The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-04-05
", really smitten by a strange thrill of

| ", really smitten by strange thrill OF
curiosity.
al declare, l don't know. He's q
captive of Hope Doris, they say the
tenth Muse as the aesthetics call her"
Madge was treasured. She could
not, of course, know any of Miss Doris
adorers but as she sat down, an heur
after, to rest little from long walk,
little buzz and motion about the door
of the reception-room attracted her,
and looking up, she saw, as the guests
parted to admit their entrance-Mr
Schenck; and on his arm the most
beautiful of women.
Tall, fair with a stainless snowy
skin, and hair of living gold, Hope
DORIS Greek features were indeed the
very outlines of ancient sculpture, with
the inspired expression of lofty. intel
lect beaming from her great cool gray
eyes and calm lips; and her simple
statuesque dress of lusterless white silk,
utterly without ornament, fell about
her like the draperies of Praxiteles.
Madge's heart sunk. How she de-
spised her French fripperies, her pulled
and creped hair, her jewels-herself
What was her girlish, laughing, rosy
beauty beside this goddess from Olym-
pus, with knotted hair and flowing gar
ments, stately as Juno and lovely as
Venus, and o climax of fatel leaning
on Mr.. Schenck's arm with gentle con-
descension, and answering what he said
with a serene and lofty smile!
How she hated in her heart, too, the
dapper youth who approached her, card
in hand, for the promised galop! How
he dwarfed beside her old lovers man.
ly aspect and noble manner! Poor
Madge! As she rose to do her duty,
she met Mr.. Schenck's eye. He bowed
courteously, but coolly, and, to her
rage and disgust, she felt the warm
color steal upward to her bright locks,
and she had wild impulse to drag the
luckiess youth at her side out of the
door, and bury him and herself at once
in the first snow drift. But who ever
heard of impulses at party? The
galop was properly danced, and her
already filled card of engagements gone
through with; but in all the long even
ing Mr.. Schenck never approached her,
and she went home in state of mind
that alarmed Polly and disguised her.
self.
"I am tired and cross, DEAR" she
said at last. "Don't talk to me. I'll
be good tomorrow, but 1 might bite
you tonight; L feel like it."
So Polly kissed her, with dumb
amazement in her pleasant eyes, and
went meekly off to bed.
This scene, however, was by no
means the last. She met Mr.. Schenck
at the best houses in Boston, and always
with Miss Dorr. While she herself
danced and chartered with the young
people, she saw these two the center of
attention to distinguished men and wo-
men. She perceived the consideration
and honor in which Mr.. Schenck was
held, and the Difference paid to Miss
Dorr; and when the gentleman sepa-
rated himself from his co mpeers to ad-
dress few courteous words to her &C.
casionally, she felt it to be an effort of
politeness, and wondered bitterly how
she could have been such a fool-how
she could have been so blind.
Poor Madge! 1t was well for her that
Aunt Phemy bided her time in the SUM-
ny chamber at home; better still that
she had put her tiny old finger into the
Wheel of Madge's fortunes and given it
an impetus her way; for the day came
before long when Mr.. Schenck could
maintain his assumed role no longer,
when Madge found out that Miss Hope
Dorr was his own cousin, and when
Aunt Phemy received from Boston the
following note:
EOH, You DEAREST AUNTY!-I know you
will open your eyes so wide you can't half
shut them again, and you will say all sorts
of bitter-sweet things to your dear, bad,
weak minded girl; but, Aunty, can'thelp
it. know l said never, neuer would, but
don't mind that. I'ye fallen awfully,
desperately In love, and some time 1 am
going to be married-oh, Aunty Fee!-to
Mr.. Schenck. There! Your own
MADGE.
And Aunt Phemy both laughed and
cried; but Jack turned a somersault
when, six months after, he read the
marriage notice in New York paper.
And Madge found letter waiting for
her on her return from the bridal tour,
in which was copied, in a big round
hand, the last two lines of Highland
Nora" and the significant and empha
sized phrase I" never will"
am afraid he never was invited to
The Birches.-Harper's BazGr.