The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-04-22

plate with the wild eagerness Of appe-
tite and rage.
was at my fifth, when. triste dc mil
there, just fronting me. stood the ser
ranita-I should rather say the nose,
more lurid, more gigantic than ever, now
that beheld it in the full glare of the
supper-room.
A masked gypsy was holding her
hand at the moment, to read her for
tune, and | heard him say, Queen of
beauty to-day, Queen of an empire to-
morrow"
"Queen of beauty!' repeated scorn-
fully, and again | meditated flight. But
the nose petrifed me bv saying. with
doIcezzd iHfeTpdle, "Will not the gra-
cious senior conduct me to support l
have been lingering for your return.
Why did you leave me?n
trembled like an aspen, and the nose
laughed; but the grave and naughty
caballero, with the royal orders on his
breast, did not laugh. This was doubly
irritating. l would have given worlds
for pretext to run him through the
body.
"Senoraw l gasped forth.
go Senorp' she exclaimed quickly,
"perhaps particular engagement; or
has intellect lost its charm for youP But
pray do not take any trouble; merely a
glass of ponche la Romano, nothing
mOre.h
And the nose seemed to twist and curl
with indignant contempt.
This cool audacity piqued me; and,
with malignant emphasis, l replied:
"Senorita, | present you the bev-
erage with pleasures; but will not
your nose be rather in the way of
your enjoying the draught? IN
less you can abridge that very majestic
| feature, do not see how ~
" Gracids, senorr' she said, interrupt
ing me. "You are most considerable.
But do not drink with my nose. How
ever, it would be more convenient if
abridged. Shall tryP'
"Howp WhatP Can it beP" l STAN
mered. F
40, pray do not be alarmed, senor,"
she said, laughingly; "the process is
very simpler and, raising a small white
hand to her face, she slowly and daint-
| lily drew away the obnoxious, fiery bea-
con, and her own fair, delicate, Grecian
nose, perfect as the rest of her beauti-
full features, appeared beneath,
Ciel0 gittSto! it was of cardboard. A
mere carnival trick. And | had been
deceived, maddened, done to death
nearly, by thing like that-a nose, a
painted nose! 40, if the earth could
only open and swallow me up!" in
wardly calculated; for had | not insult
ed, yes, horribly insulted, the most
beautiful woman at the Court of Mad
rid?
True, o true! For it was, indeed the
lovely, distinguished, and celebrated
Countess t that now stood before me,
with a mocking smile playing over her
exquisite mouth. : .. VIE
l could have thrown myself at her
feet, L could have killed myself for rage
and despair and shame? but my remorse
and abiect terror only seemed to
beighten her amusement; and, taking the
arm of her naughty cavalier with the
royal orders, the superb beauty saluted
me with a profound reverence and a
! smiling Z" BeSo a Usted la nldRO,n and
swept on in the glitter of her raiment
and her jewels and her loneliness to join
the dancers.
Not hunger, but despair, now winged
my feet; as fled along the corridor and
down the grand staircase, and nearly
overthrow Prince Carlos as / passed
him in the whirlwind of my flight.
''Whither so fast, my friendP'' he ex-
claimed. "Why, you are the envy of
the whole room You have been talk
ing to the loveliest woman in Spain for
the last half hour. And do you know
the news? The Queen herself has Just
told me. 1t is all settled; the lovely
Countess is to wear a royal crown; and
right well she will grace throne. But
do not speak of it. 1t is State secret
as yet; though, of course, we all
guessed the truth. Heavens! is she not
beautiful? am to be the new ambas-
sador, and you shall have high post in
the embassy, l promise you. But
what is the matter? You are pale as
DEATH" ... ........I
"Peacer' I exclaimed, in voice
stiAed with rage, dashing away his
hand that rested on my arm. "Peacel
[ must away-suicide -death--oblivion!
Farewellr'
And sprang into my carriage, and
reached home with set teeth and
clenched hands. and fixed resolve to
start the following morning for Cuba,
or the interior of Africa, or the North
Polar Expedition; anywhere that would
place II whole continent between me
and the bitter memory of the Carnival
Ball, and the shadow of the Carnival
Nose--that fatal promOntory on which
my happiness had been wrecked for