The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-03-04

10 scnOOl ana couege, unLlI IL was easy
seeing that the boy, who was fine-look-
ing enough, was beginning to think no
small things of himself. Ills said he
even lifted his eyes to one of Squire
Churchill's daughters-leastways, at
the last. But | am not telling 1t you
straight onl You should come and see
my wife, if you wish TO hear the story
well told"
"But was there such presumption? in
quired the listener. " You say this young
man was well educated and good-look-
ing, and perhaps" after second s
hesitation" the lady liked him"
"He should have known bis place
better" said Mr. Sisted, sturdily /;
"leastways, ne should have learnt it.
What is young lady's fancy worth?
She was but sixteen. Squire Church
ills daughters were not for such as he
However, this love-inaking, or what
ever they may chose to cali it, was only
discovered afterward, when every thing
was brought to light. And in the mean
time the tragedy came"
Well?' asked the stranger, leaning
forward with interest on his face.
"A murder was committed here.
Yes, you may start. In this quiet vii
lage, where nothing was heard out of
the common from one years end to
another; in this village-in that lane
where it joins Squire Churchill's
grounds-Squire Churchill's second son
was found dead"
"And-Pr
And then, as | said before, it all
came ont about this poor young Sutton
keeping company with Miss Churchill;
for it seems The foolish young thing, not
being able to see him elsewhere, had
agreed to meet him in that lane on that
very night; for one of the farm laborers
saw them part, and her run up through
the meadows home, only few minutes
before he heard a cry, and ran forward
to find poor Master Harry lying there
dead.''
"Of course Mr.. Sutton was taken
upP'
"Of course, sir. Bat now comes the
queer part of the story. For though he
was tried, and it was proved most beau
tifully that he had killed Mr.. Harry for
telling him what he thought of his con-
duct, and was condemned to be hung
and was afterwards only let off with
transportation for fifteen years-yet
now it seems
"That it was not he, after all?n
"How did you guess that? The other
day there comes the news as another
death-bed, so that, after all, young SUIT
ton has suffered all these years for what
was no fault of his. Leastways, SO the
young Squire told us, t'other day. His
mother always believed in him." he
went on after moments pause. alt
will come right some day." she often
said to me: Mr.. Sisted, it will come
right some day. 1t is a miscarrying of
juatice' His father died-could not
lift up his head again; but his mother
has aye waited"
Something like sob burst from his
companion, and Farmer Sisted looked
up in surprise.
al have heard something of this"
he said, in stammering fashion, in
answer to the look. 81 knew this man
that is, have met him.
els that so, sir?'' said the farmer,
with fresh interest. Gay, remember
you said you had been long out of
England. Well, l shall be glad to see
him back, and shake him by the hand,
and bid him forget the past. If there
is little else, there is still his mother to
come back to. What was he doing
when you saw him, sirP"
He had heard he was free"
"And what was he like? and was he
minded to forget the past, and return to
"He was a saddened, sobered man
when knew him, with only one hope
left, out of the many life had once
offered; and he was going home"
"And what was the hope, if / may
make so bold as to ask? Perhaps he
knew his mother had never believed the
evil, and was waiting for him?"
"Maybe; but he did no. speak of her,
perhaps because he was so sure of her.
He told me that the last night before he
left England-you know ?'-the
farmer nodded" that he had an inter-
view with
"Yes, yes" interrupted Mr.. Sisted,
sagely; ave heard all about it, though
it was kept so dark. 1t was Miss Helen,
bless you, the little yellow-haired Miss !
Churchill. Sixteen years ago nearly, SO
no harm in speaking of it now-and al
so changed since! Well, she saw him
to say Good by"
% Yes, so this man told me and that
they parted, she saying that, let her
people say or do what they might, she
would await his return in perfect trust
and patience"
GA pity he did not give his love to
the other sister, remarked Mr.. Sisted,
6 if all stories are to be believed"
"WhyP"
"Because she was in love with him |
always; and plain though she was, Miss
Jane was good, true woman, and has
never lifted her head or looked at an
other man since those sad days"
ais that really trueP''
"No call to misdoubt it, sir; any one
N the village will tell you the same
story; and, as 1 said before, twas a
pity, seeing as every thing has worked
'ound right, that it was not on Miss
Jane as he set his affections; for being
% plain, as you might say mayhap
here would not have been such great
objection to his having her,"
The stranger made no reply, APP
,arently being lost in thought over
Farmer Stisted's last words. And he
continued:
He would not have been such bad
match in those days, for her, at least;
or he was fine. gallant-looking young
hap, with pleasant word for every
ne.''
Z" You remember him?n
Yes, well. I never thought very i'll