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

upper entry.
Here was pause, during which the
old man joined them again, lighted
tallow-dip in his hand.
al guess Wen have to go through
your room, Miss Treadgar, if it won t
put you out" said one of the elder
women.
"Oh, 90 right in. My sister won't
mind, Think was the reply, in a shy,
hesitating voice.
They passed, accordingly, into large,
low-ceiled room, with windows on three
sides set in 'lean-ton roof. 1t was
furnished with some attempt at comfort.
A small open-grate stove stood in the
chimney, there was high-backed rock
ing-chair covered with old-fashioned
"patch," a bed-quilt of the same, a
chest of cherry-wood drawers, and, on
a square of faded carpet in one of the
windows, claw-legged table of dark,
mahogany, before which Matte Mason
came to ''point' much as trained dog
does when it detects the presence ofhid-
den game.
What dear little table," she cried !;
''such funny, old-fashioned shape. Do
you use it much? Wouldn't you like to
sell it?"
"Oh, please began the spare little
woman, in deprecating voice, but, as
if evoked by the words, out from be-
hind the bed ran another woman,
not before seen-a tall, strange,
melancholy woman, with oddly
shining eyes. She came swiftly, with
hands tightly locked together, and, with
a motion as if to embrace the table,
cried:
"Oh, no! oh, no! Don't take away
my little light-stand. It's the only
one I've got. I've had it always. /
couldn't bear to lose my light-stand
Don't let them, Hexy, don't let them! -"
Hush, Harriet; hush, dear! - said
the spare little woman, evidently the
Hexy" addressed. "The lady won't.
She don't mean nothing by what she
said" But still the fixed gaze contin-
ued, and the imploring voice went on:
"Oh don't let them, you won't, will you,
Hexy? They've taken away so many
things. Leave me my little light
stand!"
Yes, dear, yes, DEAR" said the sis
ter, sOOthingly, while Matte, discomfit-
ed and repentant, echoed her assur-
ances: 81 wouldn't rob you of your ia
BILE for the world. Pray don't suppose
so for minute. | was only asking
from curiosity. Don't feel so badly
please dOn'tl" But still the pitiful
pleading continued, though in lower
key: "Don't, DON'T" till the elder
woman plucked her sleeve, and whis-
pered:
q" You'd better come away. She amt
rightly in her senses, poor creetur, and
don't know what she says''-and Mat
tie, glad to escape from a scene which
was becoming painful, willingly followed
to farther room, which proved to be a
loft, whence presently the old woman's
voice was heard demanding: :" Now
whatever can have taken that wheel? I
see it just the other year-that time Je-
hiel's folks was here, guess; it was
tweve year, is itP-well, twas here then
I'm most sure, but don't seem able to
lay my hand on it now" Hester, mean
while, less absorbed in a special interest
than her friend, fingered with the sis
tiers, the older and feebler of the two
still lowering over her property, as
though she feared it might yet be snatch
ed from her by fraud or violence
''Is she illP" whispered Hester, when
at last the poor creature had been
sOOthed into comparative quiet and per-
suaded to sit down in the rockingham.
"No, not worse than she often is It's
Just the excitement. Nothing worries
her like the idea of losing the furnitur'.
Twas that upset her in the first place,
you know" and " Hexy" gave trou-
bled sigh.
"That? You mean"
"Oh, all the talk about breaking us
up and selling-off the things, and send
ing us to the poor-house. They never
did it, but the idea was enough to break
Harriet all down. She had kept up
heart till then. She was master-hand
for doing and encouraging, and when l
got down she would always kind of pull
me up and make me take hopeful view
IS wells she could. As long as we live
on in the room we had been used to
always, and have our own things about
us, and have just work enough to keep
us goin', she was satisfied and so
was |. Twas home-that was what
Harriet always said; and we both
thought a heap of it II
we was together, too, and of course that
counted for good deal.''
"Where was this home of yOurs?''
asked Hester. She had seated herself,
and her gentle voice and sympathetic
eyes tempted the speaker on.
at was down to the North End.
Alison Street it used to be called, but
they've cut away and changed every
thing, and there amt no such street
now"
"The North End of Boston, do YOU
meanP"
"Yes, the North End. We're Boston
born, and so was all our folks. 1t used
to be real nice street when was a lit
tie girl. / can recollect it some; there
was ever so many big houses, and rich
people lived in them. My mother took
in sewing then, and Harriet and me
helped, though we was pretty little to |
do much, but work was plenty, and we |
got on well. Then times began to |
change, and the rich people all moved |
away and poor people moved in, and one
by one we lost all our customers. Most |
of them had gone to great way off,
where it was too far for them to send, and |
they kind of forgot us, l suppose. 1t
wasn't no more than natural. |
Still it came hard on Harriet and |
me. Mother was dead then, there /
wasn't no one left but US two. |
Sewing was the only thing we knew how
TO do, and at last there was hardly any
sewing to be had"
Couldn't you have moved too, and
nnt a little nearer To YOUR custnne1.s 2,r |