The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-09-30
the flowers to the grave of me mither,"


will, thin he said, rising from the
mound where he had been scattering the
flowers, lit is-that | jist wants to whis-
per word in yer ear"
At this. Monica darted of as fast as
she could run, leaving Larry to fill the
place of mourner. as well as of decora-
tor, at the grave.
Larry folded his arms across his broad
chest, and looking after the flying little
form, said to himself: "She's a sthrange
cratur'. thatl If I'd ask her to walk
round one ov these graves, barefut an
aloone forty times at midnight, she do
it. in gratitude to me dead mither for
what she'd did for her dead mither!
An yet she'll not let me near enough
her to say a word that the whole warld
mightn't hear! But | can find plinty
who wull open both ears-and their
mouths, TOTO listen to the Whisper
ov a lad that can arm thirty shillns a
week at his home and has cottage, and
garden, an a foine old fayther. be-
| side. | know Use taxed her dale.
Now I'll let her alone intirely, wull,
an see hoo she likes that!'
The winter had come again. Monica
! felt the comforting effect of time on her
heart. But she still missed her mother.
She had very little company now. Her
grandmother was always busy with her
cottage work, or in looking after her
fowls. And her grandfather pounded
his lap-stone and hummed old Irish airs
all day. E 81 81
When Monica had finished her task
at knitting. or sewing, she hardly knew
how to amuse herself The cottage was
poor inlbooks, and Of papers and maya
zines the hum de people of Ireland rare
ly get glimpse.
1t is not strange, then, that the shy
young girl was overjoyed at an invita-
ton to wedding. The game-keeper' S
daughter-a school-friend-was to be
married to the shepherd son. The
lady of the castle had given the we'd
ding-gown, and consented to let her
servants join in the dance.
The school-master was the gentleman
in this stratum of society; and he was a
wag, and merry maker withal. No
festival was of any account which was
not planned and carried out by him.
He was an original, and prided him
self on having no two parties enter
tanned in the same way. The game
keepers daughter had been a favorite
scholar, and he had laid himself out to
make her wedding a great success.
Granny Blaney, also, laid herself out
to "dress Monica as well as one of the
serving-maids from the hall, who held
their heads so high above honest poor
folk" So she had bought her white
gown, and knots of blue ribbon to p n
on at every available spot, and to show
off her lovely white skin and her pink
cheeks.
Her efforts were a success, too. As
the old cobbler planted his waX-be-
grimmed hands on his leathern apron,
and stood off to gaze on Monica, he
exclaimed:
Faith thin, an the ould Duke
would Civ his right hand if he could
max his rid-hidded and frickled yoong
lady as lovely as that! If she warm
such shy goose ov'a thing, as will
niver look body in the geye, Ffs be
tth%pfood .eYrher tiptlI ,dy -thinis she
Jwas thefoipISt girl in tseawprsA'&
A gayer party never assembled. The
charm of the entertainment was in the
unique,t tdaFcingOSF Four S hool-boys
danced a cotillion on their hands, with
their heels in the air and their hats or
tbeirfeet! a., ,... .".''' "~.ifi
= a one legged man danced a iig in {
wash-tub, with a htmpbacl girl, in an
other tub, for his partner
On an awning, which he had stretched
from one end of the long kitchen to the
other.l the selfool-master Invited .'thC
ladies aqd iintlemen'' to waltz, saying
.'AHosmaS ihkslmSGefdf 6r it, as {
man of h b, 9PSpPy that th!is awning is a
Latin for solid ground. | interpret thi,
for your sakes who are not Latin schol
ars | hope those O. We who arctic
same havin' been to school to me-wil
take no ,oifense at my, tranSatin', as i
there were any need of it for thin.
do it pro bono publico, which names il
plain English, for the good o. the pub
Hes }bl 1O HNN'Htot}',
All was going on "as merry as a mar
riage BELL" when Monica was startled
by seeing, Larry O'Mppre walk in, il
his best clothes, and looking as happy
as if she had allowed him TO .whispe,
to herr ,asloftenlas he pleased III
And she said, in her heart: :" He's al
ungrateful lad, thin, afther all his NTH
er did for my dear mither, to go and b,
laughin' and as happy as if he'd seeC
me iveFy,weEk in this six, months! H,
hasn't looked at me no more'n if
WASH here at au,'3,, ,,,vv,,vr
I'h larry danced CSfl, tlfe) kknmgY HI
, sang funny songs, and he told IrisI
stories till the rafters of the game-keep
ers cottage rang with the laughter o
the company. ClEt.,N.N,T
Monica stood crowded up in corne
looking very solemn and very uncom
Portable, while the company were al