The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-04-22

thought it better to follow i'm her train.
and fill my soul with the loveliness of the
earthly form.
In a short time she glided to sofa,
as if weary of dancing, or talking. or
admiration, and, dismissing her cavalier
with a graceful wave of the hand, sank
back amidst the cushions with the lux
urious grace of an odalisque, while she
laid her bouquet on the sofa, too ia
tigued even to inhale It's perfume.
j approached, and, with that seductive
Difference to women for which my man.
ner is celebrated, requested permission
to take the vacant place beside her. A
carnival ball has immense privileges, or
l would not have dared the risk of such
a proposition. The bouquet was in the
way, and gently raised it to my lips be-
fore handing il to the lovely owner.
"You are courtier, senor," she
said, with smile that disclosed two
rows of pearls set in coral. "'But your
my name, perhapsg''
g know nothing, serranita,n l re-
piled, except that you are divine.
Can the face equal that perfect formp
VIII you not lift the shrouding mask for
one moment3 But, que iBlportd, the
face must be beautiful, or Nature would
have failed in harmony"
"Ah, senor,' she said, with some
thing of tenderness in her voice, - the
beautiful seldom wear n mask; they are
too eager for conquest and triumph.
You, | see, disdain to wear one. 1t is
only the consciousness of being hand
some can give one such courage"
"GrdcidS, serranita; but have l no
higher claim, to noticeP You may have
heard my nameP"
"All the world" she answered, "has
heard the name of the poet whose praise
confers celebrity. May I, too, hope for
a sonnetP A poet should have but one
| theme-woman."
" True, most lovely serrana; but in
] spiration comes from love. and love
from sight. How can l sing of unseen
| glories? Remove the mask, entreat you,
that | may behold the divine object
which is to kindle admiration into
poetry"
go poet! poet! trust to the IDEAL
advise you. The actual is always
disappointing. Alas! my poor face
could hardly kindle the flame of genius
Imagination will give you higher in
spiration."
Imagination! Yes, we poets know
it well. A mere cloudland of frozen
icicles But true poetry requires
passion; and passion only comes from
the actual, the visible, and the glorious
reality of the beautiful"
And if lift my mask, senior poet,
will you find the glorious reality of the
beautiful in my faceP All, do not dare
the trial. Your poet-soul would recoil
from the actual, and II should lose
your homage and your batteries"
"Nevern' l exclaimed impetuously.
go enchantress of my SOUL try me-
unmask / shall worship; l shall
adore" ...
" Enough! enoughr' she murmhred,
laying her fan upon my lips. "Wor-
ship, adore! mere idle poet-falsehoods
Truly, Plato was right. Poets should
be banished from every well-ordered
state.'
"And why, alma mia?
g because you poets are all pagans
and periurers. You set up idols to wor-
ship, and you simulate false homage
Poets do not need to wear a mask; their
whole life is falsehood."
$50 like women, then; but confess.
Poets, at least, know how to love, and
are worth loving. Lift the mask, and
you will judge if | can love"
81 cannot. Sympathy and praise and
homage are enchanting to woman.
Why should L risk losing these subtle
batteries, that make me believe | am
lovely enough to be loved? i'll unmask,
| a Nfrin Al.
poet will be turned to stone.''
Impossible! Your conversation
charms me. What mind! what intel
lect! Yes, even beyond beauty
worship intellect; and feel
drawn to you by strange spiritual
affinity, wholly mental, believe me
Beauty is q mere ephemeral adjunct
the true perfection is in the soul"
"This appreciation of intellect is, in
deed, touching,' she said earnestly.
"Yet-shall l confess it'll would
rather be thought beautiful, even for a
moment, than hear all your praises of
my intellect. No; l cannot risk the
trial. The flame kindled by intellect
would be soon eXtinguished by-must |
say the wOrdP-a fatal ugliness."
80, fear not, serrana! l DENY and
defy the ugliness. And where could it
existP The features may be irregular,
but there is the grace of expressi0n-a
very lovely thing. Indeed, prefer it
TO positive beauty. And if the mind
charms, the face will also. l could
swear it. From long experience have
acquired certain instinct for the dis
cernment of masks. No; cannot be
deceived. l have too good n nose for
that