The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-01-30


fully than / now do. | met q young
lady, lively, fascinating, and beautiful,
who was visiting some of her country
friends short distance from my fathers
house. We walked. rode, sailed to-,
gether, and she put forth ali her power to
captivate me, and succeeded. But when
l declared. my love for her she rejected me
scornfully, and you cannot conceive the
revulsion of feeling that took place when
her utter heartlessDess was laid bare to
my gaze. For time vowed l should
never seek the society of another wo-
man, and for three years after came to
the city 1 kept my vow. But the love l
had for ner bears no more resemblance
to the love now feel for you than the
light Of yon fair planet does to the sun
at MONDAY. That experience has taught
me to prize you more than l might other
wise have done.
"Do you know the place of residence
of the lady ?" asked Irene, land have
you since met herr"
She is in London, and / have met her.
Her name is Miss Warner. She did not
recognize me, but knew her face at
once she had not changed as have.
"Why she is an acquaintance OF
mine, and was here this afternoon. We
were talking OF you, but never dreamed
that there was q romance like this in
your two lives. She spoke of seeing you
once, and / am sure che did not know
you were the hero Of her former firta-
ton. She has had so many love affairs
that she has probably forgotten that
one.
The magnificent psrlsrs of the wealthy
Mrs Howard were rapidly filling with
forms of grace and beauty, clad in the
mosts elaborate costumes that artistic
taste and skill could devise or beundless
wealth procure.
Rather late in the evening Miss Elder
entered the room, leaning on the arm Of
Ernest Clayton. They had not appeared
in public so couspicuously before, and a
murmur of admiration at the beauty of
the pair ran round the room. Ladies re-
marked on the gentleman's distinguished
appearance, so different from some Of the
specimens of mankind around him, as,
with erect bearing and manly tread, he
walked proudly, yet with protecting
air, by the side of his betrothed wife.
Nellie was there, exchanging lively
badinage with Clarence Neville as they
passed near her, and she looked up to
encounter the dark, handsome eyes of Mr..
Clayton fixed upon her with searching
gaze. For a moment she reviewed the
buried memories of the past for some
clew to the hslf-recollection that came to
her, for his glance was one of recognition;
and as her eyes searched his face, there
flashed across her mind the revelation
that this was the man whom five years
before, she had treated so shsmefully.
Her eyes fell beneath his look, and she
would have turned and made her escape,
had he not Joken in low voice:
"Miss Warner has not, l see, forgotten
Ernest Clayton, ner the little episode of
a summer five years ago in T"
He bowed and turned from her to
speak to Irene; while she, covered with
confusion at the unexpected meeting,
left the room to recover her self-possession.
Could Ernest have known the feelings
of regret and shame that swept over
her spirit. he would have felt himself
amply revenged but he was too happy
in Irene's love to wish revenge.
So those we're wed, and merrily rang the bells;
and in after life, as quiet conjugal hap,
piness took the place of the srdOr OF
early love, Ernest would often say to his
loved wife:
Miss Warner did kind act for me
when she refused me, and LETT me tree
to seek you, my dearest earthly treas
ure."
Nellie did marry Clarence Neville,
and led frivolous, fashionable life. She
had money at her command, but prompt
iDgs she may have had after a higher
life, when she sometimes called on Irene
and witnessed her domestic happiness,
were effectually checked by contact with
The world, and by the lack of those quail
titles which a woman should possess in
her husband if she would have her mar
ried lie perfect her being, and make her
a true, unselfsl woman.
Be not fashions idle lady;
Be a whOe-souled woman.
------@-
Ice in Silver Mines.