The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-05-18
DAN RENSHAW'S RICHES.

The Renshaws were well known and
highly respected I'M their sphere. The
grandfather, old Daniel Renshaw, was
said to have made a afortHnei in the we'll
stocked dairy farm which ne Occupied,
few miles distant from.the busy liltle
town, whose weekly market he had TO
supply with fresh butter and eggs. AZ
ter his death, and during the reign of
his son Matthew, there was marked
decline in the prosperity of the farm.
For this, various causes were assigned I;
among others, general mismanagement
and the young masters distaste for
farming. The last rumor was confirm
ed by the sale of the farm and the pur-
chase of a new business. The new in
vestment did not fulfill the expectations
of Matthew Renshaws it slowly but SIRE
ly eXhaustedtail his resources; and, in
a vain hope Of fortune taking q turn in
his favor, he borrowed money 10 carry
on the business, and so became inextri-
cably involved. The end was utter ruin.
So perished his dream of founding a
great firm under the name of Rensbaw
and Sons. -
Matthew's two boys had to 90 out IN
TO the world and fight the battle of life
for themselves. Daniel, the elder, chose
the trade of a matchmaker, and George,
his brother, that of a carpenter. Both
were good, worthy lads, doing fbeir du-
ty in their spheres, and making the best
of the reverse of fortune. Matthew
Renshaw did not long survive his firan-
cial ruin. From the day of his death,
the two brothers were drawn closer to-
gether, andtheir devotion to cath other
became n subject of remark in. the
neighborhOodS George married. -but
the health of his young wife Hisibly
failed after the birth of their little
daughter, and scarcely three years of
welded happiness had passed when he
was left 4 widower- After his wife 5
death George Benshaw did not rest un-
til he had given UP his house and gone
back to live with his brother at the lit.
tie shop which Daniel had opened a few
months before the wedding Georges
wee fledgeling seemed TO strengthen
the bond between the twos meng EFur
some years life flowed on IN uflbreken
peace tothe inmates of the little shop,
over which was inscribed, "Daniel Rem
shaw, Matchmaker and dJewelerslaEE I
Baby Chrissie was just eight years
old when the shadow of a great sorrow
fell updnthes little household sItwas
toward the dose OF a gray autumn
day that the dead body Of Georse Ren-
shaw. was borne over the. threshold of
his brothers house. He had been killed.
by the giving way of some scafOlding
on which he was at wOrks The shoes
of his brothers death told visibiy os
Daniel Renshaw; his only consolation
was the little orphan girl, to whom he
transferred all his love.
alt is poor Georges legacy, and moro
precious to me than if he had left thouN
sands of pounds" "
Dan Renshaw largely inherited the
Characteristics of his grandfather, the
old farmer. whose homely virtues had
built up the fortunes of his family. The
matchmaker had the same thorough
genuineness and primitive old-world
simplicity. HeAEas like himsalso in a
certain sturdy conservatism that
despised all kinds OF sham. He never
married, which was always o source of
surprise among his friends, for they
knew he was the kind of man toanake
any woman happy. But the watch
maker never revealed the secret of his
unwedded life, not even to his favorite
and dearly loved Chrissie; but she un-
consciously probed the secret, when she
one day questioned her uncle about her
mother, and ended by asking him if he
had loved her. Ills answer was sim
ply, ''0f course did, child"
There was nothing in the tone of his
voice TO reveal TO her the pathetic story
that lay beneath his words-a story
which bad changed and shadowed his
life. Handsome George Renshaw never
guessed that he had taken the sunshine
out of his brothers life when he con-
fessed TO him his love for Chrissie Bate
man. go wonder that Daniel Renshaw
loved her orphan daughter, for his
niece was strikingly like her
mether.- Little ChriSsie was 2 sort of
sweet idyl to the old man-the poetry of
his life. He could not tell any one how
entirely bis love for her filed his world;
it was something that he could
not have put into words He only knew
that she was his compensation for al
other disappointments. He loved to
see her tripping about the shop like IA
sunbeam, Frightening when she passed.
It.was 50 pleasant TO see Chrissie doing
the all-important work of tidying- the
little parior and shop; fiuttering about
withlen ,eXtensiEe7duster-in. her hand, {
the sauciest of white aprons fastened
over hen-simple stuff dress, sand her.
sleeves tucked above her dimpled ell
bows-so pleasant for the-old watch
maker. as her -tidying -operatfors were
almost certain to end with himself, in a
vigorous rubbing up of his gray hair, TO
which he submitted like 3 pleased child.
But he was t the only one who took