The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-07-29

for news of shipwrecked sailor called
| Martin Malloy." st..e .,
Is offered ten pounds" said the law
yer, turning to Mr.. McGraw.
1.-The deuce you didr' said Mr.. Nc
| Graw, who had fallen into chair, and
was gazing at the man with strained
eyes. This Malloy is dead" he add
ed, still keeping his eyes upon the man.
'He amt quite dead" said the man.
"but as near as he likes to be-" Then
he went on to tell the story of the
wreck, the exposure in the open boat,
the agony and starvation, the death
and insanity of most of the crew. 1t
was an old story, repeated very often,
/ but the lawyer and Mr.. McGraw seemed
to hang upon every word that fell from
/ the lips of the miserable mariner. Mr.
McGraw's face grew old and wrinkled
as he listened. The lawyer at length
uttered an ejaculation of joy. Il con-
graduate you, Mr.. McGraw," he said,
| turning to his client: "your money is
as safe as if you held it in your hands. !"
But Mr.. McGraw had fallen back
against the wall. They loOsened his
necktie and threw water in his face.
"By lover said the lawyer, ''your
| joyful news has been too much for him.
/ A BIG part of his money was at stake.
! YOU see, and he's hidden his feelings so
long under mask of resignation that
now he is overcome. Get a cab at
once" he added, to the boy.
But MIR. McGraw revived, and by the
time the cab reached the Office he was
| able to 90 home alone. He, however,
asked Martin to go with him, and as
the cab rolled along, his eyes were still
fixed upon his dilapidated companion.
Nobody would know you, L sup
pose?" he said to the sailor.
mot soul, SIR" said Martin.
mot even the-a-the person you
spoke of as your sweetheart?'
"She least of any, said Martin. 81
think she'd run away from me on
sight"
:'You think sop
I'm sure of it. I'll bet you dollar
she would"
"Yet it wouldn't pain you?'
"Why no-why should it? Women
folks are made that way. But I'll soon
prlnh UP IL SeI d cHduce.
He began to prink up already, put
his hat back, and brushed his rumpled
hair from his forehead, looked from the
window of the cab with the air of a
man to whom life was unspeakably rare
and sweet. He was emaciated shrunk-
en-, sallow, ferce-eyed, and forlOrn; he
was poor and patched; but NJ. McGraw
would, willingly have taken his place in
the race for happiness; he knew that all
was lost. Here was Martin AIallOy; that
was the end of everything.
The thought came q little too late
that seeing her long-lost lover might
kill the girl or drive her mad. He be-
gan to explain to Martin, as gradually
as he could, that the house to which
| they were journeying was the one that
! contained his sweetheart. Mr.. McGraw
chose the most careful phraseOlOgy he
could muster, but the sailor seemed all
at once to get on fire. He flung his hat
upon the seat beside him; he stretched
from the window his long shrunken
neck.
E. You'd better get out and come in
after I've broken it to her. 1t may kill
her; it may drive her mad. The shock
was a terrible one to me" said Mr..
McGraw.
. That be hanged" said Martin.
. You re an old man, you know, and
thought of your mOney-but my Mag
gier here he stopped and the flame of
delight and desire burned in his cheeks
and eyes. He grew suddenly young
and strong under the gaze of poor Mr..
McGraw.
Maggie sat there by the window, as
she had promised. 0, the bitterness of
that moment to one, the happiness to
| the other! One moment Mr.. McGraw
saw her as he had left her-pale, calm,
subdued. patient; the next, a crimson
glow had leaped to her face, then left
it paler than before; suddenly it disap-
peared and Mr. McGraw thought it
had fallen away somewhere in a faint;
but presently it shOne on the breast Of
the sailor, so radiant and beautiful that
it dazzled poor Mr.. McGraw.
"Why, you did know me-" said Mar
! tin, tears bursting out of his burning
eyes. by thunder, in spite of every
thing she did know me. 1 owe you a
dollar, Mr.. McGrawn'
- And. Master Shallow, 1 owe youa
thousand pound, quoted Mr.. McGraw,
with bitter grin.
! What more can be said? The we'd
ding took place little later on, after
the lawsuit had been decided in favor of
Sir. McGraw. Maggie's wedding trip
was across the sea but not in a steamer.
1t was in a trig little vessel, which Mr..
McGraw gave as a wedding present, at
the express request of the bride.
g Martin wouldn't give up the sea,
she said.
And you wouldn't give up Martin?'
said Mr.. McGraw.
Why, no. sir, not for the world,
said the foolish girl.
So poor Mr.. McGraw took passage
alone.