The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-02

of out-of-doors. The few people who
came to the house she was never asked
to meet. She was disgusted and un-
happy; but more, she was mystified
and suspicious. There was ever and
anon borne to her ear the tantalizing
sounds of muffled conversation and sup
pressed laughter. There were signifi-
cant smiles and meaning glances fire.
quently exchanged. The very air. in
fact, seemed instinct, with an indefin-
able something. Miss Edith Eyerleigh
was baffied and she did not find the sit
uation pleasant onel Accustomed to
being mistress of the situation, the sit
uation-distasteful and paltry, too-ap-
peared now to be mistress of her.
While she, without much. effort at con-
cealment, was despising these ignoram-
uses, she believed they were secretly
making fun of her. Z - ~ "a
On receipt of her fathers letter she
declared her intention of Immediately
returning home. To this Halprotested
loudly and June raised a. timh opposi-
ton. =
An invitation to visit her school
friend Clara Burton, who lived only q
few miles distant, reaching Miss Edith
at this time, at length decided her to
protract her stay sufficiently for cou-
pie of days at the Burton's.
" Wall, go over ter Clarry's ter-mor-
rer, then, y Hal said; g stay all night
an bring Garry back with -ye the next
afternoon, an in the evenin' we'll have
kind of breakdown tor We, seem IS
boun' ter put FER right back ter the
city. All the boys 5, dyin' fer chance
I ter cut me out. but 7 cal'1ate I've got
the inside track. Edith. Howsomeyer
I'm wiIin' they should have Q smack er
tu,sif comes fair n thegarne. yDeryer
like Copenhagen purity well?"
Miss Edith flushed angrily and Hal
discreetly-took himself out of theyway
in season to escape the sharp Srebuke
he was not too obtuse to see was. pend
ing. g u p tE z = 1-,s 4 s
The following morning, in his crazy
old wagon he drove her to the station
in talk and actions, meantime, exciting
her repugnance to the highest pitch.
,.sArrfvedat the Burton home an hour
later, Miss Everleigh felt herself, by
contrast with what She had left behind,
in a paradisiacal atmosphere. She Won
dered that she had never before noticed
what an exceptionally sweet ard lady
like girl Clara Burton was. In the
country, on farm and among farmer
folks, she was forced to admit to her
self existed taste, refinement, culture
and happiness. o, why were not all
like the Burtonsi a.
Very readily, to Miss Edith's aston
ishment, Clara, consented to accom-
pany her back, never once, by word or
look, Eliminating that She considered the
Thornton young people undesirable
companions.
As the train drew up at Fernside
depot, Miss Edith looked with sinking
spirit for the dreaded appearance of her
host. He was nowhere to be seen.
$ The next instant, a young gentleman
of elegant proportion and build, J." all
shaven and shorn,1 like the priest in
the story of the house that Jack built,
and. in a toilet that no. Broadway
clothier could take exception at, was
gallantly assisting her down the steps,
politely murmuring Welcome home"
and respectfully greeting Miss Burton,
Miss Edith Eyerleigh SO far forgot her
manners as to come to full stop, mid
way between the train and platform and
indulge in a prolonged stare at this
strange apparition. APrince Camaral-
zaman now. she nevertheless unmistak-
ably identified him as the boorish Hal
Thornton of thefday before.
But neither Clara Burton nor Thorn
ton himself seemed couscioussof any
metamorphosis having taken place,
Perfectly at ease he led the way to
where his. carriage and wel-matched
span Df coal black horses waited to4con-
Yey the party to the farm 4 AeI
There at the gate stood June, smiling
and cordial. ROBBED in dainty muslin
of charming design'and faultiess fit and
finish, with a garnfture of.fiimy lace and
floating ribbons, her soft brown locks
clinging to her broad white brow in
most bewitching little kinks and curls
and knotted inTclassic coils above her
graceful neck, she was a pretty picture
to look upon.
" Now run right up stairs to your
room, girlies; the door is open. You
have only just time todress while. broth
er and myself lay the table.1 she said.
1t was perfect maiden's bower-all
blue and white-in which Miss Edith
Everleigh found her belongings ar
ranged.
fastening through a change of. ap-
parel, still dazed and wondering she
went below to explore the now vide
open house.
An open piano Uttered with the latest
music, an ample bookcase filled with
the standard works of history, biogra-
ply, fiction and poety,. fresh periodi-
Gals, pictures to delight "a connoisseur.
artistic ornaments, harmonious uphol5 !
stery and hangings, a tasteful set Of
dining-room furniture, with floor
covering that need not offend the most
fastidious, in place of the rag -carpet and
stiff wooden chairs, were among the
things she discovered.
y Soon the guests of the evening began
TO arrive. Abaker' s-dozen they CONT
ed when all together-young men and
maidens in whose persons. manners and
costumes Miss Edith Everleigh, try as
hard as she might, could find but little
at which to cavil. Reposeful, sef-con-
tanned yet apt and bright, they had
some hng worth the saying to say and
they aid it in weli-ehosen language,
without lapse of grammar. Better than
herself, she saw, they knewof the great
worlds work and interests; more eare-
fully than she then had thought out and
settled the weighty questions of life.
Watching and listening, she was struck
withfa Sudden sense of her own superb
ciality and fimsiness.$ ~ "a ~
Al