The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-06-17

from man of business, many years her
senior. her dead fathers old friend, and
| her own guardian and trustee, but, for
| all that, Ellinor Arden appeared utterly
unable to endure it. A dark flush spread
itself over her handsome face; her eve
lids fell over her flashing eyes; and her
| lips quivered with an agitation she was
powerless to repress. She was silent
for some minutes, during which Horace
Margrave played carelessly with pen
knife, opening and shutting it absently,
and not once looking at his beautiful
ward. The elderly lady by the fire. place
turned the cracking sheets of the Times
more than once during the short silence,
which seemed so long.
Horace Margrave was the first to
speak.
"My dear Ellinor, as your guardian,
till this very day possessed of full power
to control your actions-after to-day, /
trust, still possessed of the privilege,
though, perhaps, not the right, to advise
them-I have, | hope, some claim on
your confidence. Tell me, then, candid
ly, as you may tell a middle-aged old
lawyer, like myself, who is it you love?
Who is it you would rather marry than
Henry Dalton, the adopted son of your
uncle?"
For once he looked at her as he spoke,
she looking full at him; so it was that
their eyes met; a long, earnest, re-
proachful, sad look was in hers; in his
a darkness of gloomy sorrow, beyond
all power of description.
His eyes were the first to fall; he went
on playing with the handle of the pen
knife, and said:
"You are so long in giving me a can
did and straightforward answer, my
dear girl that | begin to think this hero
is of rather a mythic order, and that
your heart is, after all, perhaps, free
Tell me, Ellinor, is it not so? You have
met so few people-have passed so
much of your time in the utter seclu-
sion of Partisan convent-and when
away from the convent you have been
so protected by the Argus-like guar
dianship OF your respected aunt that |
really cannot see how you can have lost
that dear, generous heart of yours. |
suspect that you are only trying to mys-
tify me. Once for all, then, my ward,
is there any one whom you love?'
He looked at her as he asked this de-
cisive question, with a shrinking up
ward glance under his dark eyelashes-
something like the glance of man who
looks up, expecting a blow, and knows
that he must SILVER and close his eyes
when that blow falls.
The crimson flush passed away from
her face, and left her deadly pale, as she
said, with firm voice:
mo"
"No one?n ......
"No one" .4.....r ..f.
Horace Margrave sighed a sigh of
deep relief, and proceeded in his former
tone entirely the tone of man of bust
ness.
Every well, then, my dear Ellinor,
seeing that you have formed no prior
attachment, that it is your uncle's earn
est request, nay, solemn prayer, that
this marriage should take place; seeing
Also that Henry Dalton is very good
! young man
81 hate good young menu she said,
impatiently. Dreadfully perfect be-
ings, with light hair and fresh-colored
cheeks; dressed in pepper-and-salt
suits, and dOuble-soled boots! | detest
themr' u rl 5000 . 5000
MY dear Ellinor! My dear Ellinor!
Life is neither stage play nor three
! volume novel; and, rely upon it, the
happiness of wife depends very little
on the color of her husbands hair, or
the cut of his coat. If he neglects you,
will you be happier, lonely and desert
ed at home, in remembering the dark
waving curls clustering round his head,
at that very moment perhaps, droop-
ing over the green cloth of a hazard
table in st. James street, If he wrings
your heart with the racking tortures of
jealousy, will it console you to recall the
flashing glances of his hazel eyes, whose
gaze no longer meets your own? No,
no. Ellinor! dispossess yourself of the
schoolgirls notion of Byronic heroes,
with turn-down collars, and deficient
moral region. Marry Henry Dalton; he
is so good, honored and sensible. that
you must ultimately learn to esteem
him. Out of that esteem will grow, bye
and-bye, love; and believe me, paradox
ical as itmay sound, you will love him
better from not loving him too much"
LAS you will, my dear guardian"
she said ''Henry Dalton, by all means,
then, and the fortune. | should be very
sorry not to follow your excellent, SEN
sible and business-lilte advice" i'tH u
She tries to say this with his ownin-
difference; but she says it with q sheer
ing emphasis, and, in, spite of herself,
she betrays considerable agitation. i
If are to dine at siX,'' interposed
the faded lady by the fireplace, who
had been looking over the top of the
newspaper every three minutes, hope
lessly awaiting break in the converse
ton.
1--WE must go home directly" said