The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-01-13
NY FILTRATION.


young, and liked that very WE'LL
However, had heart enough at bot
tom, and when Stephen Lashley asked
me to marry him, in the ent,g ,consen-
led, though kept him in saspense
along at first.
Neither Steve nor were rich'-My
father had sufficient income to keep
the family in good style of living;
but he saved nothing, and l could ex-
pect nothing from him when married
Steve had Just begun to practice medi
cine, and was struggling as young doc
tors must. There was pretty house
just outside the town that Steve and
had our eve on for long time, and |
had promised to become his wife as
soon as he could call it his own.
By dint of struggling and economy
as l never could have guessed, be had
put by enough for the first payment,
and was plodding patiently on toward
the second and last.
can seenOw what a selfish creature
l was, what wretch, indeed, to please
myself with the batteries of others
while Steve was working so faithfully
for me-
That sounds as though | wasn't go
ing to marry Steve for love but was.
Our town was something of a fashion,
able resort for summer boar:lers; and
many OF the people were in the habit
of taking boarders then. Father had
always objected to our doing so; but this
summer of which speak he fell in with
stranger, as he was returning from a
long ride in the country, why having
shared his phaeton with him during
the homeward drive, succeeded in so
ingratiating himself with my father
that he allowed him TO board with us.
The stranger was very much i'll my
ine-distinguished looking. possessing
an eloquent pair of eyes, nearly the
color of my own, and having propen-
sity to saying ''prelty things" that was
jSst delicious to girl of my turn.
1t was such fun 10 draw him out, and
then lauSh at him to pretend pleasure
then shAness to invite and repulse in
in the same breath. 1t was a genuine
Irritation, as much so 10 him as to Inc.
Steve's sister Marian and were in
innate, and spent much time together.
Poor Stove enjoyed my visits to Mari
an much better than he did seeing me
anywhe. e, and l liked it too, as much
because of seeing him as Marian. 1t
was then a miserable piece of heartless-
ness for me to permit Mr.. Fordyce, the
stranger" to accompany me thither,
thus parading, as it were, my conquest,
and the accomplishments and attrac-
tiOns of Steve's new rival, in the most
disagreeable manner possible.
Steve was good natured, and KEEP
this disappointment to himself, but he
did not like Mr. Fordyce. and he was
quite alone in that. Everybody liked
Mr.. Fordyce but Steve. lie was an
immensely popular man in our small
community, entering as he did with
such genuine zeal into all our interests
and bearing himself genially towards
all.
When Parson Hammond. who lived
no.rest to us, lost a valuable horse from
his stable, and came over to our house
to see about pursuing the thief, Mr..
Fordyce, though lie had just got home
FROM jaunt with some friends which
kept him almost all night, insisted on
being one of the pursuing party, and,
indeed, quite led it. 1t was the same
when Mr. Dudevant's shop was broken
open and robbed. Mr.. Fordyce went
over aud over the ground, and gave
shrewder gueses as to how the robbery
had been managed than anyone else.
When other thefts of similar nature,
and also of lesser degree continued to
vex and puzzle us from time to time. il
Z WAS Mr.. Fordyce who insisted on Sc
we're measures, prevailed on the au-
thoritias TO offer large rewards for the
apprehension of the'oaepders, and made
himself so active in the matter as to
win the gratitude of the whole town
He often Joined our soci.la gather
ings AMI bccane the life. of them
was quite envied in having his e,cort
, so frequently, and the rumor was very
soon circulated that We were engaged
, Steve and | had some words on the
subject several times, and because i
: was so unusual .for him to insist il
such matter, resented il when HI
did; and the more l suspected mysel
a to be wrong. the more resolved
would not own it.
| detected Steye's dislike of Mr.
Fordyce, .nd taxed him with it. Stew
said nothing. but he only shook hi
head and looked gravely at me whom
praised him. He never said worsa
about Mr. Fordyce than that he did no
believe in him. Steve objected. to IN
3 intimacy with him on rather genera
grounds, aud | answered III such a
Ill tempered manner that Steve, DO
being ice. and flint, struck fire and re
torted angrily for the fret time in a
our acquaintance. The result was
serious GOODNESS. Steve apologized fo
his part the next day, but listene
!, coolly and retained my anger.
firted with Mr.. Fordyce more de-
perately than ever after that, but ih
affair had really lost all IFS relish fo
me. Went recklessly on in my FOOLS
y oarse, ill Mr.. Fordyce il 50 man