The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-03-24
misunderstood.

Tap, tap, tap, at Bertha's bedroom
uoor N|t #.'. .t.. ..I
"Ten O clock, my dear" said her
mother S voice, ''time you were in bed
il you want to keep your roses"
An angry scowl disfigured Bertha's
pretty face, and the tone in which she
81, called out: Very WELL" was decidedly
~ cross. EFH FL
.One would think was old enough
TO use my own Judgment about going to
bed" she grumbled casting lingering
look on the open pages Of her diary, as
she slowly wiped her pen, and put the
cover on her ink-bo
She had felt just in the mood for
writing 1t was too bad to stop just as
she was we'll ''wound up she thought
Misunderstood! Is there sadder
word in the vocabulary of the English
languagep All, in many a young and
sensitive heart it has rung the death
knell of all happiness.
That is beautifully turned as
Aunt Hattie would say" she muir
INJURED, and she cont nued to read aloud,
holding he pen in one hand, the wiper
in the Others 7HN1a
's ""With each day am drawing near
er to the tomb. The icy touch of an
invisible hand is on my brow. All.
whenI am lying cold and dead, my
frail hands clasped over my pulse'ess
heart, regret will be vain. No prayers
can call me back In my silent grave
out under the cold blue sky. the wind
will chant wild requiems over nee, whis-
pering that this checkered life is over,
and after life's fitful fever -
1t was just here that Bertha's mother
had interrupted her: And now, with a
sigh Bertha closed the book, uudressed
herself as quickly as possible, and
sprang into bed, her mind full OF her
talent as a writer. H<t &aas
Though profoundly impressed with
the idea that she was not long for this
world, Bertha was the very picture of
health, fact which distressed her con-
siderably Willingly would she have
seen reflected in the glass hollow
c ed. pale checked, ethereal looking be-
ing. whose dismal cough and langud
step would move the hardest heart to
pity. But her cheeks were proyo,ingly
round and red, and her eyes as bright
as stars. And though she occasionally
essayed cough, it was but wretched
travesty on the real thing. Her broth
Ger and sisters laughed at her prophe-
-cies of early death and there was no
one to whom she co Id go Tor sympa-
thy. Only to her diary--the parting
gift of her Aunt Hattie-could she pour
out her thoughts, and the elegant blue
and gold-bound book was made the re-
postory of great deal of nonsense and
false sentiment.
Bertha had spent the past three years
away from home, under the care of an
aunt who had INDUCED her to the last
degree, and permitted her to do very
much as she pleased in ever, thing Doc
tor and Mrs. Sumnerregretted now that
they had ever allowed Bertha to leave
them, for they saw very p ainly that in
spite of the advantages she had re-
= celved in the wayof music and the Ian
guages, her long visit had been a mis-
take. She rebelled against the whole
some discipline of her fathers house.
thought herself greatly abused when
called upon to perform household du-
ties. and a dozen times day openly re-
GREETED that she had let her aunt. W
'You don love me as Aunt Hattie
docs" she would say when given the
dust M brush or directed to set the din
ner.table,g "Aunt Hattie tired to make
me happy
a shall give Bertha lecture" said
Doctor sumner, overhearing a remark
of this kind one day. "She shall not
make the whole house uncomfortable
by her nonsense"
mo, no, don't speak to her about it."
pleaded the mother. Il am sure she
VIII outgrow her foolish notions if we
only have a little patience. Let me
manage her."
Very kind and gentle was the moth
ers management; but very firm. She
insisted on a regular routine on the
5 stematic per ormance OF household
duties, and aimed by keeping Bertha
hands pro tably busy to eep her mind
from dwelling on the sentimental and
romantic ideas size had Cleaned from
the many novels her aunt had permitte
her to read, But the improvement In
the eldest daughter of the house wa
very slow. She could not in three