The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-01-02

on the eight years of his marriage wit
Helen and said bitterly, out ofthe strif
within him, ' She never said any thin
IKE thfslto t1et,b
The argument was specious but fiat
tering; that night found him again b
the library fire with Anne opposite; hi
face was grave and almost sad as h
opened the conversation:
T" Anne, you asked me very pointe,
questions this morning, and l have foun,
It hard to- answer themj perhaps m
best answer Is that in all the years Helei
and were married she never once fount
fault with me-"
Anne's face blazed and the bitter trutl
sprang resistlessly to her lips:
"Sbe was afraid to-
Mr.. Potter was COMPOUNDED. Fact
are hard things to strike with; he die
not speak, and Anne went oni
'--'' You must admit -thst this was so
but let US leave Helen out of the ques
tion; God reqniteth that which is past
! but it is not for man to do so. | spoke
very honestly to you, Ben; know vol
desire and mean to be Christian man.
but l do not think you give religion 8
fair chance ! icertailiy know that il
the Bible is true Christian life means
a life like Christ's or it means nothing
and neither you nor / believe that he
went about in any spirit of discourtesy,
selGsEress or inconsiderateness his life
preached in unison with his lips; and
believe that unless ours does, We take
uron us the name of God in vain, and
profane the holiness of our profession as
truly and thoroughly as if we blasphem-
ed and cursed with our lips"
Strong language, Anne"
- Strong facts, Benz
She said nothing more; caller from
the village cane in, and Anne was glad,
or she knew that few words are far
better than many; but when it was time
for prayers and Mr.. Potter brought the
Bible from its place, he found it open at
the last chapter of PHILIPPIANS and his
eye fell al once on one of the very texts
that had haunted him after Helen's
death: :, "FinaHy, my brethren, what
soever things are true," etc. He was a
little indignant; he thought Anne had
set trap fof him, and turned rapidly
over till he came to the third chapter of
Peters first general Epistle. His usual
reading was not much in the latter part
of the Testament; those practical ex-
hortations that were addressed to the
first disciples pleased him as little as the
like preaching pleases some congrega-
tons in these days; he preferred the
glowing poetry of the minor prophets,
or the historic records of Israel, as far
more comfortable for daily perusal than
the homely thrusts of keen insight and
sharp advice which were aimed at those
early Christians who became Christians
indeed, and endured hardness and mar
tyrdom with faith and patience. So now,
when he saw that this chapter COM
menced with a honlily on the duty of
wives, he began it with crisp satisfac-
ton as who should say: 'sThis the right
sort of doctrineb' Unfortunately the
duties of husbands are equally set forth
in the following verses, and the pithy
exhortations to pity, courtesy, peace
and gracious conversation which follow,
were like nails set in their places and
forced in with rapid blows.
"Is not my word like as fireP" saith
the Lord, and ." like q hammer that
breaketh the rock in pieces ?" Surely
it was so that night, for the very finger
of God seemed to have set these lines
before him, and pointed his reused con-
science to their force and meaning
Hitherto he had thought it enough for
his profession and standing to have liv-
ed an outwardly upright and moral life;
that he owed any duty to God in taking
his name upon him had not been his
thought. Now he saw as with new eyes
what disgrace and dishonor his daily
conduct had been to the Lord whose I'll
tie he wore, and the conviction appalled,
him; he closed the book and knelt be-
side it, but the routine of his usual wor-
ship was forgotten, for his heart spoke
from penitent lips, and in
freshly to the Master for par
don he found peace and strength also.
Anne's tears fell freely; she was also
convicted of hard Judgment; she had
not expected so much candor and hon
esty in this man, or such a real desire
TO do right. In fact she had not really
believed him to be a Christian, though
she thought he had intended what he
had protested. - u
When they both rose from their knees
hey looked at each other with dim eyes.
"Anne," said he, humbly, "you must
help me too; shall be but a stumbler
n the new path have patience with my
faults, dear, even as the Lord will"
"Oh, Ben!'' sobbed Anne, I" l was
hard in my judgment of you; L did not
give you credit for your strength or your
honesty"
"Don't be unjust to yourself, Anne
credit for good traits was not what l
needed; my eyes wanted opening, and
believe the Lord sent you to do it, and
after him | have you to thank"
Nothing could have humbled Anne
more than Ben's magnanimity and graft
.ude; if her spirit had been little phar-
sale before twas freed from such stain
now; and as Mr.. Potter went ON day
after day and month after month, grow
ng more and more into the likeness of
he Lord whose name he wore; STUN
bling and lapsing now and then, to be
sure, but with manful strength and
pursuing the way of life, Anne
earned both to admire and respect him
he children grew to love and honor
heir father, and the church recognized
a purer spirit and deeper goodness
and therefore loneliness in this promi-
lent member. ..-..- 81.
"Did ever you see cretur so chang
ed, as Squire Potter is, since his fust
wife died!'' chifped Widow Drake to
Miss Barber as they went home from
prayer meeting five years after our first
interview with him. s.t
"Well, he is considerable different,
hats a fact,', Miss Cerinthia answered.
- l used to mfstrust them times that he
want nothin' but professor, but seems
IS though he'd got to the practisin' part
mt now" II LtF Irf
"'Twas good thing Anne Hyde mar
red him L guess. Cerinthy; she's
splendid woman; l expect the loss of
MS fust was blessed to him."
81 guess more likely the gainin' of
MS second was. | heerd quite spell
;ence that she'd sot her mind on goin'
rs missionary, long with her brother,