The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-02-04
MORE THAN CONQUEROR.

Winter in Russia is more emphatic
than with us. There is a steely glitter
in the ice, barbed arrow in the hail.
Eternal glaciers lie upon the hillside; at
least it seems as if blossom and leaf and
fresh green grass were gone forever.
The sky, sparkling, blue and cold as tur
quoise stone, has only snowdrifts of
clouds floating here and there, illumined
by golden light called sunshine, but
totally different from the life-giving ra-
dance we hail with delight. Beneath
such a sun we would imagine only snow
flowers could bloom.
Yet a young man loiters along the
frozen road as if summer zephyrs were
waiting the subtle odors of fields of vio-
lets and roses to his senses. He is not
muf1led in costly furs, yet there is some
thing within that makes life warm and
ecstatic and full of rosy bloom, despite
the desolate fields about him, where the
snow lies pure and cold as a quarry of
Carrara marble. He does not note the
beauty of the scene, either; the delicate
penciling of the bare branches against
the luminous sky; the dainty snowflow-
. ers pure bridal wreaths of white, that
deck the trees for earth's winter festi-
val; the glitter of the ice, with it's cold
opaline splendor where sunbeam
strikes it.; the crystal sheathing of twig
and brush flashing bravely like coat of
mail in the noontide light. He is a
dreamer, and he is in love, so the pres
ent does not exist for him. 1t is moth
ing that he has never spoken to the lady
of his dreams; that she is set far above
him; that his love is like
"The desire of the moth for the star;
OF the day for the morrow"
1t is enough that he sees her every
day-and he lives upon that-though
her sky-blue eyes have never rested
upon his face. .By-and-by he viii want
more than a glance, and the torment o.
love will begin, ua... aH
In the distance he can see a glimpse
of the lordly structure that is her home
and in his mind he contrasts it with hi.
= own humble abode. But he is soldier
of fortune, and who can say what thu
future may have in store for him? Rus
STA offers prizes to intellect and zeal
Why should he not gain one and make
a name for himself; or, oh, ecstatit
thought, for ber-for Vera! That is he
name-it sings itself to mystic music il
Yet he has only seen her whirling b,
him day after day in sleigh fashioned
like a white swan. Sometimes sh,
drives herself, and he has been degisin9
means to say some word to her. Il
make her look at him once and speak Il
him. All! if she is only alone to-day
1t is coming now. He stops with a sud
den flash of fire kindling his blood. /
slim, girlish figure, in dark, wine-col
ored velvet skirt trimmed with sables
Her golden curls are streaming in TIN
wind; her blue eyes are full OF the sun
shine of youth, that light that is cloud
ed so soon; her lips are scarlet as
pomegranate- blossom; on her cheek
the keen wind has brought vivid roses
Nicole loses his head at the sight
He does not see the thin, gray -haire'
old man at her side, half-buried in hi
furs, and shrinking from the icy blast
This mans face is cold and hard as
carven from stone; his lips are ster
and compressed; no kindly light warm
his pale eyes. A man with an iron will
you would say-no prayers or tear
would avail with such an one. Nicole
blinded by the splendid vision of tn
girl. supreme in her young beauty, sud
denly stepped forward and took off hi
hat.
An idea had come to him--a frenz
to hear her voice. She had heart {
heavenly pity, he knew, and so h
would come as a mendicant. He fell
indeed, like one who was willing I
kneel before her, if he could win on
smile.
But he merely held his hat as on
that asks for alms--and he looked poe