The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-10-18

though the world knows nothing of its
prettiness. / know it very well although
/ have never been there. / think /
must run down and see it. The fact is
that it once belonged to my own ances-
tors, and my mother often used to tell
me how she spent her childish days
there. 1t was all sold off, as the pro-
ceeds had to be divided among lot of
US. The present owner has the same
name as the estate, but he wants to sell
it, and will take fair price. must
get Parker to see if there is any more
land to be had in the neighborhood. l
have written to Mr.. Lescombe to say
that shall probably run down and look
at the place, more especially as 1 had
an old association with it,
Just at this moment a page entered
the smoking-room and handed Major
Eveleigh letter on salver.
"By Jove, it's the Lescombe post
mark! Excuse ME if Tread it. Light up
again, old man."
The Major read the letter and appear
ed much gratified by its contents.
"This is really very kind and gentle
manly. Read it, Hardy"
LEsCoMBE HALL, June 1S.
DEAR SIR: If you have any idea of COM
ing into our part of the country, we shall be
extremely pleased if you will come and stay
here as long as may suit your convenience.
If you think Of purchasing the place, this
will give you the opportunity of aequaint-
ing yourself infinitely with all the details of
the property. What you say about the Hall
having originally belonged to your family is
full of interest to me. Their tradition still
fingers in the countryside, and is uniformly
favorable to them. / shall be extremely
pleased to have the opportunity of showing
hospitality to one who no doubt is a worthy
descendant of the old owners, and may be
the owner himself. You probably know
that we are rather sequestered and the
neighborhood is thin, but we will do our
best to make your stay pleasant.
Yours faithfully,
LEsCoMBE LESCOMBE.
1t was quite a new sensation to Major
Eveleigh to find himself in the pleasant
guest-chamber of the old mansion at
Lescombe. From this chamber he
caught a distant view of the sea, and in
another direction he looked beyond the
carriage-drive and the meadows to the
little village and its gray tower " stand
ing four-square to every wind that
blows" Major Eveleigh afterwards
declared that quite remarkable mood
came upon him as he awoke that first
morning in the guest-chamber.
az assure you, Hardy" he once said,
months and months afterwards, to his
old friend, 81 felt most singular SEN
sation. The room, and every object in
the room, seemed strangely familiar to
me. Was it transmitted feeling from
my ancestors that | was sharing in what
had been their experiences, or was it
prophetic feeling about times to Gomez"
He had wondered very much who the
"we" could be; he had accidentally
heard that there was no Mrs. Lescombe.
Did Lescombe have an editorial habit
of describing his own individuality as
"we," or had he any people of his own
who would help to make his visit a
pleasant one? He discussed The matter
as he went down by the express, and
came to the sage conclusion that time
would show He came in late, for the
train had been delayed, and, after some
sherry-and- water, had gone to bed.
We have made him express his feel
ings when he first awoke next morning.
He tubbed, and felt prepared for break
fast and business. When he came
down, the "we" was most satisfactorily
explained. Miss Lescombe was presid
ing, fresh and fair as morning itself,
perhaps with a little constraint about
her, but with natural graciousness
which would not, for a moment, allow
him to suppose himself an unwelcome
guest. Great Roadway was made with
the breakfast, but none with the bust
ness. The curious thing was, this bust
ness was soon relegated into the back
ground, and then seemed to vanish.
Squire Lescombe showed his guest over
the house and outbuildings, conserva-
tories and gardens; showed his horses,
dogs and stock; but it was entirely in the
way that country gentlemen treat their
>; ;to,.s Thon bo tNnl- hi into +bo old
church, where the Major worked up the
arrivals, functions, and departures"
of his ancestors. 1t was very strange
THAI the old clerk should remember
more about his grandfather than he did
himself, and the old clerk was literally
rewarded for his good memory. Then
they went down to the little bay, and
henceforth the NJ tjor substituted
plunge in the sea for his morning tub.
Mr.. Lescombe was most generous type
of host. Nothing was left undone that
could add to the happiness of his visitor,
and that without the slightest thought
of selishnesS. But, somehow, Gertrude
CLlCl CiCi1CuJ III
that exceeding happiness. She steered
when he put out to sea; she rode out
with him, or took him out in her basket
carriage to see the chief points of inter-
est in the neighb )rhood. She took him
out to st. Julian's Point, that he might
sketch the old ruins, and the white
cliffs, and the wide sea beyond, and the
contorted rocks which rose out of the
depths not far from shore. As for bust
ness, he left it to his man of business,
Mr.. Parker, and to the gentleman, who
ever he might be, who was the Mr..
Parker on the other side of the question
Oh, why could't things go on in the
pleasant was in which they were going
on? Why should the ugly business ele-
ment be always intruding itself in the
midst of pleasant things?
One day they were sittino down over