The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-10-27
CHAPTER II.
MISS PERCIvAL's PROSPECTS,.

Pierce, wandered off to her own room,
and sat down in chair near her bed.
She cast her eyes around the room,
which was curiously untidy.
What a place!' she muttered. at
looks as if my trousseau were being got
ready for this horrible wedding that
they are always wanting to din into my
ears. 1t is enough to disgust any one
with the very idea of being married.
Coming of age, and such fuss made
| about it! Preposterous'
For the room was strewed around
with the presents which, on the princi-
pie of "To him that hath shall be
given" had been showered upon the
young heiress on this, the dav of her
majority. Jewel-cases, and fan-boxes,
and scent bottle-boxes, and gorgeous
nondescript triiles in sweetly smelling
| Russia leather, such as are supposed to
be dear to the souls of Young ladies,
were scattered here and there, while on
the bed lay fairy-like, diaphanous
thing-her dress for the dance that
night.
She felt a sudden sense of loneliness
and desolation as she gaZed round upon
all these things; as she felt how rich
she was-and how poor; as she realized,
with keen and shifting sense of self
reproach, that all her life she had been
thought for, acted for, held in leading
trings-had never lifted hand to keeps
any one, never dried tear, never
soothed a grief. That if she followed
the advice of her friends" as Laura had
| Just said, she would hasten to rid her.
self of her responsibility as soon as pos
sible, by putting herself, body and soul,
and her possessions, into the hands of
some man who, it appeared, was to
confer an inestimable benefit upon her
by taking possession of herself
and her money, and doing as he
pleased with both the one and the other.
Such thinly disguised under some pretty
words, was the creed that Laura held;
such was the whole tendency of the
upbringing Margaret Darlington had
received. 1t seemed it had not been
quite strong enough dose, or else her
nature was very rebellious one that
the usual doses of that kind had failed
to have due effect, for, as she sat here,
alone, she thought:
Il wonderland 1 must know, too
if what they say is all true. Is it really
so hard for woman who is rich and
good-looking, to get on without pro-
tector? Should / really be certain to
do something weak or absurd? In that
case it was very odd that poor papa
should have left no restrictions as to the
use L was to make of my money. Sure
ly he. if any one, should have left Or
ders as to how it was to be disposed of.
| feel that there has never been any
thing real about my life. l don't want
to do anything bad, but am quite de-
termined that | will sow my wild oats
in my own way, in spite of Laura and
Robert, and Maurice Biddulph, and all
of them. Not in smoking and drink
ing, of course, because that would give
me no pleasure, but in learning little
about real Hte!"
She paused on this phrase, thinking
it over and bordering upon its mystery,
conscious that all the different branches
of learning (condensed) which she had
spent so much time in acquiring had
taught her nothing of it.
"All my Cambridge certificates, my
honors and my prizes, have not taught
me, at one-and-twenty, to know how to
do the good i should like to do-how to
avoid the evil which l know exists.
And when ask people to tell me what
are the best safeguards they shrek out:
oh, hush! How can you mention such
things? At your age, and in your
position, you should not even know of
the existence of anything so shocking.
1t is a curious code. All these presents,
now-I wonder how many are genuine
affections offering. AS if | wanted
the poor children to deprive themselves
of their weekly siXpences in order to
give me a present! Toms is genuine,
thought know it is because it's so
shabby. He had great intentions, but
a knife with ninety blades drew seven
and sixpence out of his pocket as a
magnet draws needle. Poor Tom!
And then he had only half crown
left, to buy me pair of gloves-and
such pair of gloves!''
She held them up-a mile too large
and of a brilliant orange hue, and her
smile was not altogether free from tear
fulness.
''He thought they would match well
with my hair! Wen, to please, him,
would boldly go into the country rose
show next week with them ON. !
couldn't do more than that, and"
A knock at the door caused her to
drop the gloves, and cry: Come inr'
and, when she perceived who entered,
to add; 'Miss Percivalp'