The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-07-08

est mdy-lalr SCanual TO lne young Lon
don ladies; had, in short. something to
say on every subject to everybody,
without displeasing any one. And let
any man who has tried to do this in the
crowded drawing-room of country
house say whether or not Horace Mar
grave was clever fellow.
by the by, Horace" said Sir
Lionel, as the accomplished lawyer
| lounged against one corner of the long
marble mantlepiece, talking to a group
of young men and one rather fast young
lady, who had edged herself into the
circle under cover of brother, much to
the Indignation of more timid spirits,
who sat modestly aloof, furtively re-
garding Admirable Crichton Margrave,
as his friends called him, from distant
sofas; ''by the by, my boy, where did
you hide yourself all this morning?
We sadly wanted you to decide match
at billiards, and | sent people all over
the house and grounds in search of
you"
" l rode over to Horton after lunch"
said Horace. 81 wanted few hours
there on electioneering business.
" You've been to HortonP" asked Sir
Lionel, with rather an anxious express
sion.
eyes, my dear Sir Lionel, to Horton.
But how alarmed you look! / trust 1
haven't been doing anything wrong. A
client of mine is going to stand one whit
the less the elegant and accomplished
for the place. But surely you're not
going to throw over the county electors,
and stand for the little borough of Hor-
ton, yourselfn' he said, laughing.
Sir Lionel looked a little confused,
and the county families grew suddenly
very grave; indeed, one young lady in
pink, who was known by about seven
fair confddnteS to have a slight tendre
for the handsome lawyer, clutched con-
vulsively at the wrist of younger sister
in blue, and listened, with an alarmed
face, to the conversation by the Chin
ney-piece.
"Why, how silent every one has
grownp said Horace, still laughing
1t seems as if l had launched a
thunderbolt upon this hospitable hearth,
in announcing my visit to the little
manufa cturing town of Horton. What
is it-why is it-how is itp'' he asked
looking round with smile.
"Why," said Sir Lionel, hesitatingly
q" the truth of the matter-that is-not
to mystify you-in short-you know
they, they've fever at Horton. The
the working classes and the factory
people have got it very badly, and-and
the place is in manner tdbO0ed. But
of COURSE" added the old man, trying
to look cheerful, "you didn't 90 into
any of the back streets, or amongst the
lower classes. You only rode through
the town, suppose; so you're safe
enough, my dear Horace. "
The county families simultaneously
drew a long breath, and the young
lady in pink released her sister wrist.
81 went, my dear Sir Lionel" said
Horace, with smiling Indifference, Into
about twenty narrow back streets in an
hour and a half, and talked to about
forty different factory hands, for |
wanted to find which way the politi cal
current set in the good town of Horton.
They all appeared extremely dirty, and
now, | remember, a good many of them
looked very IL; but I'm not afraid of
having caught the fever, for all
that" he added, looking round at
the grave faces of his hearers;
"half dozen cigars, and a
sharp ten miles ride through q oleak,
open country must be thorough dis
infectant. If not" he continued, bit
terly, Zone must die sooner or later,
and why not of fever caught at Hor-
tonp'
The young lady in pink had recourse
to her sisters wrist again, at this
speech %.
, Horace soon laughed off the idea of
danger from his afternoon rambles, and,
in few minutes, he was singing a
German drinking song accompanying
himself at the piano.
At last the long evening was over,
and Ellinor, who had heard nothing
from her distant workable of the con-
versation about the fever, gladly
welcomed the advent of servant with
tray of glistening candlesticks. AS
she lit her candle at the table,
Horace Margrave came over and lit his
own.
90 have spoken to Sir Lionel" he
said, "a carriage will be ready for us
in an hour The London mail does not
start till one o'clock, and we shall reach
town in time to catch the day service
for Paris. But, Ellinor, it is not yet too
late; tell me, are you thoroughly deter
mined on this stepP''
Thoroughly" she said. Il shall
be ready in an hour"
Mrs. Dalton's apartments were at
the end of long corridor; the dressing
room opened out of the bedroom, and
the door of communication was aiar as
Ellinor entered her room. Her boxes
stood ready packed. She looked at