The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-03-04
UNDER THE ICE.

All through the long, pleasant sum-
mer on the Williams Farm, the two girls
had been rivals-almost to the death
Society has its restraints-well for many
of us that it is sol For, on the last even
ing OF her stay at the farmhouse, the
heart of Kate Jervis was full of cold
and deadly anger, as she reviewed the
events of the campaign, and knew that
it had failed.
She had come to that lonely and Sc
cluded place only because Charles Ed
wards, the handsome and wealthy wild
over from Australia, was to be there
Throughout the cool days of autumn, and
the hazy beauty of the Indian summer
she had fingered on, hoping continually
that she might win him away from Lily
Melville, whom, in her secret heart, she
stigmatized as " a dark little thing, with
not an atom of style about her"
But to the end of time the questions:
"Why does a man love one woman and
not anotherP" will never be satisfac-
torily answered.
Miss Jervis, large, tall, stately and
fair, devoted to dress, and with social
talents of the very highest order, had
the ordinary attentions which every gen.
tleman is bound to pay to the ladies
near him.
While Lily Melville, who was poor
and unnoticed, who toiled daily with
her pencil for her daily bread, and who
was utterly unable to follow the shifting
fashions of the day, even if she had
wished to do so-Lily Melville had won
the widower's heart, and need only say
the word TO receive the offer of his
hand.
Kate Jervis did not deceive herself.
She had watched their parting only two
days previously, and had read her own
doom in Charles Edwards face.
"May write to you?" had been his
last words to Lily. -asEs
For Kate, he had only the conven-
tional regrets at parting, mingled with
his adieu. Not one word of hope as to
any future meeting!
Yes, she had failed-utterly and igno-
miniously failed-and now she must
pack up the useless finery, which had
cost so much, and go back to the city
boarding-house-to the narrow, pinch
ing consideration of ways and means,
from which, by the capture of this man
and his fortune, she had hoped to have
been forever freed. 70.
If could only spoil her happiness,
would not so much mind giving up my
own she thought, as she walked along
the road that led from the farm to the
village, on the third evening after Mr..
Edwards departure. "But howp And
how disgustingly self-satisfied she looks!
| hate her hated her from the first
day of her coming, though l did not
then know why"
At that moment she saw the boy who
was employed at the farm to run on
errands to the village. He was running
up the road at great pace, with a
.countenance black with discomfort.
g Have you seen Farmer Williams,
missph he asked, anxiouslv.
"He came home from the village half
an hour ago." said Kate. tHII
Just my luckr' whined the boy. III
wanted TO give him these, and now l
must go all the way with them. And
the minstrels are up in Telson's Hall.
They'll be half through before l can get
back"
He held out two letters as he spoke,
with an appealing look at Kate, one for
herself, the other sealed with seal, and
directed to Lily Melville in hand that
she knew only too well. a.I.
"Pm going back. I'll take them for
YOU" she said, mechanically.
The boy gave her the letters, thanked
her, and tore back to the village, whist
ling.
"Shall 1? Shall / notP" thought
Kate, standing still in that lonely place.
She opened her own letter. 1t con-
tanned only the dress-maker' bill, for
those pretty summer toilets which had
been of so little use to her. How was
she to pay that bill, now that the rich
husband on whom she had so securely
counted had turned out to be d mythp
"It is too hardr' she exclaimed,
aloud, in sudden passion. "Why should
this good fortune come to her and not to
mep She shall never have the satisfac-
ton of triumphing over me. wonder
Ehat he has writteAs"