The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-11-15
BETSEY'S ALBUM.
A Story of One of It's Faces.

How we go racing up and down
hither and yon, after romance and story
and, somehow, every story needs somt
Adam, some Eve, and sprinkling o
Satan, to be good for much. We once
heard a man say he always glanced
through a sensational news report to see
if it had woman's name in il before he
made up his mind it was worth reading
Countless others, less frank to own it,
are guilty of the same trick. Well,
if we would only stable our Pegasus.
hush our aspirations for heights, turn
our backs on the roadway, and sit down
in the midst of our surroundings, we
might find a romance under the first chip
we CHANGED to turn over.
These reflections ran through thu
mind of the scribe TO the Bunce family,
yesterday, as she sat snugly tucked in
behind the cellar door; and this is what
set the train in motion:
Mrs. Weatherbe and her aunt's sister,
from Vermont, on visit" calling on
Betsey. They said Il" fine day " (the first
equinoctial drops were scattering on
the door steps,, show do you like
Michigan" " do tell" and, d" you DOM
say so" Alice Mabel was duly inspect
ed and announced a fine child, and
Charles Augustus came in, through the
window, after his ball, and then Mrs.
Weatherbe told how much the minis
ter's wife's bonnet cost, and Betsey said
she thought it was shame, and the
minister's coat sleeves shining on the
elbows like oil cloth; and she went
plump off into the parlor, and brought
out the photograph albun--and right
here, while she is making a little speech,
before she shows her pictures, just as
the magic lantern gentleman does, /
want TO say 2 word for albums.
1t is simply cruel the way the average
society critic sits down on them just as
he does on every thing ana every body
that has won all the fame that he thinks
healthy for them. | claim that picture
albums and autograph albums are in
tensely interesting, although every rep
resentative therein be an entire stranger
to me.
Mrs. Weatherbe hitched up by the
aunt's sister, who was busy drawing a
six and-a-half glove from "A number sew.
en- hand, and Betsey swooped down
over their contiguous chairbacks to eX-
plain. IL. -.
Who's that?" said Mrs. w. point
ing with her second finger Cher first has
wart on the joint.
THAT is cousin" said Betsey rlth
Ell sadly; I" that picture was taken in
her bridal tour, travelling suit; you re-
member when they used to wear those
bonnets with fronts running up like the
straw carrier TO a thrashing machine,
that made ones face look the shape OF
rolling-pin?"
Mrs. w. said she did, but the aunt'S
sister, who is New England old maid
said it was before her time.
Poor GIRL" resumed Betsey, 4" that
pretty suit was her bridal dress. She
and her husband were among the kill.
ed in that terrible railroad accident,
which Mrs. w. remembered, and the
aunt's sister had heard her mother
speak of it.
What did | tell you! There is a "study
for a story the very first thing.
"Who is that fat woman with such
small eyes?"
THAT is Adonijah's (my huSband's)
mother" said the oracle, little testify
''she went to the Centennial"
SO did Mrs. Peterkin. There is 8
story in that, too.
"Who is that spruce-looking chap,
with tall hat in one hand and a little
cane in the other?n
THAT" said Betsey, with a senti.
mental whine and sorry shadow in hel
eyes" that is an old beau of mine
when | was at H College. Hi,
father was very rich. He was captain
in the army,' deserted into the Southern
ranks, married Creole, and is now .
sugar merchant in Havana"
And there's a romance waiting to b'
unwound.
That's Miss Anthony" said III,
Vermont lady, with knowing air. q
think she's horrid; her nose shades al
the rest of her face, and her mouth put
in continual protest against the over
arching precipice." (The aunt's sister
writes for magazine.)
" You're Mistaken returned BetSey
severely, "that's my Aunt Bingham, Of
Detroit! That's Adonijah when he was
81; his mother says 'tiSn't a bit good
picture; he didn't have his hands spread
all over his knees that way-it was tn,
artists fault"
They turned another leaf, and Mrs
w. sat back As if she was ''took with :
stitch" and the " lady on a visit sale
go, N.Y. | knew what it meant; 'twa
the beauteous Emmelna, a remote rela
tive, with a rich papa. You have seer
such photographs-frizzes a foot higl
above the forehead, and curls var,
long, straying over the left shoulder;
shadow picture, with melancholy coun
tenance and penSive, up-looking eyes
full of tragical suggestions, tleecy whit
drapery, fastened with tiowers-an'
OH dear mel
"That," said Betsy, sis my picture
taken last November; ii isn't natural a
all: nv frizzes got damp going to tn
gallery, and that pink bow looks ike
patch; besides, it looks As, and an
only so"
Il thought you was older than that,
said Mrs. W.
g | think it very true likeness" IT
marked the hateful old fossil from tn
g. NJ. country.
"That is Phebe Ann and nobod
asked any questions about the prim
plain face.
Betsey shut the book and snapped tn
clasps.