The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-03-20
MADGES COUSIN.

Madge was sitting upon the hearth
rug, pulling to pieces white cameli
, and excusing herself to her kind oil
guardian by saying it was only Jacks.
d" Ny DEAR" said Mr.. Selwyn, walkiD
up and down and stroking his gra
beard in perplexity, " want to talk I
you about Jack"
"Oh please, not now, Papa Selwynl
she called him Papa Seiwyn when Sd
meant to be cosxing, and that was nesrl,
always.
But, my dear, that is all nonsense
must talk about Jack some time. Yes
terday it was, o please don't-my hesC
is aching and the day before, U
please DON'T want to go cut witt
Gerty.' Come, let us face this affair
And sitting in the easy chair behind hi
hassock, he drew up On his knees the
hand that held the broken flower, and
proceeded to lecture his uHmanageabit
charge on the endless subject OF "Jsck.
Madge was a charming charge for any
kind old mans heart to have. No one
could look into her large gray eyes with,
cut seeing great warm heart, whose tale
they told every moment; and yet the
bright quick glances and the saucy set oil
the lips showed that Madge had a will
of her own, ana wit and cleVerness
enough to carry it out.
This lecture on Jack was the same So
many others had been. II consisted OF
! two parts, the first part being devoted to
proving that she ought to throw her own
J Whims and pleasures aside, and IS a du-
I titul girl, fulfil her dyiugisther's request
and marry her cOusiu; and the Sec nd
was eUlOgiUm on the many good quail.
| tiles Of Jack Hawkegbufy.
"DO, Mr.. Selwyn," laughed Madge,
after he had been making out that even
Jacks aWkwarGness came from an over
| plus OF good nature do throw him at
! Gerty's head as you throw him AT mine
and | shall make him over to her, aaG
they viii be happy tor life"
Gerty was Mr.. Selwyn's own
ter, and at the mention of her name q
strange expression crossed his face, which
Madge could not read.
Throw him At Gerty's Lead.l-what
words you use, cniLdw he exclaimed; his
annoyance fer moment escaping bis
control. Il wish you had halt Ger
trude's good sense. You fancy Jack
thinks VI hers that it, He Is the
soul of honor, and a. far IS il depends
on him your fathers word viii be Kept
Ga! Papa Selwyn, don't be vexed
with me; / am SO sorry !" and her face
was hidden on his large rough hands in
burst OF SORROW, cutie childish in its
passing intensity.
Cheer up, my darling girl" he said !;
you made mistake-thaJ's ali. Why,
one Of these days you will forget poor
Papa Selwya altogether, when you fail
in love with your cousin"
"ThGt | won't ;" cried Madge, with
all the strength of her hot heart
All her life, even so far back as her
childhood, she had dreaded the tate that
bound her to marry her cousin. When
JACK Hawkesbury came on the scene and
stayed on visits at the house, she dis.
liked and Tidiculed him without mercy.
Another, one ike fair-haired Gertrude
Tor instance, might have accepted the
inevitable and been happy; but Madge' $
active and independent nature made her
run against fate. And now there was
only one month left before her twenty
first birthday and the betrothal. OFTEN
she told Gertrude she wished he would
60 home and stay there; and Gertrude
would only laugh with = deeper tinge of
color in her fair ace.
The girls went out but little, an ar
raj cement agains which Madge orten
rebelled, believing it was in some way
connected with the safe management of
the marriage with her cousin. But there
were two pleasures in prospect now: an
! afternoons boating with Jack and a
friend of his and Gertrude, and a party
, that the Ponsonby-J oneses were going
to give, to which the Selwyn family
were sure to be invited. First came
boating. Ali that ever memorable
, day how many years it would take
, to make Madge forget it There were
four in the boat that passed, with the
. measured beat and ripple of Jacks pair
of sculls, along by the reedy shadows
and green wooded banks of the Upper
Thames. The two girls shared the cn.h.
Toned seat at the stern, their white
wooden shawls guarding them from the
| chill OF the autumn wind. Gertrude
was watching the shores and running
ripples, thinking in her quiet, easy-going
way. Madge, bright with exclle ment.
was talking-noE with Jack, but with
the dark bearded, travel b,onzzd unau
who was resting from his turn al the
: sculls. He was charmed WITH the way
she chatted and listened TO his tales OF
half the world, with refreshing absence
! ct self Consciousness What would he
nave said If he had known the thought
that strove for entrance into her hesrt (?
Oh If Jack-swkward, laundering,
good natured Jack-could be changed
into this stranger that she called tim
idly Mr. Fitzallen, and Jack and her
guardian had greeted at the house as
Herbert!
At last there was pause in the talk.
She gave deep sigh, prompted by sad
longing to 90 right, vague fear, first
suspicion OF the change that was coming
over her impetuOus heart.
Are you cold, Msdgel" asked Jack
pulling sway and bending 70 his strong
stroke. keep your shawl well about
your shoulders. And, mydear girl, Z Ook
to yonr steering. You have been send
ing the boat into curves like corkscrews