The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-11-01

by natural processes, I believe"
! SIN told she isn't favorite with
your sex; but exceptions prove the rule
never knew her to have Irritation be.
fore, confess"
"Is Lais a flirtation?"
"On her side, yes. It's her very in;
difference that attracts Leroy. He's
4 used to being made much of, and to
have the girls thrown at his head, so Ia
speak. As she doesn't want to marry
him, she can afford to be audacious."
'f1 didn't think she would condescend
TO flirt."
"You seem TO have made study OF
Miss Dabney. think she didn't wish
to be left out in the cold. All my guests
seem to be paired off this season. You
viii have to devote yourself to me, Mr..
Northcote, unless ! import another
blessed damosel. ;"
"Don't, l beg; am content with the
blessings the gods have provided"
"You might dispute Louise with Mr..
Leroy, to be sure.''
"True. Let us begin by interrupting
| the tete-a-tete."
''Mr. Northcote,' said Louise, 'sthis
is pleasure for which Mrs. Furniss had
not prepared us"
"Excuse me, but your friend doesn't
look as if he regarded it in that light
said Northcote, aside. al hope | am
not dc trop.''
al didn't know that such humility
as that hope suggests was trait of your
sex.'
"Shall / go away AGAIN."
Why, certainly not, Immediately; it
would look as if had snubbed you"
land I'm not sure but you have"
1t was doubtless pleasant to have
spectator witness her refutation of the
popular prejudice respecting her want
of attraction, and that the spectator
should be Mr.. NOrthcote added piquan-
CIV to the affair. "At least he will see
that somebody finds me worth cultivat-
ing she reflected. But in spite of this
she found herself incapable of entering
into the spirit of Irritation with the same
unconcerR after Northcote's arrival.
She felt perpetual insane desire to
shorten the walks and drives, that she
might hasten back to his neighborhood,
and know just how he was passing the
time, that she might see his face and
hear his voice. But the further she with
drew, the closer Leroy pursued, the old
adage that's bird in hand is worth two in
the bush not holding good in love
affairs. But when Miss Dabney ventur-
ed to flirt, she did not know it entailed
serious results. She had such small be-
lief in her powers of fascination that
she would have laughed at the idea of
Mr.. Leroy being in danger or, in earn
est. There was no one else at leisure to
receive his attentions, to listen to his
gushing; when other women arrived, all
this would be transferred, and she would
slip back into her natural state of isola-
ton and neglect. Didn't she know that
Leroy's tender speeches meant nothing,
thauhis devotion was onlyperfect from
practice? But when the genuine article
was not to be had, it was pleasant to
play at love-better half loaf than no
bread at all
The family had been picnicking in the
woods one afternoon, where the pine
needles made carpet, and frolic-
some brook capered and dubbed down
from its mountain source. Leroy and
Louise had wandered away to collect
brushwood to boil the tea-kettle, but had
gathered flowers instead; and when the
sunset had begun to fade, and warned
them to return to their party, they found
itwas something more easily said than
done. After some time spent in vain
search for the right path, they seated
themselves on messy log till Louise
should recover breath and strength, and
studied,sueh fragments of constellations
as peered through the branches over
head, and listened to the lonely pathos
ofthe whip-poor-wiA and made the place
ring with their chorus, not much daunt-
ed by the situation, Leroy happy enough
in the protracted seclusion which had
befallen him. Lister be had waxed SEN
timental and poetical, and she had
laughed at and interrupted his Hottest
flights. nj -.,-E---. -
44aWere YOU ever in love, Miss Dab
ney?" he asked. t,.-
" Scores of times; from the age of
six. Isn't that every body's expert
enceP''
Not mine," he returned. al was
never in love but once.p
"And who was the happy creatureP"
she asked, recklessly, thinking he re-
ferred to some hobbledehoy era.
" Who a0as she? Why do you speak
in the sad imperfect"
"YOu don't mean to say
al mean to say that the only woman
ever loved, or shall love, is"
"Oh, hark!" cried Louise, rising.
4" hear footsteps-pardon the digres-
sion. 10, the. conquering hero
comes -" she sang. d" Oh, Mr. North
cote, how glad am to see you! 1
didn't know as we should get home till
morning." as that gentleman waved the
brand he had stolen from their gypsy
fire and shouted, Eureka!"
al didn't know but | was de trop
again, when / found you and Leroy
taxing it so cozily," said NOrthcote,
later, as he opened Mrs. Furniss's gar
den gate for Louise to enter, Leroy hav-
ing been already captured by the
hostess. al feared l had mistaken my
vocation, and had not been cut out for
a discoverer -
Indeed, | was never so glad to see
you in my life"
"Really? Was it so bad as that?'