The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-05-15
Stories ,for the y Preside.
MAKING OUT"

You needn't cry, Roxie. It seems t.
you worse than it is. I am happy, truly
I am. wouldn't ask to be happier i
It wasn't for the thought of him. And
sometimes Pm st peace even about him
While there's one poor heart Ike mine
70 follow him with prayers, 1 can't think
the Lord of all grace is going to forget
him-csn you?
Now you are crying more than be-
fore. Do not take it 50 hard, Roxie. 1t
seems harder to you than to me, because
We sre 50 unlike. Pm used to making
out, you know. Do you remember
when we were little girls how you used
70 hate your patchwork. You hated it
81 fercely 1 never quite dared to tell
YOU how much I liked it for fear of pro-
voklng you. But l liked putting the
odds and ends together to see what they
would make. Once you came into our
house when mother had set me to MAX
ing myself an spron out of her old calico
dress. You said you'd never make an
spron for yourself if you couldn't have
new cloth to make it of. But I did not
wish for new cloth at all. ! really liked
the other best because it was OLD and
soft, snd had grown familiar with it,
seeing it on mother.
And don't you remember when We
we're apprenticed to Miss Cumnor, the
dress-msker, how it was? 1t wasn't
long before she'd trust you with the
very best goods that csme in, you were
50 sure and thrifty with them. You
liked to cut ont of whole cloth, and no.
body could do it better than you. You
said you could see your way then from
the beginning to the end; and you never
tsiled in what you undertook. But she
never gave you the old dresses that were
70 be re.msde to rip up and look over,
they vexed you SO. She brought them
81 to me. | would rather have them
tnsn the whole cloth; Twas afraid of
The responsibility when handled it. l
liked to take the old things and feel my
wsy to the good that might be got out
of them by the good that was left in
them And you and Miss Cumnor said
it was witchcrsft-the pretty suits /
could get out OF old goods. I liked to do
II, Roxie TWAS my genius,yOu know.
and it isn't so hard for me to make out
now, dear, though you think my life has
been so bsd " CuJ up.
You never fairly understood the diff
terence between US. How could you
For you always spoke your mind out
plain. and never could tell you much
IL words, was so cowsrdly and so sfraid
Of making you impatient. l WANTED to
tell you long ago how it was about
Robert and me, but couldn't. l knew
sill the time how disguised you must be
with me, and yet 1 couldn't speak, not
even the night when you warned me.
But now you have come back and are 50
kind, and sit there cryingsfor me, l want
% tell you how it was.
You know 1 had scarcely ever spoken
70 YOU about him. But noticed him
s great deal. 1 hsd great sympathy
with you both in your happiness. Even
iugs when we csme from the shop and
he Joined you, 1 used to drop behind and
wstch you as you walked along. wa
proud of you; I thought you were 81
veG-mstched, both so tall and handsome
and full of life. Robert talked the most
but it was you who led him and settled
Plans and opinions between you.
And when the cloud came that didn'
-nderstsnd st first, snd l saw your fsct
getting more stern and moody ever!
day, ! was as much panied and troubled
Roxie, as if I'd been your mother.
wss most sorry for you at first, but httl'
by little, as / gathered the truth,
becsme even more sorry for him. Yol
said you would not marry an unstead!
nsn. even If he were Robert. / knew
il psined you TO push him of, but yol
were ri=ht and firm to do it and yol
vent YOUR way strong and safe after
wsrd. But he! he had not only los
YOU, but be was in danger of losing all