The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-02-17

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the mother, smiling; "but surely so
fright and intelligent girl as yourself
ought to be able to find out who needs
yom help and encouragement without
NV assistance
TWAS now inst about the hour for the
mornings mail to come in, and within
ten minutes of the time when this
seriors conversation took place, Miss
Theodore and her If end Bessie Lee
were on their way to the post-ofiice.
What hurrying and skurrying there
wasl what laughing and sho ting!
How did the deaf old clerk in the
| post-office ever manage TO take charge
of such dainty missivesP There were
big valentines and little valentines. val
entines with coarse figures accompanied
by bad poetry, and valentines that were
marvels of art. There were hearts, and
darts, and Cupids. and roses, and pan
sizes. and everything that goes to make
| the valentine a wonder and delight.
No one had a large supply than
Theodore and Bessie, and arm in arm
| they walked down the street displaying
| their treasures, and demanding every
body's sympathy, from the old doctor,
| on bis way to treat critical case. to
Pussie Evans, the minister's little girl,
| who WIS forbidden to leave the door
step, and had TO wait for somebody to
| bring her valentines to her.
Not one OF the merry party noticed
| Electa Eliza. Yet there she was, and
without the baby-a fact so remarkable
| that it might well have attracted atten-
ton had there heen a person in the
world to give the poor child a thought
| But Electa Eliza had special inter-
est in this Valentines Day. Not that
she e pc ted valentine; such thing
would have been too absurd. Still. her
interest in those wonderful missives at
the post-officc was quite suflicientto in
duce her to give up fully one-haH other
dinner to a friend who agreed to mind
i the baby for an hour Then with her
little crut h she mounted the hill to the
| post-cffice. waiting quietly about until
Miss Theodora received the gay envel-
opes addressed to her. ,.A;t.
Now when this young lady reached
home she found among the great bundle
handed her by the old clerk a large web
low envelope on which her name was
written in q print-lille hand. EsosoAg
with rather a scornful expression don
\ her pretty face Theodore opened it, and
Hound a rude drawing of two babies
looking smilingly at each other-at
least It had been intended that they
should be looking smilingly at each
other-one with very round eyes, nose
and mouth, and plain dotted slip; the
other with 4indistinct features, but a
most elaborately embroidered dress,
over which foated an immense sash.
Underneath the picture was this
verse:
"You are such pretty girl
With your lovely hair and curl E
With your lovely eyes of blue
l. How wish that was you"
And underneath the verse was the fol.
lowing letter:
DEAR YoUSG LADY-I am poor
little girl and Nm lame too because
of dreadful fall 1 got once and broke
something in my knee. May be you
Il your house on the church steps with baby.
4 Hese awful heavy but hese good but cant go
to school cause have to mind him and he
wants to be unused ever so mutch but hese
very good and love pictures and books and
now Alonzo that's my baby's name is begin
be so glad. named him out Of story Tread
once and thort may he You had some pick
lures and books you dident want no more and
You might give them to me. l wrote tn is
potry and had to say pretty girl cause lady
woodent go with curl and Idrawed the babies
coodent make his face right cause / never
seen him close, but think his dress is right my
mother washes dresses like them sometimes
did it when Alonzo was aisle p he don't sleep
mulch days hese very lively baby but hese
good. If you will let me have s some of your
old picktures and books | will thank you ever
so much and so will Alonzo when hese big
onuf cause he rely is a very good baby. Your
baby's nurse told me your name and she says
your baby is sugar plum from Heaven.
SELEorA ELIZA GooGENs."
"What a queer valentinen said The
odora, laughing, as she finished read
ing it;
"What a nice ouer' said her mother.
Far above half of those all lace and
nonsense that you have received to-day.
And, Dora, those babies are drawn bet
ter than you could have drawn them"
EYES," said Theodore, frankly, "they
are" ....... ~.
$50 it appears this poor child has
more artistic talent than you"
| " And the verse is but little worse
than might have done myself. I'll
save you the trouble of saying that,
mother" sa d the daughter, merrily
land so she may stand Just as good g
chance of becoming writer or an art
list as | do, she being so much younger.
. Poor little thing! I've seen her sitting
on the church steps, with the baby thai
is so good, many time, but | am
/ ashamed to say never gave her sec.
ond thought"
"And yet, my DEAR" said Mrs
: Judson, "there was your mission right
J before your eyes waiting for you to take
T it up. Help this poor child to the learn
ing for which it is evident she longs tt
| reach. Give her and Alonzo some
happy hours. And who knowsP-yor
may at the same time be helping the
2 world to a noble woman and a noble
, man, and what greater work than tina