The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-12-26

OW as your husbands ghostl"
And Nellie looked imploringly at hin
again, and her lips quivered, and tn
tears stood in great crystals on her Ion,
lashes.
"Oh, Harry, how cruel you arel Yo
kn0lC l love you better than all tn
world, ONLY dare not marry again
Don't be angry-please don't be angr
with mel"
And Mr.. Levison looked down at he
lovely face, and assured her he neve
could be angry with her, and then wen
away heapiDg maledietiOns on the heaG
of the defunct husband who had beef
tyrant enough TO burden his young wifi
with such a promise.
The last sunset rays were fiinginl
their golden and scarlet pennOns on tn,
pale, blue-gray sky, when Mr.. LevisoI
opened the door Of his coy sitting-roon
at home, to be met by the laughing face
and gay welcome of a young gentleman
who had evidently been making himself
at home while he waited.
Heigho, Levisoni Surprised to SEE
me? How are you, old fellow-hoW
are you?"
Mr.. Levison stared second, then
greeted him warmly.
Fred Willard Where in the name
of goodness did you spring fromP Why,
1 thought you were not to sail from
England for long six months yet. Old
boy, bless you, I'm glad to see you, al
though for the instant l confess | was
startled-you are the living image OF
your brother Wilson. We've been dis
cussing ghosts, yo1 know"
Young Wizards eyes cleaned mis-
chievously, as he interrupted irrever-
emily:
"tWe' is good, Lev. You mean my
pretty little sister-in-law, of course.
know she religiously believes in 'em. l
know l am impatient to see her-for the
first time since Wills funerali"
Mr.Levison had been looking thought
fully at the embers glowing, like melt
ed rubies, behind the silver bars of the
CRATE; now he turned suddenly to Fred,
and laid his hand persuasively on his
shoulder.
"See here, Fred; you are friend of
mine, and | am about to put your friend
ship to the test. Iwant you to do me a
very great favor; will you?"
Fred laughed.
"Wil IP OF course I will. What's
upP"
And Mr.. Levison turned the keys of
the doors, and the consultation lasted
until the housekeeper rang the dinner
bell.
Five hours later the moon was just
creeping over the tops of the trees, max
ing perfect flood of silver-gold glory
on the quiet scene, and Mrs. Willard,
with a fleecy-white zephyr shawl and
her crepe brown hair, was standing at
the kitchen door, on her return from a
tour of inspection to the snug little barn
and carriage-house, which she had per-
sonally seen was secure for the night,
ever since her husbands death.
Her cheeks were flushed to the tint Of
an oleander flower by the keen kiss of
the frosty air, and her eyes were glow
ing like blue fires as she stood there one
moment in the broad band of white
that lay athwart the floor like
a silent blessing. Then, with a little
exclamation at the perfect
beauty of the night, she went in, locked
the door after her, for her three servants
were all retired for the night, and then
gave a little shrek, for standing in the
self-same accustomed place he was wont
to occupy, and looking as natural as if
il were himself in the flesh, was her hus-
band. She stihed her shrek, and tried
bravely to feel brave, but her heart was
tearing around very undisciplinedly as
she realized that she was looking upon
a bona-fde ghost--a veritable inhabitant
of the land of etc nal shadows.
Will" she said, family, with her
hand tight on the handle of the door,
''Will, is it you?"
His voice was precisely as it had been
in the old days = mellow, musical, lit
lie domineering-Will's undeniably, I'M
"Who should it be but l, Nellie, and
come on purpose to communicate with
you"
"YesP" she gasped, ''but what for? l
have tried-I have done every thing that
thought you could wish. There is
nothing wrong, WHIP"
The pale, moon-lighted face, the
speckless black suit, the spotless linen,
the very same in which he had been
buried, the low, familiar voice it
almost paralyzed Nellie, and yet, aided
by the very material contact of the door
knob, she stood her ground and listened.
Nothing wrong with you, Nellie,
but with nae. come to bring you 81
New Years present"
Nellie was startled, and looked at
him curiously, wondering what he had
brought from the other world.
al present you" he said, "with your
liberty, for l can't rest in my grave
knowing the wrong | unintentionally
committed in binding you to perpetual
for my sake. / come to re-
woke my decision - to give you my full
permission to marry again, and my ad-
vice to marry Horace Leyison. Promise
me you'll do it, and will rest peacefully
forever"
"Oh, Willi-if you will say soft you
think it best-yes!-yes, Will"
Her face wss pale enough now to
have passed for ghost herself.
$50 look at his big clock in the din
Nellie, and see if it is near the
stroke of twelve"
She went dunn bly,, mechanically, lat his
behest; and, when she came back,
be was gone, and the moonlight stream
ed in on an empty room.
Then the reaction followed, and Nell
lie flew up TO her bedroom and locked
the door, and covered her head with
shawl, and sobbed and cried hysterical-
ly, until her over-wrought nerves found
relief in sleep.
The next day Mr.. Levison sent little
note oyer, apologizing for his seeming
in not coming TO bid her
good-by on his sudden departure for an
indefinite time, and telling her that her
cruel decision never TO marry again had
been the cause of it,and that they might
never meet again, etc., etc.
To which Nellie, all pale, alarmed
and crimson with confusion, penciled
an answer, assuring him she had chang
ed her mind, and begging him TO come
over to lunch, to see her, and meet her
brother-in-law, who had only Just ar