should be disap
pointed in any thing you have set your
b g art upon, Mr.. Fairfax, but my mind
s fully made up and can notbe altered.