The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-11-19

been blessed with eleven children.
Kane Allen knew just how poor his
cousins were, and how hard it was for
them to make both ends meet, but he
never offered to help them. He said
they deserved to suffer for having had
so little idea of business or regard for
their own interests as to let the property
their father had left drift away from
them, and they could not reasonably
expect or ask aid from him. He was a
sour, close-hsted man. who had COM
mitted the folly of marrying late in life
a woman many years younger than
himself, who was fond of life and
gaiety, and spenthis money whether lac
liked it or not, and kept his house full
of company both summer and winter,
regardless of her husbands repeated
assurances that he was being eaten
out of house and home"
Miss Debby's mind was so full of her
disappointment in not being able to
have Lavina and the children at the
cottage on Thanksgiving Day, that she
could not give much thought to her
knitting, and presently she laid it
| down in her lap and looked musingly
out of the window by which she was
sitting.
Suddenly she started to her feet, let
| ting her work fall to the floor unheed-
| ed; for she had caught sight of the tall,
angular figure of her cousin Kane. He
was coming down the hard road with
long, swinging strides; for though he
owned several carriages and over a
dozen horses he generally preferred
walking into town, his home being only
a mile from Harcote, and vigorous exer-
else having been recommended for him
by his doctor.
A sudden inspiration flashed into
Miss Debby's mind as she saw her
cousin. She left the room, threw her
shawl over her head and shoulders, and
without giving herself time to consider
whether Keziah ought to be consulted
or not, ran out into the frosty Novem-
| Der air and stood waiting at the little
garden gate until Squire Allen should
come-up. AS he paused in his walk on
catching sight of her, she cried out in
a pleasant voice:
Good morning, cousin; and merry
Thanksgiving to you"
" Merryn' repeated the old man in q
grutf, surly tone. Its very likely I'll
be merry with horde of my wife's re-
latiOns coming to eat up the last crumb
of bread in the house. What's the use
of Thanksgiving, anyway? There s
nothing to be thankful for that l can
see. l suppose you and Keziah will
have that Lynchfield crowd down here
as you did last year? Well. everybody
to his taste, of course.p
Poor Lavinar' said Miss Debby,
TREMENDOUSLY. 81 do wish we couid have
them down this Thanksgiving. But
we can't afford it, cousin. 1t would be
a great pleasure, a Uery great pleasure
to us, of course, but we can't see our
way clear to do it," and Miss Debby's
mind wandered to the small pantry in
the cottage, where half loaf of bread
and small piece of liver reposed in
state.
"Humphr' said the Squire, with a
grim smile spreading over his weather.
beaten features. "You ought to have
taken care of your money while you
had it," and he was moving away as if
the conversation was at an end; when
Miss Dibby called to him to "wait a
moment"
"Well, what is it?" asked the Squire,
impatiently.
Miss Debby was much too frightened
to answer TOR a moment. She had had
purpose in coming out to meet him.
She had intended to ask him to help
them to Thanksgiving dinner. They
had never asked him for aid before, and
had often said they never would but
now, for Lavina's sake--and how dis
appointed these children would be if
they didn't come to the cottage on
Thanksgiving!
This thought gave Miss Debby cour-
age.
Kane" she said in faint, falter-
ing voice, 1--WE would so like to have
Lavina and the children here on Thurs
day. Can t-won' t-couldn't- her
voice died away in an inarticulate MUIR
mur.
The Squire looked at his cousin a
moment as if he doubted her sanity.
understand what you want to say, "
he said in a cold, hard tone. 81 am
used to such appeals from people who
think m made of money. No; | can't,
| won't, couldn't" and with another
of those grim. sarcastic smiles he walked
away down the road, leaving Miss
Debby covered with confusion, and
with her gentle eyes full of regretful
tears that she had Inundated herself for
nothing.
She went into the house and told
Keziah what she had done. She never
thought of keeping her folly to herself.
Miss Keziah was amazed at her sister S
temerity. but she uttered no word OF
blame. She knew how earnestly Debby' s
heart was set on having Thanksgiving
dinner for Lavina and the children, and
she hadn't the heart to scold her for
what she had done.