The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-07-18

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a post were growing less and less.
4 4 usedfo-si and ask myself whether
had tired hard and I knew | had-bu
it was always the same. Whether | ad
vertised for a situation as governess, o
went from a registry offie to offer nv
self as-cOfnpanion TO a lady, it was al
WAYS the same. / noticed look Of dis
appei6tnienttas soon as entered th'
room, for / was neither pretty no
bright,loekiDs, andmy mOtirnful blacl
helped TO sadden my aspect. II was al
wsysrh O same fhe lady did not lhinl
/ should Suit her, and in blank disap
pOintpentI had to return.
And nae. it had come to this-thai
my landlady had grown as tired of ms
as the pdople) at the registry offices
where had more than once been told
rudely that | was not likely to get Z
place as igoverness or companion, bur
had better look lower. That afternoon
evidently suspicious of my ability tc
pay, and perhaps disguised with my
miserablesway of living, and afraid
should be left an invalid upon her hands,
she hadArIdely, it seemed to mere
quested me TO leave.
In my present circumstances was
utterly Frustrated by the news, forI dared
not take lodgings elsewhere; and could
see nothing now but to sell a portion OF
my scanty wardrobe and go back to
beg for assistance from my fathers
friend.
What -aachangel and how soon had
my hopes Of independent action been
blightedI I was heartsore as / felt how
that in that great city there was wealth
being sqnandered and luxury around
me while was literally starving; for
my poor living was telling upon me
fast. What should | dop What should
| do?
1t was with weary iteration / had said
those words and wept till tears came no
more, and a dull, stolid feeling of de-
spair had come upon me. had almost
shrunk away. in the streets from the
brightfaced, happy girls passed, and
at times | found myself asking what had
been my sin that | should be thus pun
ished. Ff-r
I lay awake that night formapy hours,
watching the light from the street lamp
playing upon my ceiling; and at last,
towards morning, Che remembrance of
words had often heard came to me
with sad sense of repose, trust and
restfulness, and / believe | fell asleep at
last with a smile upon my lips, repeat
ing a portion of that comforting SEN
tence ending, Are you not much bet
ter than they ~
1t was a bright, sunshiny morning
when I.awoke, to bear some one knock
ing at my deor, and, hurrying on a few
things, / answered.
"Ah! was just agoing to take 'em
down again" said my landlady harshly.
(" Some folks can afford to lay in bed
all day; l can't Here's two letters for
YOU. And mind this, Miss Laurie;
never bargained to come tramping up
to the top of the house with letters and
messages for you"
81 am very much obliged, Mrs. Rud-
dock" | said gently, as | took the let
ters with trembling hands, while, NUT
tering and complaining, their bearer
went down stairs 1t seemed very hard
then, but believe it was the woman's
habit, and that she was not bad at heart,
but warped and cankered by poverty,
hard work, and ill-usage from drunken
husband, whom she entirely kept.
One letter | saw from glance was
from Minna, the other was in a strange
grabbed hand; and I fonged to read
them; but exercising my self-denial, |
dressed, lit my fires, and prepared my
fs.,,rral kr.ao lrfa 81 hafnra cfffinfr
down and devouring Minna's news.
What right had L to murmur as | did
last night, asked myself, when she was
evidently so happy and contented? and
then | opened with fluttering hand, the
other letter, and was puzzled by it at
first; but at last / recalled the fact that
three weeks before l had answered an
in the Times, where a la
dy wanted a companion.
The note was very brief and curt and
ran as follows:
"If Miss Laurie is not engaged she can call
upon Mrs. Langton Porter.47 Morton Street,
Park Village South, at IL O'Clock tomorrow
(Thursday)." fsrs, eFo~.fl
"At Iast!A' I said TO myself joyfully,
and with beating hearth prepared my
self for my journey, for the appointment
was for that morning.
just as | had pretty we'll timed myself
for my walk e sudden squat came on,
the sky was darkened and snow fell
heavily, and in place of morning in
spring we seemed to have gone back in
10 winter, for the snow lay tmckly in a
very short time, and the branches of
the trees in the squares were whitened.
Weak as was, this disheartened me,
but fought my way bravely on, ard
lust az / rang timidly at the door of an
important looking house, and was SUI
shown, by a stout tall foot
man in. drab livery, into a handsomely
furnished room. Every thing in the
place | noticed was rich and good heavy
curtains hung by window and door,
skins and Eastern rugs lay on the pol
ished wood floor, and a tremendous
Ere blazed iA-a- great brass fireplace.
and the flames danced and were reflect
ed from the encauStic tiles with which it
was surrounded.
I'm take your note in, y said the foot
man, as 1 handed IT, :. You can sit
down." - ~
preferred TO stand, and as soon as /
was alone shivered with fear and cold,
IS caught glance of my pale, sallow
lace in great mirror. Every moment
expected to see the owner of the place,
put | remained standing YEARLY for an
hour, and then / sighed and turned
wistfully to look at the door, wonder
ing whether the footman had taken in
.he note which had given him as my
passport. .s-s-
started, for close behind me, hay
ing entered unheard, was rather plump
all lady in black. She was dressed as
# for going out, and well wrapped in
furs.
"Oh! you are waiting she said,
harshly, and shade of idispleasure
crossed her face as she looked full at
me till my eyes dropped, "There,
s-Miss-Miss-n
seLaurie,s suggested. - o -
"Yes,yesi L know" she-said, sharp
Iy; g it is in my note. Pray, why in the
name of common sense did yon not sit
down? Take that chair. Now, then,
have you been companion to lady be-