The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-10-23
help his cousin Walter except by good


chant.
my dear cousin" it said, in little
spider-webby characters, "your letter
fills me with surprise. Such necessity
can only have its source in dissipation
or speculation. With neither of these
can YOU expect me, Christian matron,
to sympathize. Under the circumstances
| must beg to decline further postal
communication with you. Respectfully,
ETC., etc
The upward curves around Mr.. Wat
kins's mouth heightened themselves out
into the nearest approach to smile in
which the caustic old gentleman ever in
dulged as he neatly labeled and docket
ed this letter also and opened still the
third, in which Mr.. Benjamin COurtenay
regretted the straitened case of his
financial affairs, and bluntly recon-
mended some public charitable institu-
/ ton as the best refuge for his cousin
declining years.
''Humph, humph - mutteredMr. Wat
/ kins. $50 he would pack me off to the
poor-hOuse, would he? Very kind and
considerable of him, very"
Mr. Peter Dilks was IA stage less cere-
mOnious still.
Ibid his cousin Watkins think he was
made of money? Did he think it was
his business to supply every old pauperP
| In that case Mr. Watkins would find
himself considerably mistaken, and 50
no more from his to command,
"P. DILKs."
The fifth epistle from Mrs Million
naire was excessively civil and as hard
as granite.
She begged to call Mr.. Watkins's at
tention to the fact that she, Mrs. Mil
Honnaire, was but his second cousin af-
ter all, and she really wondered at his
audacity in expecting her to patch up
his ruined fortunes. She inclosed a card
to an employment office, and hoped TO
be troubled no more with such useless
applications.
Mr.. Watkins silently folded this letter
and placed it with the others before he
opened the one directed in Moses Hay
woods clerkly calligraphy.
To his surprise, when he broke the
seal, out fell a post-office order for ESQ.
"My dear cousin Watkins wrote
the schoolmaster, % grieve deeply to
hear of your financial distress, and here
by inclose all have on hand. 1t is not
much-but | beg of you to accept it in
the same spirit in which it is given"
Old Walter Watkins brushed his
wrinkled hand across his shaggy brOws.
The poorest, most obscure of them
all, - said he. 1.-The one of whom eX-
pected least. Well, well, wonders will
never cease"
And taking up his pen he wrote back
briefly
COUSIN HAYWOOD: thank you.
W. WATKINS.
" Father, are you sure you're well
enough to 90 back to school?''
Alice had drawn her wheeled chair
close to the lounge on which old Moses
had dragged himself into sitting pos
ture.
Eyes, child, yes" he said, drawing
his hand vaguely across his forehead !;
" must be well enough! The children's
parents are getting impatient. ! shall
lose my scholars if l don't 90 back into
harness to-day
FEATHER, father" cried poor Alice,
piteously, "if we had but that money
you saved up so long and painfully
that money you gave to old Mr.. Wat
kins-it would have brought you health,
strength, repose now"
"My daughter said the old man,
mildly, &" all that is past now. And, re-
member, he that giveth to the poor lend
eth to the Lord
He was in the school that morning
trying to accustom his whirling head to
the clamOrOus voices of the little ones
when there came loud rap at the door
and well dressed, bluff-looking
stranger walked in and looked uncere-
moniOusly around him.
is this Moses Haywood the school
master?" asked he, with outstretched
| hand.
"That is my name, SIR said the old
man.
81 congratulate you,' cried the bluff
stranger, nearly wringing poor Moses 5
hand off.
"Sir!r said the Schoolmaster.
you're a rich MANI roared the
stranger.
IL think | must be dreaming, -
said Moses, putting his hand to his
! head.
" Not a bit of it, said the stranger
"nOt bit of it. It's your wife's cousin,
| Walter Watkins, of -
YES" said Moses Haywood. 81
remember now-I lent him fifty pounds
| suppose he has sent you to return it?''
Fifty pounds, d" echoed the stranger
q Its's fifty thousand! He is dead-and
has willed you all his money. Pretty
good interest for 80 pounds for year,
Ell? But my client was always eccen-
trio. There's string of names down
in his will for 10 shillings each, because,
as he states, they wouldn't lend him as
much as that when he asked for it-a
lot of cousins, you know-and it's all
left you as the only one who responded
genially to his call. l say, SIR with
another overpowering shake of the hand,
a congratulate you, with all my
! hearth
And the autumn-tide of Moses Hay
woods life is passed in the sunshine of
wealth and prosperity, and Alice has
her lighthouses, her aviary and her
| books.
" Father she says, softly, with her
cheek against his wrinkled hand, "you
were right, after all, and | was wrong.
Kindness is sure to find its reward. y
london Magazine.
Wells of black Brussels net with a
small dot are worn; occasionally one
SaaS n small orOld dot on tho black lint