The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-04-24

farm house Mrs. Hilysrd had been born
and married, and here her children also
had first seen the light.
Two years ago her husbsnd-who had
been too little practical to make a success
full fsrmer-had died suddenly, leaving his
affairs in a very embarrassed state, and
the farm burdened with a very heavy
mortgage. Then Jack, good son and
brother that he was, had thought to go
to the city, taking advantage of a situa>
ton offered him by distant relative
until the mortgage should be paid.
Only two weeks ago he had written
cheerfully, saying thst the matter would
be speedily settled to their satisfaction !;
and now, just as they were expecting to
hear that their home was their own
again, came this cruel letter.
As Marion had said to her mother, not
even the loss of their home went to her
heart with 50 sharp a pang as this
evidence of the change in her Only
brother.
That Jack should have grown worldly
and heartless to consider his pecuniary
advantage before the qualification of his
mothers comfort; that he should allow
them to be actually turned out of the
dear old house and go to reside in the
strange city, where they could never
feel at home-oh, this was the bitterest
psng of all
So Marion thought upon first reading
that letter, and it was not until hearing
Miss Melia's words to her mother that
she awoke to the consciousness that fate
could have even greater sorrow than
this in store for her.
One year ago she hsd parted FROM bel
accepted lover, Wat Hinton, in mutua
anger on both sides. What had become
Jealous and had spoken sharply to hel
and in a manner which she considered
herself justified in resenting.
Wat was too proud to apologize, and
Marion too proud as well as too delicat.
to make advances to q reconciliation
and so they drifted apart, both misers
bic, until Wat had broken the last linl
by going to the west.
She heard of him from time to tim
through his family, but not word o
message to herself came. In all thi
while she had looked forward with fsint
yearning hope to the possibility of hi
some time returning, and of sll bein!
made up between them.
But now this last hope was rudel,
-stricken to the ground. Wat was goin
to be married He had forgotten hel
and was lost to her forever.
sob, it is hard-so hard to bear p
thought Marion, as with hands uncon
sciou,ly tightly clasped, she Easse
slowly under the apple boughs of tn
old orchard. "Life is bitter. 1t hs
taken all from me. 1t can have no NOR
to give. Only my dear, dear mothe
and Myra! For their sskss l must .
strong and try to bear it all.
On the verge of the orchard, wher
! the high bank slOped abruptly to tn
meadow, she came to mass of tangle
honeysuckle, fashioned into a rusti
arbor Wat had made it for her, an
here in TACT it was that they had las
parted.
Down in the meadow an little patti
, way, leading by short cut to Wat
: home, a couple OF miles away. Ho
I often she Lao sat here Of an evenin
and watched for him
She could scarcely look back upon an
f object now before her eyes which W.
not connected with some association (
Wat.
] There was the walnut tree which !
' and Jack used to climb, and there IL
clear, laughing brook in which he hs
2 taught her TO steer the little boat whic
: he had made for her, laden with graf
down to Jacks famous water-mill,
| the roots OF that old willow.
Further up was the real "grist al
s saw mill which Jack had always bee
. so DESTROYS of owning, and which evel
r body said would be such a good inves
: ment for one who would manage
t properly.
D And then Marion, seated on the benz
in the rustic srbor, turned and look
| long and yearningly at the old farr
e house peeping from the great beech
g across the orchard. No other place {
0 earth could ever be home to her. Al
T her mother! On, it would be hard
still for her, whose whole life of fit
e years had been spent under that ROOF.
1 A sudden sound aroused Marion
| sharp whistle, as of some one calling
D a dog, snd she saw through tear>dimm,
eyes the figure of man hurrying alol
l the pathway in the meadow. She Dire
/. back behind the screen of the hone
s suckle.
The path led past the srbor, but
s the foot OF the steep bank she would n
e be discovered in her retreat. So sl
P thought; but moment or two aft
|, there was sound of footsteps ascendiI
d the walk, a rustic of the honeysuck
branches, and Marion saw standing
the entrance of the arbor the figure of