The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-06-14

easily CoUCtlNt VI IL dS al culDdTI stcclIl
situation, but it did not prove so in tn
case of Tom and Lefty; they spoke o
were silent, as the spirit moved. H
trimmed his boat with hand as stead,
as if all his wishes had been granted
They counted the consultations and thu
harbor lights, watched the stars set, anC
the gray dawn shine upon the water
and sunrise was just beginning to glow
in tender lines of color as they reached
the town, made the boat fast, and step
ped ashore. Only few loungers wer,
smoking on the wharf, and waiting fol
a job or a sensation. The widow Cir
die was pulling up her blinds as they
passed, while the house-maid at DIR
Squills's, sweeping off the front steps
leaned on her broom, for all the world
like an interrogation point.
"That don't look right, g" said Widow
Girdle-" teacher of youth gallivantine
about the country. Where has she been
at this hour? That's what | would like
to know
81 dare say you would" said hel
brother. " Supposing you ask"
But Mrs. Girdle did better. She asked
her next neighbor, who passed the
question on; and the result was that in
the course of a month Lefty was notified
that her resignation of her grammar
school would be accepted. Mrs. Girdle,
shopping in Boston one day, met Tom
Longworthy at Parker's.
What's the news at Carbondale?" he
asked.
" News is as scarce as money, Mr..
Longworthy," said she. 81 suppose you
know that Lefty Andrews has lost her
school. But that's an old story"
"Lost her school! WhyP"
"Oh, you must ask the school COM
mittee. Young ladies who have the
care of children should be circumspect,
and not allow fascinating young men
to keep them out late On the river, you
know
"You don't mean to say that luckless
affair of mine was the causep twas all
an accident, Mrs. Girdle, and entirely
my fault
al wonder you don't make amends
by marrying her, Don Quixote.'
"She has already refused me-"
Refused you! You're joking" said
the widow, opening her eyes with as
constituent.
sit may be fun for you, but it's ghast-
ly truth to me-"
Mr.. Longworthy went directly to his
office, and wrote, ''Dear Lefty, don't
forget that love you, and that it is hard
for me to live without you"
Thanks" came the reply. "You
will find it possible"
1t was early in December when Lefty
went into Boston to answer an adver-
tisement for a companion. 1t had prov
ed unsatisfactory, and she was on her
way to the cars, when she was Overtaken
by Captain Crane, a neighbor, just home
from three years cruise.
"Ship ahoy!" said he. elbow are
the folks at Carbondale? Don't know
me, Miss Lefty? Any thing happened
since | sailed?h
"You'n find plenty of change, Cap
tain Crane. Even Carbonate doesn't
stand still while you go round the
world"
"By-the-way, 1 fell foul of an old
sweetheart of yours in Californy."
Gan old sweetheart of mine?"
"Yes. Even sweethearts get old if
you give them time enough. P'r'aps
you don't remember Van Everen!"
Don't remember Van Everen!"
Laurence. Wasn't he sweet on
you, Miss Lefty? l run against him,
just by chance, a week before / sailed );
he's given up the sea, he tells me-
taken to trading. Guess he's married
money, by the look of things"
married money! Laurence Van
Everen! What do you mean, Captain
Crane? Don't you know that he was
lost at sea in the Flying Scud?"
Was he? Then the seas given him
up too; it's a mutual affair, Ell? He's
the substantialest shadOwI ever sighted.
The Flying Scud was lost while l was
off whaling, but l didn't know he was
aboard. But, you see, he wasn't born
to be drowned, Van Everen wasn't
His wife can't hold a candle to you,
Miss Letty-begging pardon-but 1
reckon she had solid charms"
Lefty was in half-stunned condition
all the way to Carbonate, while Cap
tain Crane spun his yarns. Was it any
thing to her that Laurence was alive
and married? Did she feel any bitter
ness that he had given her so much trOu-
BILE for naught, that he had forsaken
her? She had promised never to mar
ry if he died; but he was not dead.
And Tom loved her-and she? Yes,
she was grateful to Laurence after all I;
she felt as if she would like to thank him
for having Tilted her SO cruelty. So she
wrote:
DEAR Mr.. LoNGwoRTHY: When l told
you | should never marry, it was because l
had given a solemn promise to Laurence
Van Everen that If he died would remain
single. But he is alive, and hope you will
pardon LEFTY ANDREWS.
$50 the dream departsi" sighed
Tom. "The lost hero returns; she is
going to marry him after years of con-
stancy. She need not apologize for low
ing him instead of me. 1t ends like a
novel, only am left out in the cold,
like the villain of the piece. wonder
where Laurence has been all this while
He always had a plausible tongue; but
if she loves him Well, / had better
go West and change the scene.''
But before going West it was necessary
for him to run down to Carbonate, set
tie some family affairs, and apprise his