The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-04-19

with him, and Interested in what Philip |
told him, invited him to return with him
that afternoon 70 his house, spend q
couple of nights with him, and be in
troduced to his wife.
At any other time the prospect would
have been distasteful to Philip, or
rather, his heart, which was warm and
simple, as true mems hearts are, would
have rebelled at the idea of going to
| strange houses, and visiting strange
persons, while he had scarce spoken
half dozen words to his favorite sistef, !
and his father and mother, at home at
Foulhaven. did not even know that he
was again in his native land. But these
circumstances were quite abnormal.
The idea of getting into completely new
scenes and places was tempting one.
He accepted Mr.. Grey's invitation. and
sent to Grace the note which has al
ready been spoken of.
Calliards. Mr.. Grey's place, was
some eight or nine miles ont OF Irkford,
a pleasant spot in the fresh, unpolluted
country, with purple moors and green
woods around it. Mr.. Grey drove there
when business was over, and the drive
through the April evening was pleasant
the air was cool. the sun was setting
with clear beams and casting long
shadows; they bowled swiftly along the
pleasant country roads, and turned in
before 1t was dusk along n limestone
drive with fir plantation on either
side, and up TO large, pleasant, irregu-
lar gray stone house. They entered
through a tiled hall into bright-look-
ing sitting-room, in which lady sat
embroidering, to whom Philip was in
troduced--this was Lady Elizabeth
Grey.
Philips troubles really seemed for
the time to melt into the background as
he stood talking to this han lsome, up
right, unaffected girl, of some one or
two-andtwenty years of age.
my dear" Mr.. Grey had said, "let
me introduce Mr.. Massey, n gentleman
who has been doing great things for us
out in China-Massey. Lady Elizabeth
Grey"
81 must really shake hands with you
if you have been doing great things"
said Lady Elizabeth, pleasantly. HAS
Mr.. Massey come to stay, DickP'
"He can stay a couple OF days, he
says, and dare say he can tell you adj
for he has been in wild part of the
WOtlo 10 buhb VIC NC
are later than ] thought"
ut is the dressing-bell, and by the
way, there are some people coming to
dinner. wonder who l shall give you
to take in to dinner, Mr.. Massey What
sort of young ladies do you likeP"
II shall be sure to like any young
lady you may choose for me, replied
Philip, with sudden flush and sud-
1f ot h:o - hut he
found that this pain was still quite with
in his control. He could bear it with
out any contortions of countenance, and
could smile and talk as II at peace and
CHI arity with all men.
Then he was taken upstairs and left
to dress, which operation he hurried
over as rapidly as possible, dreading
every five minutes alone with himself
and that specter which was ready to
spring out upon him in the first I'M
guarded moment.
Next came dinner, and the pleasant,
sociable evening, during which Philip,
to his great surprise, found himself
quite a lion in small way, and had
enough to do in answering the in
Vulnerable questions put to him by two
very engaging young ladies, who pro-
fessed to take q great interest in China
and all pertaining to it, but whose chief
anxiety appeared to be to learn what
specimens of pottery or other curiosities
he had brought with him from the
Celestial Land.
Il like your Mr.. Massey, Dick, "
said Lady Elizabeth, in a moment
aside with her husband. "He has one
of the best faces l ever saw, as well as
one of the handsomest."
"Yes; I'm glad you like him, but
think his manner is rather odd some-
! times Don't you observe how every
now and then he almost starts, and
looks suddenly around, as fits diff
/, cult to describe the expression. And he
, has been gazing intently at Miss Wood
side for the last two minutes, without
hearing a word she said"
"Oh, yes, l have noticed it. But
didn't you say he had only arrived at
home to-day? And you have dragged
him off here, when dare say he would
much rather be somewhere else, or with
some one else"
, True! never thought of that. II
i is likely enough"
"And yet it is not year since you
would have said it was very hard to be
drag ged OFF somewhere else. when you
might have gone to CleYely Park, " re.
, torted Lady Elizabeth, maliciously.
The evening came to an end very
! soon, as it seemed to Philip, and when
the party had dispersed, and the others
retired, he was naturally obliged to dc
/, the same, though he fingered as long as
. he could, accepted his hosts invitation
I to come and have cigar in the smok.
ing-room, and so on, so that it was pas,
, midnight when he at last found himself