The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-11-13

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er, he had given up trying, and had sold
his house and was bringing his little
! girls to live with their grandmother and
aunt at Plumridge, while he
I started off to 90 around the world on
merchantmen. The little girls had
brown eyes and brown curls and pretty
pink cheeks, and they always smiled
when people spoke to them and said,
"if YOU please - and % thank you. >
Amy was 10 and Katy,was 9 years old,
and they looked as much alike as two
-irds on bough.
{. Due a ,e,ona saw a difference. Katy
Is mine, ne Salu LinnSalf when he
first looked at her.
The other boys had each his girl, -
and Eugene had been thinking for some
time that he ought to have one; but be-
fore that morning he had never been
able to make up his mind. Now his
mind did not need making up. He knew
KATY was 50 his " without thinking of it
when he first saw her digging sweet-fiag
root down by the brook the next day
after she came to- Plulnridge.
II A few days before. this time Lora
Shepard had birthday party, and ever
after he heard about it Eugene looked at
! her with admiration in every kink of his
Quaker-colored hair. Just TO think how
much a party must cost! Apples didn't
has apples enough. But peanuts and
mOlasses-candy, and maybe bakers GIN
gerbread!
al don't see how she will get the
! money!" said he to himself, bringing
two cents from below a string, some
nails, fish-hook, jack-knife with no
blades, a dead mouse and a piece of an
ol1horse-shoe in his pocket, and count
| ing them seven times over. Eugene's
heart was as large as the meeting house,
although his pocket was so small, and
with only one wistful look at the two
cents, all the money he had III the world,
he ran off to Lora.
See here, Lora," said he, rafting
them in his pocket. g Here is my two
cents you may have toward your party"
"Two cents! What is two cents?
don't want your two cents!n replied
Lora, throwing out her elbows and up
her nose, "I've got money enough, |
should hope; you 90 away"
Eugene looked hurt and astonished.
But there was one comfort, he could
keep his money, and by and by he had
two more TO put with these two cents.
Plumridge was n small seaport, and
there was sometimes a chance at the
ship-yard for handy boy to get small
Job, besides now and then turn among
the farmers in the outskirts of the vii
lage So little by little, Eugene got
money enough to rattle in each pocket.
"Aunt Prudy!'' said he one evening,
coming in with his cap full of eggs,
''why can't | have a party my own self?
say? I've most half dollar saved up,
most 80 cents, you know, and why can't
l have a party?"
81 don't know but you can," replied
Mrs. Mosscroft, sticking a darning-
needle through quarter of an apple.
"What would you want for a treat?''
Eugene put the eggs carefully on the
table, and catching the cat in his arms
whirled around like dancing dervish
for a minute. Then he sat down on his
bench in the corner of the fireplace and
thought. "They always have molasses
candy to parties and wa'nuts. What
do you think, Aunt Prudy, would you
pick out the meats and put them in the
candy, or would you keep them separate,
which?'
"Perhaps so,'' replied Mrs. Moss
croft, who was Just then counting the
string of apples already hanging to dry
against the wall.
s'Then apples, of course continued
Eugene. ''And, Aunt Prudy, / aCisted L
could have some sweet-cake or ginger
cake or somethingi | couldn't, could l,
Aunt Prudy?"
"May be; we'll see,' replied Mrs.
Mosscroft. ..-. ia
When Mrs. Mosscroft said "Maype;
we'll see," it was good as a note in
hand, and Eugene had to go out in the
woodshed and stand on his head for a
moment to express his feelings. Then
he came demurely back and sat down to
think whom he should invite. When
the morning of the party came he had
not yet invited Amy and Katy Lindsay.
He had never even spoken to them, not
withstanding he had loved Katy for
nearly a month. with all his heart. 1t
seemed to him she must know she was
his, though she had only looked at him
once over her spelling book, and he
felt very shamefaced and Shy as he came
up behind the log where she sat in the
sunshine, chewing wintergreen leaves
and studying her definitions. p"
"Say, I'm going TO have party to-
night; viii you and Amy Gomez" said
he, making a bold burst at his erTand.
Katy looked down, then she looked
up, then she looked down again and
said, sweetly f" Thank you; we would
ike to come if Aunt Phoebe is willing"
* o, She viii be wiIling!" said Eu-
gene. "You tell her | am calculating
to make her. a stirring-spoon, like the
one I made for Aunt Prudy. Aunt
Prudy likes hers first rate. ''eE
The hour came for the party, which
was the time they called "early candle
lighting in Plumridge, when they gave
notices for evening meetings. And the
guests were all prompt to the hour, only
some fingered bashfully in the porch
pretending to- be looking at--the moon
that understood her business and was
Just coming herself, after first taking
look over Mrs. MOsscroft's woodpile to
see that the way was clear. Last of all
came Amy and Katy Lindsay, and then
the party began.
First they sat around on chairs and
looked at each other. without speaking.
They all met every day at school and
had enough to say there, but this was a
party; this was different. =.
By and by the latch-string ratified, the
door opened, and in came the Quaker
colored cat.
"Wel, there," cried Lora Shepard,
"For PHYS sake, how did that cat get
in9 Nobody opened the door. She is
witch cat!"
40 no!n cried Eugene. +" She has