The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-10-17

! well knew, the convalescent wiped
! tear from his eye, and turned an earnes
face full upon her.
"Miss Brent" he said, 81 shan't b
here much longer, for I'm stroni
enough TO go home now, and l hadn'
ought to stay another day. But befor
go want you to tell me hsw l ca
ever pay you for all this care and kind
ness. Maybe you think I'm ungratefu
because hain't said more about it; bu
| tell you if there's boy in the worlt
that could feel any such thing it's me.
You forget how much we are you
Debtors" she answered quickly. "Al
that you have suffered has been on on
account"
"Don't you say no such thing, be
cause it amt right. All I've suffered
was because of myself; and l tell you
I've been paid a thousand times over
But | thought may be there was some
way could show you that all this carin
for me wasn't to be thrown away
Ellen hesitated but moment. 1t wa;
the golden opportunity; the field wal
asking for the sowing of the seed.
you'll not think it amiss," she said
bending near him, ''if 1 tell you what
has been our only hope and desire in all
| this mattereh
"I'd be brute if 1 did," he made
answer. 81 hope you don't hold SC
poor an opinion of me as that"
"Most certainly not, George. We
have done what we could to make your
weary days comfortable The world is
full of hearts needing comfort; hearts
that are weak, and need strength. We
never have to 90 far to fiud them. You
will find many such in life; You are
young; you have the power to do much
to cheer and help those whom you as
sociate with. But you must first make
your own life strong and worthy, or it
can not give strength and permanent
cheer to others. l think you under
stand me as | mean to be understood. -
"Well, l dunno, land a lurking smile
played about the fellows eyes. "But if
get the gist of it, you'd feel better
about me if you thought I'd try to be
somebody in future, and leave the street
corners to hold themselves up"
1t was the old, careless way of talk
ing about his own habits, and Ellen
wondered if after all there had been no
change in his disposition. She smiled,
despite her concern, at the odd tone in
which the words were uttered, though
Immediately her manner became almost
sad, as fear of utter failure swept
through her soul. But it was only for q
moment, as the speaker shortly added
81 know that's what you'd like, and
you may be easy on that, Miss Brent. /
an goin' to try to be suthin'; and if
you'll only encourage me bit, once in
while, l reckon it won't be very hard
work to turn over a bran new leaf, as
the ministers say"
4 will giyeyou any help / can, ever,
always; and so will many more; and
may God bless you in your good resolu-
ton"
Then, overcome with joy, the tired,
nervous girl fastened from the room
that George might not see her tears but
he OWNED the cause of her precipitate
retreat, and drew his sleeve more than
once across his eyes, as he mused:
Strange how much goodness there
is in the world done up in small par
GELS, sometimes And just think that
such a little girl as that should do more
for Wash Jones than all the rest put to-
gether"
It was not very long ago that these
events took place. The final result is
not yet assured; but every sign is one
of hope. Wash Jones has never since
that eventful day when first introduced
to the reader, loafed upon the street
corners of Berkeley. 1t was long be-
fore he fully recovered from the knife
thrust received at the burglars hand;
and when he did regain his strength he
went from the place, and few asked
where. Not long after his mother and
sister followed, and the local memory
of the family faded fast away.
But Nathan Brent and his daughter
did not forget them, nor were they for
gotten. Many kind word did the
postal department bear back and forth,
and the reader may like to peruse few
extracts from the last letter received by
Ellen Brent from the young man. 1t
tells its own story without any COM
ments of ours. l
-" To-day have been two years in the de-
sirable position your kind father procured
for me; but l am not to stay here any longer.
70 morrow | take new one, and a great
deal better one than L ever expected to fill.
see my way clear now, and ! have to thank
you for it all. Do you remember when, on
the afternoon of the first day was at your
house after the burglary, you expressed
hope that | would do better after was well
again? You little thought overheard those
words and should never forget them. But
so did, for was not sleeping, as you sup
posed. Once after that you told me should
find good deal Of help in trying to be q
man, and so L do. There have been two re-
rivals here this season; one of temperance,
md one Of religion. l have taken hold Of
both, and l like them. Pm doing my very
best, and God and my own conscience are
my best helpers. And that later promise of
yours, of which at best / must be only too
completes the inspiration and
holds the crown in view. L am content to
wait to prove myself; and mother and Julia
Ire helping me, too; for they have reason to
De proud and happy over the change, and
hey know that it's all owing to you. And
Pm happy in seeing them happy, and in an
-. 80 Ao4k H. -