The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-01-06

tnat Helen Drought from up country,
last summer, an give to your ex-
claimed Miss Matilda. in more aston
ishment than ever. :" That you set slch
store by; strip up thGtP'
strip up just that" replied Miss
Comfort, in her coolest tone and look
ing her sister firmly in the eye. q" It's
mine to do what | have a mind to; an
1 have a mind to do that, an .nothin'
else. did expect to make pillar of
it; but now its goin' into that quilt. an
that quilts goin' to Mrs. Parson Beals
soft
She marched determinedly to the
door leading upstairs, went up with
q steady step and presently came
down again, bringing with her little
old waist of dress, cut very high up
under the arms, and finished OFF with
very long and puffy mutton sleeves.
This she proceeded to rip-every stitch
being followed by most exasperating
groans on the part of Miss Matilda.
Il wish-Oi how do wish Helen
hadn't give it to your was the final
groan, as Miss Comforts scissors pro-
claimed the task over; and then there
came long steady cut-cut; and a
piece appeared out of the center and
stood ready for service in the new quilt.
~ But she did do Just that very
thingr' retorted Miss Comfort, exult-
ingly. "Now says /, here goes for
Mirandy Peckr' and she settled down
to steady work.
At half-past ten of the morning of the
sewing society day Miss Comfort rolled
up the completed quilt in a monstrous
old towel, and ran across lots to the
parsonage. With many inward quavers
as to her gift being rendered wholly
through love and esteem, she yet had
citation considerable in both face and
gesture. at being able to present it at
all, to do the donation exercises in a
manner highly gratifying to all the par
ties concerned.
An, now I'll freeze to death my
self, s'pose," she said to herself, when
the little ceremony was over, and she
ran back home again. " For l won't
have a calico one anyhow Well, I'm
glad / did it; yes / am! An I'll wear
my red bow tonight at the society; an
I'll go early SOS to see Mirandy's face,
an git the whole of the funn'
| DuI DIS III OuI,
attention, and every one else's too, for
that matter, was too much absorbed by
an event of 50 much overshadowing i'm
portance as to completely cast into the
shade the quilt and all other minor mat
tiers. A cousin of the parson from a
western State had unexpectedly arrived
about an hour after Miss Comfort had
left her gift to warm and enliven the
parsonage fine, gray-haired, gray
bearded man, whose Importance grew
no less when it began to be whispered
around from one to another, between
the mouthfuls of biscuit and the swal-
lows of tea, that he was " bacthelder,
an awful rich.n
At last, Mrs. Parson Beals, in the
lull of sharing with her good husband
bethought herself of her other sensation,
and Immediately started the bed-quilt
on its rounds for inspection and admira-
ton.
Miss Comfort Henderson was just in
the act of raising big lowered tea-cup
to her lips, when the parsons cousin
darted up between herself and the doc
tors fat wife, and planted himself
squarely in front of her.
" Nav l ask-Miss-Mi declare
l have forgotten your name," he said,
abruptly. And then not waiting for it
to be supplied, he dashed OF at full
speed, but where did you get that
concern fromP" he asked, pointing
backward with his thumb. His eyes
were bent on her face full of excited in
terest, that could scarcely wait for her
to answer.
WHAT" said Miss Comfort, not
knowing or thinking of anything be-
yond his queer manner; and setting
down her tea-cup in utter wonder.
"Why, that thing the women are all
oh-ing and ah-ing over" he said care
lessly. Its got piece of, l don't
knoW what you call the color of it; but
it's my grandmother's wedding gown.
Up in the top left-hand corner as
they're holding it now"
He glanced over his shoulder to the
center of the room, where group of
female parishioners were showing each
other and wildly craning their necks
for good view of the last donation to
the parsons wife. Miss Comfort craned
her neck to see, too; and her heart sank
down for moment as she saw the bit
of lavender brocade shining back at her
in all its silvery sheen! And then she
did, what to save her life she could no
more help doing than anything in the
world-burst out into hearty, merry
laugh!
Hey-hey?" exclaimed the parsons
cousin, whirling around in utter aston
ishment to look at her. Why, it's my
grandmother wedding gown, 1 say"
Il can't help it''-said poor Miss
Comfort, unable to stop herself. "You
must-eXcuse me-sir-but it really
isn't my fault if TSP And then she
was off again.
This time she had plenty of company.
The parsons COUSIN bringing down
his astonished eyes to Miss Comforts
surroundings, suddenly discovered that
the doctors wife had vacated her chair,
to add herself to the group around the
quilt. So down he settled himself into
it, at the same time yielding to the con-
tagion of his neighbours amusement,
which was bubbling over at the alb
surdity of the whole thing.
"Well now" said the gray-haired,
gray-bearded gentleman, at last, when
they both gave signs of returning
equanimity and bestowing vigorous
hopping up to his shining countenance,
"as / believe we've both got through
laughing, if you've no objection, Miss
Miss
my name is Henderson," replied
Miss Comfort, with as much dignity as
she could muster, considering the cir
cumstances.
"Ah-HenderSon Well, Miss Hen
derson," said the parsons cousin"
turning around to look into the rosy,