The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-12-23

the fair little face with its dark eyes
and slightly upturned nose raised toward
him.
NAB Lacyn he cried; sis It Nab
Lacy, or Christmas visionP'
ut is NAB Lacy" she answered.
with little, 1uttering laugh. I've
come back to see Aunt Nancy"
"Then you've come on as much OF
wild-goose chase as l have" he re-
turned. ruefully. "Shes gone gone
plum to the Branch. Her Old Pepper
beats my Floss woefully, and / saw the
gable end of her sleigh shy around the
corner before l got to the end OF the
! lane"
"Oh, then what--what shall doP"
cried Nab, overcome with the sudden
desperate appearance of her position,
and sitting recklessly down upon way
side stump, whose white cap of snow
was gradually shrinking away and ooz-
ing in drops down its side.
Don't do thatI' cried Mr.. Brindle,
with alarmed sharpness; "you mustn't
sit on wet stump and catch cold just
because Aunt Nancy took a notion to
go cumming around for Christmas
lark. Jump in my sleigh, like a SEN
sible girl, and Wen see. ~
"What' the useP" walled Nab, trying
to stop a little rill of tears that was
slipping down her cheek with a corner
of her gray vail 81 can't go home
with you, and there's no where to 60
Oh, MIR. Brindle--Ben, what shall l
do?"
"Do just what tell YOU" said Mr..
Brindle. First give me your hand,
nd - hna Nf Ygh a
Now we IL have talk. SO you're alone,
Mabpn
"All alone, Ben" sighed Nab.
"Well, look here. I'm the same old
Ben you always knew--and hated.
know, Ben"
And you're the same Nab Lacy 1
knew?"
Eyes; I'm tempted to wish 1 was
some one else just now.n
''Weil, amt. If qou' re alone we re
both alone, Nab for | am; and it s rath-
J er rough, in my opinion. Now, why
: couldn we drop overheard this big
: slice of time that separated us so long,
and go back to where we left off before
we flew out at each other?n
'sHow could weP' asked Nab.
''LOOh luIOIOu yOnItI, Sdlu OCH,
l pointing to little yellow cottage at the
end of lane branching off the road.
: "Our new minister lives there, Nab"
{ ''Does hep Mab's tone expressed
r nothing whatever, but Bachelor Brin
1 dies solemn gray eyes caught the flicker
I of blush in the cheek.
l '.Yes, he does,n he answered. "Mab
: I've got ten dollars in my pocket.
=, 10,
r ten dollars awful bad"
. Hadn't you better make him pres
+ ent of itP' asked Nab. sweetly smiling
Q off at the lace-work of the snow-dapplet
t tree branches in the winter-blue dis
lance. Ben looked little discomfort
:, ed, then rallied.
d "But Nab" he said. she's kind o
y proud. | wouldn't dare to o1er it t.
him without giving him chance T.
d earn it, Mab-Mab, you haven't los
n your tormenting ways, but the bargain
d we made back yonder at the stump wa
that would help you ut of yolr trou
o BILE if you do as l said. There n
one to find fault with what we do
= nothing to keep us apart Now, Nah
., we're going straight to the minister
y cottage, and you know what for"
u Then" said Nab, turning he
l. blooming face to him, ''all I've got t
s. say. Ben is, if you'll re right sure you 7
right, why go ahead"
y $50 Mr.. Brind had wife to coo
his Christmas dinner after all. Their
d was merry busting there was laughte
d and gladness in the hithertol lonely bacl
t. elor quarters. And there was, too,
d sweetly solemn hour in the tender gra
rs Christmas twilight wherein Ben an
d Nab, with the big Bible between then
if bent low their heads in grateful az
1 knowledgment of the loving care Of ii
ut One who, through trial and sorrow
lie ever and always, leads us on.-Dem
g. rests Magazine.