The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-10-23
KINDNESS AND ITS REWARD.

Alice sat in front of the little table,
washing the breakfast dishes, bright
haired girl, with large, wistful blue eyes,
whom you would never suspect to be a
cripple until you saw that she was seated
on wheeled chair by means of which
she propelled herself back and forth.
Yet, although she herself was the only
servant of the establishment, the floor
was daintily clean, the windows shOne
like sheeted diamonds and the curtains
were white and neatly darned. For lit
tie Alice, at Is, was a born housekeeper,
and took as much delight in the details
of her homely, domestic life as if she
had been child playing with a dolls
house instead of Moses Haywood's
crippled daughter.
" is pulling sometimes, > said Alice,
wrinkling her pretty brown brows over
the hOusekeeper's book; "because
there's only just 50 much money and the
expenses have got to be met; and if you
get the least little bit in debt, there it is,
hanging around your neck like mill
stone to the end of the year. But, then,
again, if there weren't any difficulties in
this style of housekeeping, where would
be the credit?''
And then Alice would shake her
bright brown braids, bite the end of her
pencil and begin again with the trouble
some array of figures.
But upon this particular day the color
burned more feverishly than ever in her
cheek; the teacups clinked nervously
together as she rinsed them.
But Moses Haywood, a white-haired,
prematurely old man, sat over his
"Classical Dictionary" at the other
end of the room and only smiled quietly.
Fifty pounds" said Alice. ats
deal of money, father, dear, and
you've been years saving it up"
"You are right, my DEAR said the
schoolmaster, calmly, sit is a deal of
money. But what is money worth if we
can't use it to help our fellow creatures
with?'
"And l dare say he's ever so much
richer than you, father pursued Alice
'He is my wife's cousin, Alice" said
the old man, "and he is in sore need.
Be Ecomforted, my child, it is only a
oan.'
"Only loani" repeated indignant
Alice. Father, you'll never see it
again. People are always borrowing,
and nobody ever thinks of repaying
money"
"Gently, daughter Alice, gently"
chided the old man. alt is best to be
charitable to all men in thought as well
as in deed 1t is true that | had antici-
pated laying this f50pounds out in a few
books for myself, new dress for you,
and carpet for our sitting-room; but
never mind. We shall do very well as
we are, and if Mr.. Watkins really needs
money
81 don't believe he needs it half as
much as we do" burst in Alice.
And she wheeled her chair across the
room to give the linnet his fresh seed
and water, while Haywood, folding up
the 5O-pound note which had been the
bone of contention, placed it in an en-
velope and walked quietly away.
ats too bad of father" thought
Alice, left alone by herself. 81 do be-
lieve he would give the coat off his back
if any one asked for it. But he ought
to think of himself and he ought TO think
of me-"
And few unconscious tears splashed
down on the linnet's glass water-cup rs
Alice thought of the lOng-treasured ESQ.
just week subsequently Mr.. Walter
Watkins sat in his back parlor, a
wrinkled old gentleman with light-blue
ewes like staring marbles and a curious
upward sheer to the curves of his mouth.
while on the table in front of him Law a
pile of letters.
"Now we'll see" said Mr.. Watkins to
himself. "what all the ties of relation
shin are worth. Eve written pitiful let
tiers to my six cousins, and III be willing
to wager the biggest diamond in my
ring that there isn't penny in all these
answers. Well, we'll see, we'll see
The first letter, as it transpired, was
from the Rev. Theodore darlington,
who inclosed tract entitled, Return,
We Sinners recommended course Of
prayer-meetings, and stated that he, the
Rev. Theodore, was quite unable to