The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-10-30


cause YOU didn't mind untying my hood
for me"
| felt her going so keenly that | could
not study, try as [ would, and in con-
sequence my grammar lesson was de-
cided failure. / went home from SCHOOL
her way that day, taking care that The
other scholars should not suspect my
motives.
When came in sight of her she was
standing motionless by the roadside,
attentively watching a yellOw-jacket
buzzing for sweets in the downy heart
of a white Canada thistle.
Years after, when miles and miles
away from that spot, l could
shut my eyes of a hay October after
noon, with a ) O'Clock sun dipping to-
wards the tree-tops, and see little girl,
lovely as the blush of the sunset, gazing
pensively At bee upon common road
side flower.
ibid it sting you?' asked, assum-
ing very sympathetic air.
No; bees never sting me and I've
watched them dance on the thistle
heads all summer"
Il did not know that you loved them.
Most girls are afraid of bees"
+" Yes, but | am not"
She turned from the rank patch of
thistles and slowly resumed her walk
hOmeward.
When we came to the lane where our
paths separated she put up her little
arms to be taken and kissed before leav
inc me, as she said, - to come back no
more"
BE good to yourself, Eddie, and
next winter, if any little lonely Adelinas
come cold and fri ghtened to the old red
school-house yonder, be to them as you
were to me-
Something choked in my throat, and
| could not say a word but | kissed her
more than once; and after she had
! slipped from my arms and was twenty
rods away, | sat down and cried like
/ baby, because | was never to see AIDE
lima again.
1t was not long before the rumor was
rife in the neighborhood that Mrs. La
grange had married middle-aged city
millionaire, and that the young widow
and her child had found new protect
or in place of the one death had taken
from them.
Years fitted by; l was "a; l had
fought through the great rebelliOn-en-
tered the army private and came out
of it captain, shattered in health, and
utterly depleted in pocket, to find my
self at home again, i'll and altogether
distrustful of fortunes smile.
In nv frequent walks to the village
Post-oflice | often passed by the old red
school-house, and never without a sigh
of regret for the many happy, care-free
DAYS spent within its battered walls.
Among the letters handed me one
morning was one pOst-marked New
York, which informed me of the agree
able fact that, through the instrumental
ity of a friend Of mine whom he
was anxious to serve, the I'M
dersigned, Mr.. Maxwell, had been in
duced to extend to me a commercial
opening at the liberal salary of two
thousand a year, to be increased if mer-
tied. There was fortune for me in the
offer, and | accepted it with alacrity.
Mr.. Maxwell, a rich New York mer-
chant, from the first took lively inter-
est in my advancement. The unknown
! friend | could not account for in any
other way than by supposing it to be
some soldier comrade whom | had be-
friended in the past.
Within a month l was fairly estab-
lished at my new post of duty, and sue
ceeded in pleasing Mr.. Maxwell SO well
that, at the beginning of my secondye
he sent me to Europe in the interest Of
! the house. When | returned, was Civ
en- weeks vacation, which [ spent
among the breezy hills of my old coun-
try home, passing the pleasant Septem-
Der days in tramping through the woods
and fields and by-ways that were the
chosen haunts of my boyhOod.
| was just turning the curve in the
road where the Canada thistles grew,
and so lost in my walking reverie that l
was almost opposite a lady standing in
their midst before | was aware of her
/ presence.
81 am glad you still love the old
scenes, Mr. Durand," she said, without
expressing the least surprise.
| was astonished. Here was a lady
whom, to the best of my knowledge, |
had never seen before. addressing me as
famiiarly as if we had known each 9TH
er all our lives.
Names are treacherous things, and
if | were ever so fortunate as to have
known yours, am guilty of having for
gotten il, l replied.
had hoped to find you an exception to
the rule
\ very awkward silence on my part
ensued. She took pity on my evident
embarrassment, and continued:
Has your battle with the world en-
tirely driven from your recollection all
the old school faces?'
Her voice dropped to its old, sweet,
clear winning cadence, thrilling my
whole being with delight.
d" ddelina!"
caught her hand, and before knew
what | was doing had carried it to my
lips and kissed it.
Excuse me, ," | stammered; "but
Am so glad to see YOU, and you seen
Just the same little girl l kissed her,
p years ago-not a bit taller, not bit old
er-only Adelina, always lovely and al
: ways loved
Then told her all about myself, hov
prosperous | was, and the strange man
: ner in which had been brought to tn
notice of my kind employer. When
had finished she merely said, in ne
7 simple way:
- know it
You appear to know every thing
! Do you know Mr.. MAXWELL"
: He IS my father
And nv unknown friend
% Adelina. -