The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-12-16

tism laid in wait for the poor and friend
less
f"You ought to have married when
you we're young, Becky" said the doc
tors widow. who had forgotten all
about Becky love affair, and labored
under the impression that she never had
n chance. an impression which matrons
are apt to entertain concerning their
single friends. Miss Becky had been
spending some weeks with Mrs. Doctor
Dwight, who had moved away from
Plymouth after her husbands death.
She was there chiefly in order to put
some stitches into the widows ward
robe, which nobody else would do so
reasonably" that lady's grief having
incapacitated her for holding a needle
or giving her mind 10 the material de-
tails of " seam and gusset and band. y
But during the visit Miss Becky had
been seized with her, sharpest attack Of
rheumatism, which had kept her in bed
for weeks, till her wages We're exhaust
ed by drugs and doctors fees. 1t was
at this time that she made up. her mind
to go into the Home on her return to
Plymouth.
Mrs. Dwight saw her off at the sta
ton. "Thope yon'l1 find the Home
cozy." she said outside the ear-window.
"It's lucky Parsoh Aniory left you that
hundred dollars after all. He might
have doubled tpD FikfEfE bffG
Eyes, suppose So" Miss Becky
answered neekly. Perhaps she WAS
thinking that if she were Mrs, Dwight
! no old friend of hers should lgobegginS
! for refuge at an alm-hou5e door, were
J it ever so genteel an aims house. Per-
haps she was thinking of the pretty,
comfortable home waiting for her
friend, and wondering why their fort
unes were so unlike.
"Write when you reach Plymouth,
and LET me know how you're suited, y
said Mrs. Dwight; and inst then the
cars gave lurch and left her behind,
and Miss Becky turned her glance in
wards Somebody had taken the seat
| beside her. 'i t's tfHTiliiH u4f
taYour friend was speaking of Parson
Amory and Plymouth" said he. II
couldn't help hearing. was born in
7 Plymouth myself, but Ihaven't met a
soul from there these twenty years. I'm
on my way down to look up my old
friends" ...I - i.-. ~.
Twenty years is long time" an
swered Becky. Pm afraid you won
find many of your friends left. You Il
hardly know Plymouth.
II suppose not-I suppose not. Have
you lived there longP"
ZIP l have lived there all my days"
. "Good! I'm hungry for news of the
people. Did Parson Amory leave 9
fortrnep He was called ttoSe@ Where
Miss Nell-married or dead? l can see
the old place in my minds eye; and the
parsonage under the elms, and tn
orchard behind it, where Lucy Amory
planted a. young tree on her wedding
day, and the gown LITTLE Becky Thornt
wore-by-the-way, is she alive? DE-
you know herPn i,u vd u9Uv II
Miss Becky hesitated an instant.
YES" she replied, Il know her
more or less. She's alive" $3.50.
"And marriede'' si.i- sla1
"Well. no; she never married"
"She must be sixty odd; she was
pretty creature, such dimples-I sup
pose they are wrinkles now! Wher,
have the years gomez Is her home il
the old place stillP' n adj a..
"Her homer said Miss Becky, flush
IL llIIlc. CuO ldo hOuO' pllc
on her way to the Old Ladies' Home. )
ITO the Old Ladies' Home Beck,
Thone" he gasped, land l."
"You seem to have known her prett,
WE'LL" said Miss Becky, who was begin
ming to enjoy the incognito.
~ should think so! I've loved Beck,
Thorne from my cradle; we had sill,
quarrel which parted us-such trife
when look back. Do you ever Loo
back, madame ?'
The twilight was falling about them
Becky face had grown shade or tw
paler all at once; she turned her dar
velvety eyes full upon him with startle
air.
} "You," she said, "you must be Lar
ry Rogersr Then the color swept t
: her cheeks in crimson wave. sd
you know never thought you ha
grown old like myself! Don'tyou knoy
meP I am Becky Thorne."
Just then the train Numbered throug
the tunnel, and they forgot that the
were sixty odd.
"On the way to the Old Ladie:
Home" she wrote Mrs. Dwight; :"
was persuaded to go to an old gentle
mans, instead" -Mary N. Prescott, 4
our Continent.
The Horse DOdged.
Tho vanoro hla q ninal thot draxus tb