The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-02-11

would not suit our paper" The little
hands went up to the face; the veil
dropped over them. | heard stihed
sob, and my heart began to ache. % But
that is no reason, Miss Silver" | con-
tinued, with assumed cheerfulness.
"that, with few alterations, it should
not suit some other. If you will leave
it with me, will take it home tonight
revise it, and you can try again
The veil was tossed aside, and down
came the hands. "Oh, am so ridicu-
lousy afraid of strangers and strange
places!' she said, wan little smile
shining through her tears. II should
never have dared to come here had |
not heard you were one of the kindest
of men. Is there nothing you can give
me to do, Mr.. Grayp / can read the
most illegible of writing readily-a tai
ent l inherit from my dear father and
l can copy rapidly and plainly"
Now had nothing on hand which it
was absolutely necessary that l should
have copied, but vision of the poor
child toiling up dark stairs into cheer
less offices, cold and frightened, with
that, in its present form, unstable story,
rose before me, and L determined to make
work for her until could find her some
easy, permanent employment elsewhere.
SO said, quickly, as though it were the
very assistance of all others of which |
stood in need: If you are willing to
accept work of that kind, l can en-
ploy you two or three hours day for
a month or two, and you may rim at
once"
Her eyes sparkled the thanks she did
not speak. l babe her lay aside her
hat and shawl, seat herself at the chiefs
desk, and prepare to copy the Chinese
like characters of the famous author
over which had been puzzling the day
before.
She obeyed me with the simplicity of
child, and soon was bending over her
task, a flush of pleasure on her cheeks,
transcribing quickly and faithfully.
As for me, the sight of that tiny hand
travelling over the paper with wonderful
grace and ease, and the clear-cut profile
dropping above it, caused some ludi-
ing, about which mistakes received no
less than seventeen communications dur
ing the week following its publication.
The two or three hours passed away.
She showed me what she had accom-
plished with pride, accepted payment
for it with blush, donned the summer
shawl and hat, and tripped away, prom
ising to come again on the morrow.
The morrow found her punctually at
her post, and so did many morrows,
and at last the MS. was almost copied,
and had been unable to find any other
employment for my faithful amanuensis.
Meanwhile the child had told me her
sad story. Her mother died at her
birth. She had never had any home,
but had always lived in boarding houses
with her father, school-teacher, who,
dying year ago, left her to the mercy
of an only relative, a wealthy aunt.
That aunt-Heaven forgive her!-re-
fused to receive her, saying she had
"children of her own to look after, and
she saw no reason why the girl should
not follow her fathers profession"
AZ tried to-" said Winona, "but the
children would not mind me. Minnie
Minceitt minds me, because she loves
me. l board with Mrs. Minceitt, and
teach Minnie in part payment for my
board. Mrs. Minceitt is not unkind to
me; but she is not as kind as she was
before papa died. And papa used to say
| wrote excellent compositions, and so l
thought, perhaps, could write stories
for the papers. And / was induced to
come to you first by hearing a gentle
man, writer, praise you very highly
one day. He is one of the kindest-
hearted fellows in America he said.
But, for all that, came to your door
three days in succession before l could
get courage enough to knock. And
when / did knock on the fourth day,
you called Come in such an awfully
cross voice that l came near running
away again. And on one of those three
days, when / was standing outside, you
were laughing and talking with hand
some young lady. I heard you, and
saw her. She had the loveliest ostrich
feather in her hat"
"And what has become of the story,
Winonap" asked l. She had rebelled
against miss Silver" or even miss
Winona," at an early period of our &C
quaintance, on account of my being so
much older than she. | was eight-and-
twenty, and she ten years younger
"My story" with musical laugh
(which you altered until it was almost
your storyp sent it to the Weekly Ro-
nance Portfolio, and they accepted it;
and well they might, for, thanks to you,
it was very good, indeed. And they sent
me a check for it-a very short check
for such long story-and there it is, "
pointing to cloth jacket that hung be-
side my overcoat. And now that
you've mentioned the story she con-
tinued, all her old shyness coming back
again, 81 should like to show you-but
l ara afraid"
Nonsense, Winona, you are not
afraid What ia itp1i