The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-12-29

lions, which we're of anything Bat an
agreeable nature.
1t was a cold, dark day. Winter had
set in early after a short and stormy
autumn. A hard, black frost had
bound the earth in letters of iron. The
sky was like mournful gray pail; foot
steps rang upon the hard EARTH and
skaters in warm bright costumes
thronged all the available ponds. Mar
garet was in no outdoor attire. She
was just then adorned with a splendor
and in festive style which i'll accorded
with the hour of the day or with her
own frame of mind. A dress of velvet
and satin, costly lace falling about her
neck and wrists, jewels on her bosom,
bracelets on her arms-all betokened
that some festivity either had happened
or was about to come off. Indeed, that
which had taken place that morning
had been a wedding Marion PercivaPs
wedding, which Margaret had resolved
should be from her house.
She had carried out her resolution.
The bride had been only too pleased to
be married with eclat from Miss Bar
rington's house. The bridegroom had
displayed no unwillingness. Perhaps
he had felt somewhat at Miss Barrings
tom mercy; he could not quite have
forgotten scene which had taken place
between him and her, one night in May,
by the light of the stars and of the
Chinese lanterns, in Mr.. Pierce's gar
den. Be that as it may, he had yielded,
with every appearance of good grace;
and the wedding had been a brilliant, il
small one; and though Marion Perci-
val had looked very pretty. very charm
ing and very pensive in her brides at
tire, Margaret harrington had looked
every inch the Lady of the Manor, the
splendid hostess, the first lady of the
occasion. The bride and bridegroom
had started on their travels almost inn
Immediately after the wedding break
fast. Margaret was not giving any
evening party, and the last of the not
very numerous guests had departed
scarcely half an hour ago. The invalid,
Miss Percival, had gone to her room to
rest, and was not likely to appear again
that evening.
Margaret had one other visitor-Tom
Pierce, namely-who had come to spend
his Christmas holidays with her, since
she declined to spend hers with his faith
er and mother and their family at Irk-
ford. Tom was at that moment out OF
doors. After having made second and
a highly successful speech at the we'd
ing breakfast, he had FASTENED out, and
was now disporting himself on one of
the ponds before spoken of, and was not
likely to return to the house until the
irresistible mandates of hunger should
summon him to dinner.
Miss Darlington had left Blackboard
Grange two days after her bitter quar-
rel with Louis Baldwin. Until now she
had contrived to keep herself so busy
so constantly occupied-as to leave no
time to give to reflections upon the past.
Now in moment of sudden loneliness.
perhaps also of guardedness-it all
rushed suddenly over her; how she had
gone into the house on that miserable
afternoon, after parting with Louis, had
scarce waited to have her wet things re-
moved in her impotence to see Mrs.
Lascelles, and tell her all, imploring
that lady to forgive her, if not for her
own sake, then for Rupert's. She had
told Mrs. Lascelles of her weary and
!, dissatisfied life amidst her uncongonial
, surroundings; she told, without reveal
ing names, of Maurice Biddulph's offer
to her, and how its GOODNESS, and his
evident desire to have her because she
was desirable heiress and woman
of position, rather than the woman he
loved, had turned her heart cold, had
reused her into cynicism, had made her
repel him and mock him. How she had
come to the Grange, i'll at ease with the
, whole world, and her entire lot, and
, how Mrs. Lascelles' first words had fall
en- graciously on her ears; how she had
found there love and peace, and had
known that the love was Tor herself,
, and that the peace arose from untram-
, meled intercourse with noble and I'M
! selfish natures. 81 could not give il
! up" Margaret had said. II could
not break the spell. Send me away il
7, you like Blame me; can not reproact
you if you do. But try to forgive me-
for Rupert's sake"
{ Mrs. Lascelles would have succmbed
: to that appeal, had it been needed, bu
e it was not. She clasped Margaret in
her arms, calling her her child, hel
e daughter, her self-sacrifcing benefac
n tress. Even in the midst OF her pair
s the girl had the consolation OF thi'
: deep and disinterested regard. In ex
D planning to Mrs. Lascelles, in trying Il
t account for her sudden grief and VIC
lent agitation, Margaret had unwilling
!, ly revealed more than she had intended
had hesitated little, and had then
T with anguish that she could not con
. ceal, related what had passed between
:, her and Louis. She had told Mrs. Las
e celles of her amazement at his hard
% ness and narrowness, of her own indig
nation, and had said she could neve
!, see him again. Mrs. Lascelles had oftel
p been little puzzled, wondering at Lou