The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-03-31
BARRY.

Miss Abigail Burr was little brown
old maid, who lived in little brown old
house with her cat, Dolby, and her
woman oi-all- work, Prudence, sharp OF
tongue, long of visage, browner and
older than the mistress herself. There
was nothing of grace, nor beauty, nor
sweetness. about Miss AbigaiPs life;
everything was dry, and hard, and
husky. Indeed, SOME people were so
uncharitabe as to say that her heart
was like very much dried-up kernel in
a nutshell, and would rattle if she were
to be shaken hard enough. But l
never quite believed that | always
said there was a soft spot in Miss
Abigail heart, to be found when the
time came to find it.
One spring twilight boy opened
Miss Abigairs garden gate and walked
up the path between the rows OF stray
Cling lilacs. He was not q boy who
lived about Caperstown or he would not
have dared venture, | am sure, for
Prudence's sake, besides having Moth
ing TO venture for. He was an I'M
kempt, starved-looking little specimen
of humanity. His coat was world too
long and patched at the elbows; and
his trousers were world too short and
patched at the knees. His hat was
guiltless of brim, and through hole in
the crown bobbed little tuft of hair
which had once been brown, but was
now wofully faded. He went straight
up to Miss Abigairs porch steps. Miss
Abigail was sitting on the porch in her
high backed rocking-c chair so intent on
binding off her stocking heel that she
heard neither the click OF the gate-latch
nor the footsteps on the hardtrodden
path. and she did not look up until
the boys figure interposed itself be-
tween her work and the fading sunset
light
He dotted his tattered hat-crown.
If you please, ma am, will you-may
have something to eat?"
1t was not at all tramp's manner of
asking: there was a manliness in the
voice which Miss Abigail could not help
but notice. Perhaps that was the reason
she looked at the boy sharply for a
moment before she answered. In that
moment, Prudence, tall and angular,
stood in the door, with shawl thrown
over her head, and her right hand
swathed with soft cotton.
I'm have to git Jonas Barrow s man
to do the milkin'," sa d she. Il can t.
I've b rned my hand that bad"
The boy looked up quickly. "Can't
leo Id / milk for you?"
AS l have intimated, Prudence die
not like boys; and that she sometimes
expressed her dislike in very forciblt
manner many of the village urchin;
could testify. Now, she surveyed thi!
boy. standing by the porch steps, from
his bare brown feet to his brown head
not forgetting the faded little tuft, in
dumb astonishment
You might let him try, Prudence
said Miss Abigail, thinking rather dubi
ously of the nervous, mouse-colored AL
derney in the yard,
81 chored on farm all last summer
explained the boy, eagerly, gancins
from mistress to maid. 81 want some
supper, and I'll be glad to do something
to pay for it."
"Well, you kin try it." said Pru
dence, after momentary deliberation
It's better n begging favor, anyhow.
She led the way TO the kitchen, anC
took shining tin pail from the dresser
Here's the milk-pail," she said t.
the boy, who stood waiting; IAN thu
cows in the yard Wonder. Pay-da,
comes when the works done"
And Prudence smiled grimly as sh,
went about setting out a lunch OF breat
and butter and cold meat She fel
morally certain that the Eighty Alderne.
hefer, used only to woman-kind, woul'
be much more likely to spread pair o
bovine wings and fly away than ALLOW
herself to be MIXED by boy.
tie can't do it," she said to Mis-
Abigail, who presently brought he
knitting work in the kitchen. 9Th
hefer'l II send him sky-high."
But he could and he did. Soon h
appeared in the doorway, his pail 5rim
ming with snowy foam.
..Well. never" calculated Prudence
"You didn't think ,could?" said tn,
boy. smiling brightly.
mo, l didn't admitted Prudence
and straightway, in her establishment
,she added to his fare segment OF rhu
barb pie.