The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-03-15
Disseminated.


"Friend of my soul, whittier are your
thoughts wandering?'' said Mr.. Rob
Newman to his old co llege chum, Gus
tavus Lawson, Esq.
The two were seated beneath droop-
ing elm, on the broad lawn of Harro-
gate House, enjoying the fumes of their
Hayanas, mingled with the music that
foated out on the still moonlit air from
the lighted windows Of the hotel.
There was chop that night, but
both gentlemen being somewhat past
the age when waltzing and Irritation
are classed among the chief charms of
life, they had preferred the quiet to the
heat and glare of the crowded ball
room.
Into the realms of The past" re-
sponded Lawson, dreamily, to his
friends inquiry, and with something
so like a genuine sigh that the latter
turned to look at him.
"Any thing of sentimental nature?"
he asked, in half-bantering tone.
The other was silent for an instant,
and then replid:
"You ask the question lightly, my
friend. 1 will answer it seriously.
Know then that, sitting here and listen
ing TO the music, I have been carried
back to twelve years ago-to an August
night precisely like this, when, in yon-
der lighted hall, clasped an angel in
my arms, and whirled to the divine
measure of the very air to which we
are now listening"
"Ah!" said Bob, with interest, ''who
was the angel, pray?"
Gillian May"
"POetic. Real name, eh?"
"Yes; daughter of May, of the old
banking firm of May & Hobbleday."
al remember; went to smash with
a vengeance, about a dozen years ago.
Was this before or after that catastro-
phe?"
ga year after. She-Lilian, mean
was here, under the patronage of an
aunt, worldly, mercenary, coarse
minded woman, who exercised a most
unfeeling and tyrannieal authority over
her."
"Wfat did your Lillian look ike?"
inquired Newman. "I am curious,
knowing your fastidious taste in the
matter of female beauty"
"She looked like-like what have
called her-an ANGEL"
al can see her now" continued
Lawson, ''see her as plainly as did on
that memorable August night, standing
in this very spot, just against the trunk
of this tree, with her lovely eyes lifted
with a shy tenderness to mine, her
golden hair ripping about her snowy
brow, her arms and shoulders bare and
white as alabaster, and her slender,
sylph-like figure clad in diaphanous
white-tarlatan think she called it.
She wore no jewelry-she knew that l
disliked it-and, indeed, don't think
she possessed any; but, instead, a
cluster OF white waterlilies on her
breast, and a single starry white bios
som of the same in her ripping hair.
/ have never since seen so lovely
picture" added Lawson, with sigh.
"She could have served a sculptor or
painter for a Clytie-an angel. That
was the happiest day of my life; for it
was then that / won from her lips
confession that she loved me, aud a
promise to be mine"
"And how did it turn out otherwise ?"
inquired Bob.
Through that aunt of hers. The
woman had favored, and, in fact, en-
couraged me until-until at length Lii
ian wrote me about a fat, middle-aged
man-a wealthy colliery proprietor
who was prosecuting her with atten-
tons, and whom, she said, she loathed
the sight of. Her aunt, she added, in
sisted upon her accepting him, and she
was nearly broken-hearted in conse-
quence." CHS
"And you believed it all? The idea
never occurred to you that the mans
wealth might have had something to do
with the martyr-like resignation of your
gentle angel?'' ST. '--
mo, Newman, l never did her tbst
injustice. You may look sarcastic. but
If you had known Lillian May as knew
her, young, innocent, guileless-if you
had seen her as she stood here that
evening, pure, hly-crowned, the very
ideal of spotless truth and purity-you
could never have associated her with a
thought of mercenary selfshness and
falsehood."
Bob Newman checked the shrug and
the smile in which he was about in
stinctively to indulge.
$50 she married the rich colliery
proprietor? What was his names"
"Crook, now of the great Cumber-
land Coal Company"
Late of that company, you mean.
Why, Gus, old fellow, don't you know
hat old Crook died nearly two years
sgo?"
MIR. Gustav Lawson turned his eyes
upon his friend without word. His
face flushed little and he threw aside
the half finished cigar. Mr.. Bob New.
man laughed ioyially as he clapped
his friend on the shoulder.
"a widow of-let me see-not more
than so or soi beautiful still, no doubt,
and cherishing tender, regrettul memo,
ries of S past love, whose course did
not run smooth. Why, Gus, it will be