The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-08-21

clearest.
She is what she is-an ex-belle, a
dethroned queens still young, still
fond Of pleasure; not yet resigned to
the loss Of position and prestige, and
conscious Of augmented charms. Alone
in a capital which has never been over
squeamish or very rigid in its social
limitations, Mr.. Conkling comes her
way. Mr.. ConkliDg, the friend of her
father, the Jupiter Tonans Of her par
ty; the most brilliant, and, apprent>
ly, the most dashing Of the political
leaders OF the day; an artist in science
effects. a professional, if not profess
ed, lady-kilie.. She is only woman,
after all, with a woman's limited
knowledge and narrow sphere Of move
ment, and she thinks she sees in this
prOfered intimacy u diversion from
her domestic grief and a revival
of at least part of her former self
= X = Mrs. Sprague is cold
and discernlng-a woman of the
world. She may have been infatua>
ted with Mr.. COnkling's snowy tall
ents. She may Lave been enraptured
by Mr.. Conkling's preference. But
she must have known that her power
lay in resistance, in reserving some>
thing to herself, in drawing the line
somewhere. All women, more or
less, know that little, and it is pre-.
posterous to believe that this self.
poised, aspiring womau-the mother
of many children and with passions
quite as luke warm as belong to her
condition and her class-would give
herself completely away, her hold
upon her lover included, and in all
these years show no sign Of it in her
manners and her aspect to the rest Of
the world.
X 4; X x K
Why, do you know that / am cred
IDLY informed that Mr.. Conkling was
assured by the New York papers that
if he would authorize a denial of the
whole thing, on his honor as a man
and Senator, they would not only
suppress the details, but unite in an
Endorsement, and If needed, defense
and that Mr.. Conkling refused God
OF the universal where are the Bibles,
where are the stacks of Bibles so nigh
that the meanest wretch would not
mount them, as upon an alter, and
light the pile with his own hands, and
amid the flames beneath, swear to the
honor of the woman, who had trusted
him and who stood compromised by
his act, until his senses left him2
Mr. Conkhng, with characteristic
avoidance of contamination to his gen
tlemanhood, has fed the field. file
declines to appear in his own person.
tie first invents q most absurd state
ment to the press. He next prepares,
not for himself, bat for Mrs. Sprague
to sign, an inconsistent, illogical state
ment TO the public. In the first person
singular he has never word to utter.
He does net-say 81 let my character
go-do what you will with it-but the
woman is innocent" He does not
have even the self possession or the
courage to make a diversion upon
Sprague and to say to him, "Siir, you
are a scouadrel who have attacted
your wife through me, and J. wiH hold
yeu responsible. He does nothing of
the sort. His greatness restrsins him.
He flies hack to Utica, to the wife he
has deserted, to the daughter he tried
tohunlIliate, and. covering hchind
these good Women, he asks the country
to believe him guiltiess. while it, in
company with Sprague, Furnishes the
d-uo .ar. nf liz ,,ro,t Chit 1t,