The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-11-07

caressing way that she thinks, poor
child, is peculiar to him, and looks into
the dropping face.
/ 1t is dangerous to stand on a balcony
on summer nights alone with girl thai
loves you, and that you love, unless you
mean to make her aware of your
feelings; any resolves in the way OF
firmness are apt to melt into nothing,
and hoat away out of reach.
Juliet he says, in a tone that is q
little constrained, ''are you going to
marry the minister?''
Just little whispered "No" for an
swer, but it makes him happier than
such a word is apt to make man on
such an occasion.
"Why notP" little more hopefully.
because, Rex, | don't love him."
A sudden pressure of the hands that
hold hers, and then Rex draws her,
shrinking and trembling with a rapture
that is half Joy, half pain, to his breast,
and says words that are like benedic-
ton to her.
Few men make love well, as regards
eloquenee, but words that are common
place enough, in black and white, can
easily blossom into marvel of beauty
on summer night with one who loves
you devotedly to listen.
The storm gathers faster, the thunder
mutters louder, the wind shakes the
trees, and Juliet has no idea how long
these sounds last, when a great drop of
rain falls on their faces (it could hardly
fall between them).
"That says | must let you in; hope
l haven't kept you out too long al
ready"
81 hope you haven't" she answered
demurely.
He turns to the window, takes his
jack-knife, and shivers one of the
panes, which are, fortunately for Mrs.
Gray, of a fanciful shape and rather
small, reaches into the spring and raises
the window, and they both step inside,
just as tho rain begins to come down in
torrents.
outlet" calls the cautious voice, not
of the garrulous nurse, but of her aunt,
as they light the gas and open the door.
Rex slips an arm about her and they go
down the hall, and, leaning over the
railing, look down.
Auntie Gray is one of those restless
sort of people that are always proving
around the house in nervous dread if
there is storm in the night; and there
she stands in wrapper and slippers with
= night-lamp in her hand calling softly
to know if Juliet's windows are down,
and if she thinks it will be a very severe
storm.
A sudden impulse comes to Rex, he
tightens his arm about Juliet, and draws
her down the stairs. When they stood
in front of the astoDished woman he
says coolly, not at all minding Juliet's
burning cheeks: "May have her for
my wife, auntie?"
We'll, welli" she cred, looking
from one TO the other in dazed way as
if to find out what it all means, q" if that
don't beat all! What blind fool I've
been, to be sure. But Providence al
ways does provide some way" setting
her lamp down carefully, so as to hold
up both hands in her surprise. "Here's
dear DR.. Speecham asked me to marry
him, and | wouldn't do it, because |
thought you loved him, and knew, be-
ing a man, he couldn't bel1 learning to
love you. There, thero!" and she
breaks off with little sob that is half
strangled. by Juliet's arm about her
neck.
So the curtain falls on our little
drama. Let us hope that this " love on
a balcony" may prove to be of the right
sort that will last through life; and that
the stream that often has its rocks and
shadows, sharp curves and rapids, may
in this case, in spite of the old adage,
I" run smooth