The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-11-15
CALLED BACK.
a Wen-Told Story Of Continuous
and Absorbing Interest.
BY HUGH CONWAY,
CHAPTER I.
IN DARKNESS AND IN DANGER.

have reason for writing this tale,
or it would not become public property.
Once, in a moment of confidence, l
made friend acquainted with some
curious circumstances connected with
one period of my life. i believe l asked
him to hold his tongue about them-he
says not. Any way, he told another
friend, with embellishments L suspect;
this friend told another, and so on and
on. What the tale grew to at last l
shall probably never learn; but since l
was weak enough to trust my private
affairs to another / have been looked
upon by my neighbors as a man with
history-one who has a romance hidden
away beneath an outwardly prosaic
life.
For myself should not trouble about
this. | should laugh at the garbled
versions of my story set floating about
by my own ind!scretion. 1t would mat
ter little to me that one good friend
has an idea that l was once Commu-
mist and a member of the inner circle of
a secret society--that another has heard
that l have been tried on capital
charge that another knows / was ut
one time a Roman Catholic, on whose
behalf special miracle was performed.
If were alone in the world and young,
dare say should take no steps to still
these idle rumors. Indeed, very young,
men feel battered by being made objects
of curiosity and speculation.
But am not very young, nor am l
alone, There is one who is dearer to
me than life itself. One from whose
heart, l am glad to say, every shadow
left by the past is rapidly fading one
who only wishes to live her true sweet
life without mystery or concealment-
wishes to be thought neither better nor
worse than she really is. 1t is she who
shrinks from the strange and absurd
reports that are flying about as to oul
antecedents-s she who is veXed by those
leading questions sometimes asked by
inquisitive friends; and it is for hel
sake that L look up old journals, cal
back old memories of Joy and grief, anc
tell every one who cares to read all he
can possibly wish to know, and, it may
be, more than he has right to know
of our lives. This done, my lips ar,
sealed forever on the subject. My tale
is here let the inqusitive take hi
answer from il, not from me.
Perhaps, after all. / write this foI
my own sake as well. / also hat'
mysteries. One mystery which l have
never been able to determine may have
given me dislike to everything which
will not admit of an easy explanation
To begin, | must go back more year
than l care to enumerate; although
could, if necessary, fix the day and tn,
year. was young, just past twenty
five. Twas rich, having when l CAM
of age succeeded to an income of abou
two thousand year; an incom
which, being drawn from the funds,
was able to enjoy without responsible
ties or anxiety as to its stability an,
endurance. Although since my TWEEN
ty-irst birthday l had been my ow
master. had no extravagant follies +
weigh me down. no debts to hampe
me. l was without bodily ache O
pain; yet | turned again and again o
my pillow and said that my life for tn
future would be little more than ours
to me.
Had death Just robbed me of on
who was dear to mep No; the onl
ones l had ever loved, my father an
my mother, had died years ago. WeI
my rawlings those peculiar to an III
happy lover? No; my eyes had not "
looked with passion into woman
eyes-and now would never do 81
Neither death NOR love made my l.
seem the most miserable in the worl'
was young, rich, free as the win
to follow my own devices. l couI