The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-11-07
A MODERN ROMEO AND JULIET.

Ifyou had gone with me into a certain
church in Elltown on n certain Sunday,
followed the highly respectable usher up
the softly carpeted aisle, and settled
yourself comfortably in the corner of the
proffcred seat, and glanced up at the
organ and choir behind the Rev.
Speecham's desk, your attention would
probably nave been attracted, as was
mine, by an undeniably attractive sub
ject. A girl in a dark gray dress and
hat, with dash of color like the breast
of bird il the latter. and charming
poise and quick motion of the head to
carry out your thought. A slender,
graceful girl, with warm, red dimpled
cheeks, full red lips that gave the chief
expression of the face, and were con-
stantly changing that expression by lit
tie curves ard quivers, steady, blue eyes
and a strong forehead and chin.
If, at the end of the first hymn, you
had been unable to tell what she had
been singing about it would not have
been because you had not been watch
ing her all lifetime from under cautious
eyelids, and, after the reading, you
would probably have found yourself as
did, old bachelor that | am, wonder
ing what that girl was thinking about.
First she pulled of one neat, little
gray glove, rolled it into a ball, and
threw it into book-rack in a very i'm
petuous manner, and when the quiet lit
tie Mr.. Speecham gave out the hymn
she glowered at him savagely, then shut
her lips tightly, making straight scar
let line that surely was not called out
by the sentiment, 4" Blest be the tie that
binds, etc.
After the audience was settled for its
morning-well, nap think, to tell the
truth-the blue eyes took a far-away
look, as if they saw something beyond
the back of the minister's head, beyond
the upturned faces, beyond the carved
doors and stone walls, and beyond the
touch of the closely clasped fingers.
This expression prevailed to the end
of the sermon, toned down now and
then, by an evident thinking out of the
matter in question. After the benedic-
ton had been pronounced, and the peo-
pie sufficiently awakened by a terrible
blast from the organ to walk mechani-
cally out of the chilly church into the
bright sunshine outside, | saw my
morning puzzle slip by DR.. Speecham,
Join a middle-aged lady of the highly
respectable sort and go out with the
crowd. As for me, betook myself to
a humdrum boarding house with dim
feeling of regret that | was no longer
young.
Now, all this is simply a prologue, as
it were, to the little drama which l
found out afterward, and started out in
the beginning to tell you under the title
which has, believe, been used for a
similar purpose already by some one.
Having given the introduction in due
order, the curtain will now rise on the
first act of the play.
Picture to yourselves a Sunday after
noon, slowly waning into evening; a
large gothic house, with a great many
porticos, and on one of them my puzzle
Juliet, and the middle-aged lady, whom
she addresses rs aunt, sitting yis-a-vis.
Juliet looks up now and then into the
elderly lady's face as she speaks to her,
but oftener, it must be confessed,
chances dreamily beyond over the wide
slope Of lawn at the side of the mouse.
Auntie Gray, impressively: "Now,
Juliet, l am very certain you would
find your feeling changing toward dear
DIR. Speecham if You would only stop
thinking of that wild, harum-scarumH Hal
Lane" Him." thinks the maiden,
lit is a good thing you don't know who
| am thinking TOO much of.'') 4" 1t isn't
the most violent love that lasts the long
est, and besides it is dangerous to trust
too much to the feeling. The dear doc
rood ,,,a, nj ba mould -,
your sudden impulses and Freaks Ju-
lets lip curl suspiciously, but she says
nothing.
Auntie Gray resumes, "lOu do like
him don't you, Juliet?"
eyes, auntie, respect and like Mr..
Speecham, but that isn't loving, and |
don't love him."
A sudden, vivid blush finishes the
sentence, for as she looks up, she has
the horror of seeing that reverend gem
tleman standing at the end of the porch,
having come over the lawn as usual. to
take tea and walk TO church with them,
after a custom OF some years standing
The instant she glances up, he makes a
gesture for silence so much sterner than
sny she has ever seen him make before,
that she is literally astonished into COM
plying.
There is no need of your blushing
like that over a man that you only like, ="
drones on her aunt, in state of sweet
Inconsistencies; but, before she has
finished speaking, the man who has un-
intentionally played eaves-dropper has
disappeared. He is late in coming TO
tea that night, but when Juliet comes
down from her room in answer to the