The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-10-22

man standing there with the dogs caper-
ing about him and striving in vain to
console him, she rolled gaily away to-
ward Philadelphia
Very touching and tender were the
letters VIII CHI came to Lillian in the early
winter; they were brief. however, and
infrequent, and, sometimes, in pause
in the CAV .whirl of excitement i'm which
she found herself, Lillian would wonder
why her father wrote so seldom. Per-
haps he was busy with negotiations in
regard to the foreign ministry or en-
bassy. He referred to it sometimes in
a sentence like this:
"Don't be ashamed OF your old
father; q prospect of high honor opens
before him." or when | am gone
don't forsake Principle, and may Peace
and Prosperity never desert you"
Occasionally he spoke OF ''long
Journey but, though Lillian wrote
enthusiastically, or curiously, and
begged him to confide his projects to
her, he kept his secret well.
One dismal day in February Lillian
was quite alone. Her aunt was slight
~ i'll and kept herrOom A fine, sleety
rain drove against the windows, and
the room was damp and chill. She
seated herself at the harpsichord and
played the old melodies which her
father loved to hear. She was singing:
My hearts in the highlands
My heart is not here"
when a servant handed her letter 1t
was from her father, but in such a
cramped and trembling hand that she
hardly recognized it:
"DEAREST Lillian: The message has come
mt last. have received my commission, and
must leave soon for a far country. | have
dreaded the passage, but now am cOntented.
7 long only to see you before go fear that
you may he unhappy without me; but e com
iorted-we shall not be long separated. Il 90
uOu man be dlS0.' Come quickly to bid me
goodbye, for may be summoned at any mo-
ment. 1t is great hon r, and { am very
happy. Take care of Principle for me, and
Your loving FATHER"
When Lilians aunt read the letter
she looked pale and frightened "You
must 90 at once, poor child" she said.
"Of course Lillian replied, and hur-
riedly prepared for her Journey. How
odd, she thought. that her father had
not mentioned the name OF the foreign
country to which he was sent. No
matter, it was enough to know that the
embassy was an honorable and an inn
portant one. She had always been
proud of her father; she was not sur
prised that he should be chosen for
such mission; and now her delighted
imagination pictured the homage which
she would receive as the daughter of a
Foreign Minister. Her father need not
have feared that she would miss him
she had grown accustomed to their sep
aration and it did not pain her. He
had said that she should come, too.
She hoped the station would prove gay
and interesting, one of the principal
capitals of Europe, and she almost re-
GREETED her rash expression of willing
ness to follow her father to some re-
mote exile.
The stage left her at the wayside
tavern, half mile from the Lodge.
She was surprised not to find her father
here to meet her, and questioned the
inn-keeper, who seemed embarrassed
at meeting her.
"Your father has gone away, miss"
he stammered.
l too lateP He must have been sent for
suddenly"
Yes, miss, he was took very sudden,
1T llG ldSl, IGpllcO llc man.
There was nothing to do but to climb
the hill, vexed that she had had her
journey for nothing, and wondering
what messages her father might have
left for her with the housekeeper.
As she opened the gate, Peace laid
his great muzzle ahectiOnately against
her hand, and Prince leaped joyfully;
but old Prosper only looked toward the
house and howled So preoccupied
was she with her own thoughts that it
was not until she stood upon the very
threshold that she noticed long scarf
of Grape which huttered from the
knocker.
Then all the awful force of the words.
"Gone away" struck the girl. Her
grief was intensified by her remorse for
her selfish behavior, and for time she
wept for her father as one who could
not be cOmforted He had been very
ill, so the housekeeper told her, all
winter; but he would otallow any one
to alarm Lillian. He wrote to her from
time to time when quite unable to do
so. He spoke of her lovingly but re-
fused to have her sent for.
He had said once, after reading one
OF her eager questioning letters asking
where he was going, "Iell her this is
the guide-book. She will find the city
all described here"
Lillian took up the worn Bible and
found a mark at the passage;
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither hath it entered into the heart of
man, the things which God hath pre-
pared for them that love Him."
Then she remembered that her father
had said that she should join him some
day, and she knew how little she de-
served such an honoras this. She lacked
tLn .,LiLLa.l tLLa lr.,..-L q.