The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-09-11
A SPINNING-WHEEL.

The old house stood in an unfreuuent-
ed lane; how unfrequented was evident
from the grass-grown wheel-track in the
middle and the half-effaced foot-path at
one side. 1t had melancholy aspect,
the old house, as it gazed out at the
fields with its blinded and closely-shut
windows A long, untrimmed briar-
rose tapped with its riotOus withes on
the front door, the little yard was choked
with weeds, two or three missing panes
had been mended by squares of pasted
paper; there was just repair enough to
avert a look of squalor and not sufficient
quaintness 10 achieve the picturesque
Still, the yellow sun and the sweet air
of September bathed the shabbiness and
lent peaceful air TO the spot, and the
same blue sky arched above which over
hangs earth's fairer places Nature
knows no favOrites. Her free bounty is
shed for all, and her sweetness reaches
and communicates itself to unlikeliest
hooks.
FOrlorn as the old house was, it wore
a delightful look to one pair of eyes
those, namely, of a young woman who
was driving down the lane in light
country wagon, with a companion of her
own age and sex beside her. They were
city girls, lodging for few weeks in a
neighboring village, and this was one of
many drives they had taken together,
partly for enjoyment of each other and
the scenery, and partly with view to
possible bric-a-brac, of which one of
them was an enthusiastic collector.
They had taken the turn into the lane
with the expectation of finding human
habitatiOn beyond, and when the old
house caught the eye of Matte Mason,
the bric-a-brac fancier, an exclamation
Of rapture broke from her lips. The 9th
e er girl did not notice it at first She was
dreamily regarding the hedge-rOws, and
humming to herself:
Wild rose, delicately flushing?
All the border of the dale
Art thou like pale check bIushingi
Or like red check
"Well, Matte, what is itP" as her alb
-straction was rebuked by sharp poke
from the elbow of her companion.
"Oh! Hester, see! Such a delicious
old rooSti 1t loO&s as if it were built in
the year one. The very house for and
irons, and brass candlesticks and spin
ning-wheels. What IL you bet that |
don't find the spinning of my
dreams in that very garnet which YOU
see up there? And TO think that no one
told US that there was @ house down this
way"
4" 1t does look spinning wheely," said
Hester, with smile, as her friend turn
ed the wagon toward side door, where
was visible a row of milk-pans set out to
air. The sound of wheels, hushed and
veiled as it was by the spreading grass,
evidently caused an excitement within,
for blinds ratified and one or two heads
peeped out of windows. BY the time the
horse had checked himself at the top of
the grassy rise, the door had opened, |
and become, as Matte afterward ex-
pressed it, "densely populated, no less
than three women and one old man !
crowding at once to enjoy the unwOnted |
spectacle of two Young ladies and a |
wagon. Two of the women were good |
specimens of that hearty, though tooth |
less and wrinkled, old age so often seen
in the New England country regions;
the third. spare, shrinking little crea-
ture, did not seem of the same genus. |
Matte leaned forward. She was al |
ways the spokeSwoman of the two, and |
her voice, as she spoke, softened itself |
into the pretty, coaxing tone which she
was accustomed TO employ when there
was an end to serve or new acuuain- |
lance to be pleased.
"Good afternoon, said the sweet |
voice, eve stopped as we went by to |
ask if by chance you happen to have in
your carret an Old-faShioned fiax-wheel |
which You no longer use?"
Well, yes, | calkerlate there is one,n |
replied one of the women.
- Is it pretty-small you know, and |
made of dark woOdP"
:" Yes, It's kind of SMALL
81 wonder if | might go up stairs and !!
see it. (Seductively.) want Just such |
an old wheel. Would you sell yours if |
it turns out what | likei"
A" You must ask him about that-he'S |
the man, - remarked the other woman,
having paid which concession to sex, |
she turned sharply and said to the no
bier creature indicated, in peremptory |
voice: You 60 along up and light |
candle, SOS she can see when she gifts 1
there "a mandate which "the man y
obeyed with docility. Then, turning to
Matte: ''YOu can 90 up if you've a
mind 10, but you'll find it kind of dusty,
L guess"
ssOh don't mind dust in the least"
laughed Matte, who adored odd garTets,