The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-01-09
JOe'S First Love.

When Joe and his sister, May, were
attending college, Joe became intimate
with class OF young men noted for
practical joking. Among the lady stu
dents was one who had for several years
held filtration with every young gen.
tleman who chose to spend his time in
that way. She was wealthy, good look
ing and flee, but lacking maidenly
modesty and high moral character.
Among the boys she was called "my
julia" but in the doctors presence
"Miss Kingsly," for she was his niece.
Joe soon fell desperately in love with
the girl, who came more than half way
to meet him, and, being only seventeen,
his upper lip was pinched, coaxed, and
bit, to make the down grow faster; and
little bunch of burnsides whiskers were
forced to their utmost to make him look
older, but in vain; his slight, boyish fig,
ure appeared to poor advantage besides
The tall feshy woman of twenty-five.
May, two years his senior, was daily
mortified to hear the girls talking about
JullS's new beau, and to see Joe making
himself ridiculous before his school
master. He would throw kisses toward
her window, which she returned in
hankerchief frtations; and though May
told her brother that no modest young
lady would wave handkerchief, he was
too wise to gee his own folly. The BOYS
advised him to marry her if possible be-
fore the close of the term, assuring him
if a stranger should come the next. he
would be Tilted, as they, to their sorrow.
had been. Blind to his own interest, he
proposed and was accepted; but when he
intimated his engagement to his father,
lawyer Penrose was too much vexed and
astonished to reply. He wrote to May
telling her break it of If possible; and she
promised to use every effort, but feared
it was too late.
She now sought Julia's society, but
soon found herself almost a stranger
among her former friends. However she
kept her own counsel. Joe was delighted
to see May choose Julia for companion,
and soon told her all his plans. She was
glad to learn that no definite time had
been fixed, and that probably they might
wait year.
Julia tried to lead May int forbidden
pleasures, but after several Intellectual
sttemps to lure her away to parties
secretely, she invited young men to her
room and had May there when the
conversation had to be carried on in
whispers, and the company trem5led
when step was heard in the hall. Mays
fine sense of right revolted at the idea
of being identified with such class, but
to save her brother she would run the
risk. But the end came when the term
closed. 1t was the night Of the public
Literary. Lawyer Penrose was there by
Mays special request. She was on duty
as essayist. Her subject, youth and
Old Age" seemed very dry one. Her
voice trembled slightly, but soon grew
steady.
She first portrayed a beardless boy
falling in love with feshy woman of
twenty-five; loving her as he loved his
own mother; obeying her mandates,
having no thought of manhood reach
ing beyond her command, willing to
have his intellect bounded by her weak
mind, until q fully developed brain
would show him his folly, only too late
to have the letters broken.
The woman was described as fat, rosy.
insipid as poppy, and uncongenial as
a plaster of Paris doll. Obliged to wed
a boy, that she might raise himself a
man, and with principle low enough
to stoop to private, to forward her
scheme.
Then, dropping her paper, and speak
ing appealingly to her schoolmates, NAV
said: "For this, l left your warm friend.
ship, to save if possible, a beloved one
from the wiles of crafty woman.
''Schoolmates, / densunce: will yeu
receive me again to your true circle, and
back to your pure friendship?"
Amid the teas of grateful school
mates, abe was carried, almost fainting.
from the room. An hour later Joe press
ed kiss upon her pale brow as he said:
May, you shall yet be proud of me-.
He saw his folly, and ten years Later,
when he married lovely woman, "My
Julia" was still trying to pass fora young
lady. .t.ss