The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-04-25
WAS 1T UNWOMANLYg

WAS 1T UNWOMANLYg
After Doctor Reid died, Mrs. Reid
very sensibly sold the big house with
its lawns around it, conservatory on the
terrace, and stables behind the clump of
cedars, and moved into a smaller, though
not less pleasant hoHse, on Academy
Avenue. People were not surprised at
this, but when they heard that Kate
Reid was going to teach mathematics at
the Female Seminary, then the public
was amazed. 1t began TO pity Mrs.
Reid a little. The Doctor must have
been terribly in debt, or the place mort
gagged, for otherwise it would not have
been necessary for Kate to teach school.
Too bad for her, poor thing, just 20, and
so bright and so good looking, to be
obliged TO toll from to y with a par
eel of stupid girls at the Seminary. In
reality, however, Kate was not obliged
to do it at all, but, being young wom-
an of rather independent ideas, she fam
cied that to have six hundred dollars a
year, all her own, would not be a disa-
Sreeable sensation to experience. She
was not needed particularly in the do
mestic department at home; in fact,
like a good many other bright and
agreeable unmarried women, she was
not needed anywhere to any extent. So
IL came about that she taught the Sem
mary girls arithmetic, algebra, and
geometry, and, though it was rather
trying to the patience once in a while,
on the whole, she very much liked
training the young idea.
One dav in December, she walked
home as usual at y O'Clock, and pro-
ceeded directly into the parlor. Sitting
bv the window she saw Howard Wins
low, a middle-aged gentleman of pleas
ant appearance, who rose and shook
hands with Kate cordially, and stood
and talked to her as she warmed her
feet and hands. You never would have
guessed from the greeting that these
two people were laboring under the SEN
timental bonds of an engagement, but
such was the fact. They had been en-
gaged over month. To be sure it had
been a very prosaic affair, for they had
known and liked each other always.
Winslow finally came to the conclusion
that he might as well get married. He
had money enough and was old enough,
surely, being nearly 40; and as he and
Kate had always been very good friends,
he sat down in his New York Office, one
day, and wrote her proposal. When
she received it, she was little amused
and a great deal surprised, but as she
liked Howard, she sat down straight
way, also, and wrote an acceptance.
Nothing romantic about this, you see
but have an heretical idea that very
happy marriages are often the result OF
Just such engagements.
=" No, | didn't come up from New
York merely to see YOU" said Wins
low, in answer to Rates question; "but
on business about the new railroad.
And, by the way, one of the civil en-
gineers, Ed. Kasson, at work here, IS
an old friend of mine. He's very clever
rs to his profession, and is gentleman
through and through. He isn't much
of ladies' man, but l should like tc
give him a note of introduction to you
if you wouldn't mind"
81 should be glad TO meet him, OF
COURSE" replied Kate; "and mother
and | will try to cure him if he is boor-
ish or bashful. Now, must go up &c
my room, Howard, and renovate my.
self little for luncheon. There is the
Tribune on the table, if you haven't seer
it already" With this she left the par
lor.
About week after, Edward KassOl
called one evening. He impressed Kat
with a sense of squareness. He was tai
and had square shoulders. His fore
head was square; his eyebrows archet
very little; his chin and jaws wer
squared off rather heavily, and his mus
tachc stood out quite straight at tn
ends, instead of dropping over tn,
straight, firmly closed lips. Moreover
he had little, straight cleft in his chin
He was neither boorish nor bashful
however, though he was a trifie clums,
and had very little idea of dancing
school grace. Kate took fancy to hin
straightway, and after he and she ha
talked together about a little of ever
thing, and he had gone home, she wrot
letter to Howard, containing the fol
lowing paragraph:
Your friend, Mr.. KassOn, called this even
ing: and both mother and | liked him Yer
much. He seems so pleasant-tempered, an
is certainly very agreeable talker. we ~
going together, next Sunday, to hear ID
Storrs preach at the Presbyterian Churcl
Mr.. Kasson has heard DR.. StOTTs twice, an
gave such a glowing eulogy on his preachir
that 1 am quite anxious for Sunday TO com
And not only was Kate pleased, bl
so was Kasson, and though he did nj
write many letters to his married siste
when he did honor her with an epist
ne devoted few lines thereof to Mi
Reid:
She is very good-lOoking and sensibl
and has introduced me to several pleasal
people. Ii is she to whom WinSlow Is el
gagged, and he has chosen with eXcellel
taste. Hope L shall have the eRtree of the
New York house.
So you see it was all a sort of mutu
admiration society in the beginning.
did not last, however, for a very Ion
time.
Kasson became Disguised with Win
low first He was such an ass to
engaged to so charming a girl, and il
stead of living in her smiles, go off I
Florida to get rid of the cold weathe
What was cold weather compared to u
tender passion? Then Kate; she w
so happy without her love that she sur
could not care very much for the a
sent one, although they did appear {