The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-12-22

''To whom, man or wife?" asked the
squire.
"Both."
"'rhere may be something vulgar in
the phrase" said Mr.. Lascelles, with a
tolerantly good-natured laugh. "As
for there being anything vulgar in the
thing. let me refer you to the head of
my own table, Ell, Bessie?" He looked
atfectionately toward his wife, and
added: You talk high-fown bosh,
Louis. If my wife there had not had a
silver, do you suppose l should have
cared for her one jot the less? Why,
! Heaven bless her! she could have
wound me round her little finger, what
| ever she had been. And seeing that
. she had decent income of her own,
would you have me tear my own heart
and hers to pieces, because | couldn't
! rise beyond her money!"
my dear, you do speak so strongly"
she expostulated, smiling.
That's different case" said Louis.
"I know Mrs. Lascelles had fortune.
but you had one still larger. Provided
my wife's money were not more than
my own"
(" Pooh! AS if you could lay down
! hard and fast rules for any such case.
Suppose yourself in love with woman,
and good woman. You find she has
three times as much money as you have.
What then?"
6 should be very sorry" said Louis,
deliberately, but should feel obliged
to put on my hat, and wish her good
morning. Such marriages are too I'M
/ equal. Besides, man is wrong to lay
himself open TO even the possibility of
being considered an adventurer.
/" Adventurer! What you mean is,
that your wife might sometimes expect
to have a say of her own in things, and
whenever that happened you would feel
! as if you were playing second fiddle,
and you couldn't endure it. Bosh, my
dear boy! As l said before, it's all
bosh."
~ believe / admitted that it was n
crotchet. We are all liable to crotch
cts, and very much at the mercy of our
subjective sensations"
"Subiective sensations be hanged! 1t
depends on warmth of heart. Isay, if
your love for woman can't rise superb
or to her money, why good radiance
for her, that's allr'
] DdliWiH ulclcl) lullSllcu a lliJle. III
is evident we do not agree said he.
That afternoon Margaret, sitting
apart, vaguely heard Louis and Rupert
talking, without knowing what they said
or meant.
John Malabarr would never hold
!. such a cold, horrible creed" she said
to herself. .'Why do | submit to these
humiliationsp Why do l not snake my
self free of this inflammation, for / am
sure it is an hallucinationp Such things
do not betray generous mind. Oh,
no. And yet, whenever be looks at me,
orspeaks to me, forget all that. Am
| obliged to choose the bestp Why can
not always bear in mind that he adj
mits nc one to his heart and confidence
as comrade and equal? 1t is dreadful!
| will shake off this enchantment and
tell all to Mrs. Lascelles. She will be
kind. / can trust her. As for the rest,
/ must try to face it.. 1t will be dread
full wrench if it does not turn out as
as-well, it does not matter 1t must
be DONE"
Thus she sat medtating for long
time until Baldwin's voice startled her.
He was seated beside her, and said:
"Will you promise me to 90 out to-
morrow. no matter what the weather
may beP You have been keeping in
doors too much, and it is telling upon
you. When | say, 90 out, rAean that
you must take walk. You want some
exercise and fresh air."
"I-yes, oh yes! l will 90 out to-
morrow, some time" she answered,
looking at him with startled express
sion. Louis must have seen the hollow
in her face-her pale cheeks and her
eyes which looked unnaturally large
and dark and melancholy. No doubt
he saw them--whether he put down the
cause OF the change entirely to her
close attention upon Rupert, and con-
finement to the house, it is impossible
to say. 81 at 81 IN
II have been talking to Rupert" he
went on. II have told him that even
from selfish point of view, his best
policy is to release you from him now
and then, for that if he doesn't we shall
have you laid up, and you will have to
go away for change How would you
like that?'
Margaret gazed at him almost
breathlessly II am right" she
thought. HE knows or guesses some.
thing Aloud she said, hastily: "Not
at ALL, and Louis, with a slow look,
and a half smile, left her.
CHAPTER XIII.
MISS PERCIyAL's EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD
On the breakfast table, on the follow.
ing morning, Margaret found letter
for herself; and when she looked at the