The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-10-27

slight, delicate, refined-looking girl,
with pale face, dark hair, and dark,
pleading eyes; girl with look of
WEAKNESS and langucr about her, which,
as yet. was not much more than what
is called interesting" for she was
young, and loneliness and toll had
not yet made her haggard and un-
lovely.
Good evening" pursued Margaret.
al have not seen you once to-day"
"No. Mrs. Pierce begged me to
keep the girls out of her way, so we
have been in the school-room all day.
Now they are dressing themselves, and
| Just came to congratulate you, Miss
harrington, and to wish you many
happy returns of the day."
''Thank your said Margaret, du-
biously. "Wont you come IN and sit
down a moment-if you can leave those
precious infants to their own devices,
that tsp"
"Oh, yes. Nurse is helping them.
They told me what beautiful presents
you have had the account of them
makes me almost ashamed to offer
mine, it is such poor little thing. But
/ thought | heard you say once that
you liked this kind of thing" She held
out small embroidered silk bag,
worked in a dainty, old-fashioned style
NOT worth much, as regarded ma
terials, but on the manufacture of
which both time and trouble had been
bestowed.
"How very kind of your cried Mar
garet, sincerely touched by this proof
of attention and good will. At is Just
the thing | like; it is really very good
of YOU" she repeated, as She took Miss
Percival's hand within her own, and
looked at her with her bright, frank eyes.
If any one had asked Margaret wheth-
er she knew Miss Percval, she would
have replied; Certainly, l know her
wellr' because for two years she had
lived in the same house with her, and
because it was rarely that day passed
on which she did not see and speak to
her. But, as q matter of fact, she did
not know her, and, without intending
or perpetrating any unkindness, had
taken very little notice of her. SO little
did she know her that it had never
even occurred to her that she might be
an object of greater interest to Miss
Percival than Miss Percival was to her.
(Which, indeed, was the case: Marion
Perciyal, for many reasons, took deep
interest in Margaret Barrington.) A
fresh idea, q new interest came with re-
freshing brightness to Margaret; and it
Just happened that Miss Percival came
with her present of work-bag at a
moment when the person for whom that
work-bag was intended was in the hui
70 10 Of ivn
The present and the good wishes of this
hitherto unnoticed young person came
upon her as a surprise-struck her as
being distinctly noble and disinterested
amidst so much which she felt obliged
to regard with feelings of doubtful
gratitude. A tide of new feelings rushed
over her mind. She wondered, as she
looked into Miss Percivals face. what
sort of place she found the world
whether it wagged agreeably for her;
what was her private and genuine opin-
ion of her pupils, her employers
Margaret Darlington herself, for exam
pie. With Margaret, to form such spec
ulations was generally to give utterance
to them, and she said:
"Miss Percival, you are going to be
at my ball tonight, are you notH
YES said Marion, unenthusiastic-
ally.
You don't look pleased. Don't you
like dancing?'
"Oh, very much; when 1 have any
one to dance with"
"What do you mean? You will find
plenty of partners-or, rather, they will
find you. Why''-she looked her over
with quick scrutinizing glances-'yo
are far prettier than most of the girls
| who will be here tonight; and you are
n lady, which most of the Irkford swell
esses are not.
Miss Percival looked little scandal
lied at the expression Borrowed from
Tom), "Irkford swellesses," but
pleased, all the same, at being told, by
a beauty and a country heiress, that she
was pretty and lady, and she said,
smiling with kind of chastened hope
fulness."
"Well, perhaps l shall be more lucky
tonight. But have been present at
Mrs. Pierce's balls before, and l did not
have many partners.
81 will take care that you dance to-
night" said Margaret, rather too Gag
erly, perhaps.
Il should like to dance tonight"
said Miss Percival, ingenuously, for
have got new dress which Mrs. Pierce
gave me-such pretty one. But she
would not like me to dance too much,
especially if any of her guests were sit
ting out"
"Nonsense! Some girls will always
be wall-howers. Men won't ask them
to dance to oblige anybody. But you
are not that kind of girl, and why
should you be left with them?"
UOh IL dOpSn't mattar - said Mis-