The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-11-05
HULDA'S EXPERIMENT.


"Hulda," said Mss Betty Greggs.
looking up from her knitting at her
niece who was industriously kneading
bread al table near by, "what have
you decided to do with the farm this
season."
Hulda Dane did not answer at once
She stopped kneading the snowy bread.
and let her gaze wander meditativelv
out of the kitchen window, and over the
well-kept garden and fertile fields spread
before her. Then she said very delib-
eratey, as she divided the dough into
three equal parts: g thilk shall ask
Stephen Holden if he will take it on
shares just as Rice did,
Stephen Holdenn' exclaimed Miss
Betsy, dropping her knitting and look
ing in amazement at her niece. "Hul-
da, you must be crazy"
mo; | think not" said Hulda, going
on with her work very calmly. II
have thought the matter over, aud it
seems to me the best, thing can do.
He is good farmer and lives near us,
which ale two excellent reasons for my
decision"
"lf you give Steve Holden your farm
folks 1OiU have a SURPRISE giggled
Miss Simms, the village dressmaker,
who sat sewing in the doorway OF the
next room, and took-the privilege oEan
old acquaintance to utter her opinion
'on any and every subject under discus
sion. you'll be dom what nobody
else would do that's sure. | don't be-
lieve soul in Hillsboro' has spoke to
Steve since he come back"
~ I1ll IN,
tone Miss Simms did not quite under
stand
Nobody wants to be 'sociated with
a man jest out O. States prison, YOU
know" continued Miss Simms, feeling
as though some defense of her towns,
people was necessary. "Steve Holden's
got a brand on his forehead he'll find it
hard to wash out" ....
No matter how well he acts now"
said Miss Betsy, folks can't forget
that he tried to kill Amos Banks. He
was the same as a murderer, and if
Amos had died he would have hung for
it."
The bread was in the pans now, and
Hulda went to the sink to wash her
hands. About her mouth little bitter
smile had crept, and there was an in
u,
81 have read of "a charity which never
faileth, but is kind 1t seems to be
known nothing of in Hllsboro'. How
do you know that Steve Holden in
tended to kill Amos Banks? There was
no proof OF it. His act was that of the
hot-temp cred, impulsive boy he was,
and IN all probability he never gave a
thought to deliberate murder. For my
~ I l,,N L., I. II.
himself with anger and pain. Amos
Banks toreclosed the mortgage on
Steve's home without any previous
warning, turned the poor boy mother,
whom he fairly idolized, out into the
world to seek shelter where she could,
and when Steve went to see him, taunt-
ed him with the fact that his father had
dled drunkard. Was not that enough
to make '..-
Surely you don't uphold him?" in
terrupted Miss Betsy, "You dom
think he did right to set upon Amos
Banks like bloodhound, and half Kill
him with a cub?'
"No, l don't think he did right"
answered HuIda, " but | think excuses
can be found for him if we choose to
look for them. And he has certainly
been sufficiently punished. Eight wears
III States prison must have given him
time to repent OF all the evil he had
ever done.n
"P'raps So" said Miss Simms, but
he amt goin' to be trusted in this town
no more. He kin jest make his mind up
ter that. What he came back here for
is beyond me-"
Il think he showed his courage in
coming back to the place where his
story was known to every one," said
Hulda. s. He probably wanted chance
to live it down.
Hell not live it down so long as
Amos Banks is here, too" said Miss
Betsy. 's." No.. .fa.trs.t
mo, indeed" affirmed Miss Simms.
"Amos amt forgot the feel o. them
blows Steve give him. An they do saw
he's that scarf now Steve's back that he
won't venture out after sundown.n
Don't make yourself towns talk by
giving him your land, Hulda," pleaded
Miss Betsy. "You are always irving
some experiment different from other
people. Let Steve Holden lie on the