The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-06-16


at is not that. i have no right to
ask ANYTHING of you-Udt least of all
He turned away and walked once or
twice across the cell. Coming back, he
said. hurriedly; at ta m. -rii.a
There is nothing to ask of you
now, Rose, but, perhaps, the time may
come that ! will turn to you for help in
a matter which troubles me exceeding
". but that time is not vet. PRAY
Heaven for me that il never tciH come,
Rose a
eff it should, will do anything in
my power promised Rose, blindly,
little dreaming in what way she would
be asked to fulfill that promise.
Wild dreams of enabling him by
some means to avert the dreadful doom
which she had heard pronounced
against him went through her head.
Men had escaped from prison and
women had helped them before this,
but, recalling his words afterward, she
knew they must hold some far differ
ent meaning.
Time passed, and the appeal she ex-
pected never came. The dreaded I'd
!. of March was at hand; it came, it
passed, and the papers held a full ac-
count of the manner in which that cold
blooded murderer, Rodney France, had
eXpiated his crime on the gallows
A wild, wet spring gave place to sum
mer, and the Sangerford's returned to
their country house ON the Hudson.
They filled it with guests, and by every
means in their power tried to win the
only daughter of the house from the
| eli. Il, Al Il. IL
ened her young life. Rose had dropped
like some tender flower; but even flow
ers will stand many rude shock in
! passing storms, and bloom brightly
again In the sunshine afterward. Rose
at last began to get back her color, but
still there were times when she ran away
from the gay presence and light laugh
ter of the happy hearted people who
had no secret woe to carry.
There was screened terrace over
hanging the river which was one of her
favorite walks. She had excused her
self from driving and come here, one
August afternoon, to be alone with her
thoughts. Perhaps, too, she wanted to
get away, from. somebody's pleading
glanees. dl va -le4lsu uirl'sl 1850 !
''Oh, dear" she sighed, 90 / shall have
to make him unhappy, too, and, papa
and mamma both like him so well. But
it is cruel of them-cruel- think l
shall ever marry any one now. "ibi, 80
70 A little locket which She always wore,
but which she had not opened for
months, hung at her throat She put
up her hand and touched it with a
culver of her lips. J,,.,t ~, -,
"And he. never asked me for help
after all, twas the thought in her mind.
~ At the very moment, a lady. all in
black from head to foot, was crossing
the lawn in the direction of the terrace.
Rose saw her, wonderingly.i TWAS no
Ione she knew, yet, some vague memory
| stirred before the stranger spoke.
z" Mrs. France!" she said, announc-
ing herself. ''Miss Sangerford, have
come to you because my husband, in
his last message, requested me to do
| So .,.-i...,,
tas-a.Atsthat name. Rose .started.-.uInstant-
ly her mind went back TO that summer
night year ago, to that scene by the
roadside, when she had looked for an
instant into the bright Southern face of
her fortunate rival, and felt in her heart
that Rodney was not to blame for sue
cumbing tobeaiE like hers But now,
how changed The girlRrealized, even
then, thatfser sorrowwas but passing
regret to, the deep, unquenchable an
guish which this woman bore.
"Sit DOWN. she said, gently, leading
the way to rustic bench. TELL me
what / can do for you?Sb ,~IrT
"You can take my child, keep her,
and never let her know what an unhap-
ply wretch her mother is. "uoJ Is
"Your child! II cried Rose, startled
beyond measure. She began to think
that the other was scarcely responsible
for what she said. g.- ,.fr
''Wait. Read his note to you. 1t is
his will, not mine-oh. not Miner
Rose was half-territied and wholly be-
wildered. Mechanically she took the pa
per, mechanically read the strong APP
peal which Rodney France had written
there that she should take upon herself
the guardianship of his posthumous
child. as.r.r.7 I,eH.5- 9df 73
''But do not understand" she said
"Why did he wish to take it from you?
And it is impossible, utterly impossi-
bler' .dfuGIris
at must be DONE" declared Mignon,
in still, impressive way, r"My hus-
bands last wishes shall be carried out,
shall be! at the cost of telling you lOhy
he considered the mother no fit guardian
for her child. Oh, my husband, my
husband!, 'Ieg,I.yl E4,G1I
There was tempest under all that
marble calm. She locked her transpar-
ent fingers together, in alspasm of tear
less grief which convulsed her whole
form. 'rs.