The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-02-09
And Just at. dusk they


reach Altoona anti supper
just here. the conductor, who. after
the first grufness, has manifested a
tiattering interest in Kitty, comes to
her with the intelligence that as GER
tain of the passengers are to leave at
this station she can have a lower berth,
since she persists in giving up her own
number to the lady with the sick baby.
This is gratifying to our little lady, who
has secretly dreaded second night up
aloft. But conductors propose and fate
disposes
An Erie train leaves the station just
as their train enters; and through some
confusion of signals q number of the
Erie passengers let their train depart
unnoticed, and are forced to seek ref
uge on board the sleeper which carries
our two friends. There are six or eight
persons in the group, and their annoy.
ing mishap excites much commiseration
among the passengers. Numerous tel
egrams are sent on to Philadelphia to
quiet the anxiety of friends on the train
ahead Berths are kindly offered them;
and by the time the train is fairly under
way they arc completely at home and
rs comfortable as their Impotence will
admit.
On, on they rush through the dark.
ness OF the stormy night. The porter
goes his rounds, the berths are quietly
arranged, and one by one the sleepy
passengers disappear behind the friend
ly curtains. Kitty, who is not bit
sleepy, and is in deep converse with a
Boston artistic who has numerous novel
and esthetic views to unfold, retires
with her companion to the rear seat
and talks art with the pretty enthusiasm
of an amateur who paints plaques and
works South Kensington. 1t is ten o clock
before the conference ends; and unsus-
pecting Katherine makes her way down
the aisle between the flu.tering green
curtains to section j., the number that
the conductor has promised her early
in the evening. Warned by past mis-
takes she carefully searches for the
proper number; and. having found it,
parts the curtains carefully and deliber-
ately to see-what? q pair of laughing,
dark eyes; hand thrust forth to seize
the parted curtains; the flash of ia
maliar diamond ring! and in confusion
and terror Kitty Warner retreats hasti-
ly to confer with the porter, and tc
bride that worthy into making a full
explanation of the cause of her blundel
to the disturbed dreamer in section 4.
An upper berth is found for her pres
emily and heavenward she mounts, hel
blue eyes suffused with tears. and hel
cheeks burning with shame at the
thought of her last and most disgrace
full encounter with this man, who ha!
been the bugbear of her whole Journey
Il hate him! do!' she exclaims
passionately. "If | had to ride on this
horrid train another day should die'
And poor Kitty cried softly as she sud
denly remembers that her hand-ba!
hangs on the hook of section 4, ant
that Edgar's letter and all her posses
sions are in it.
81 don't suppose he'll be ungentle
manly enough to open it, though" sh
thinks, with a flash of honesty, as sh
remembers that he has not yet justified
James suspicious in every respect
Still. it is very anxious head that lay
itself upon Kitty's pillow that night
However, she finally falls into
troubled sleep that lasts until the porte
makes his morning rounds and warn
the passengers of their rapid approach
to Jersey City.
"Why. Kitty, darling! Welcom
homer exclaims familiar voice as tn
train runs into the station at last AM
the little girl in blue leaves the car il
which she has spent some of the mos
unhappy hours of her life to receive he
brothers. cordial and somewhat bearisl
greeting.
"Here, let me take your traps-why
Haselden, my dear boy! You, toe
|, Brutus!" and Edgar turns in surpris
to greet Kitty's bugbear, the I'D. H.,
who has unwittingly been the mean
, of spelling her pleasure ever since sh
/, babe goodbye to Jane and John i
, Chicago.
, A few words of explanation, a hur
ried and rather embarrassed introduC
ton, and the friends seek different fei
; ries; but not until blind, boisterous
! good-natured Edgar has made his fricn
. promise to dine with them ut the Wind
, sor that evening
! AS an ordinary thing Miss Kilt
/ rather enjoys counting her brother
: sympathy when in trouble. But TO
some unaccountable reason she refrain
; from confiding to him the mishaps {
> her Journey. And very family an
! feebly she echoes his regrets that sh
, did not know Haselden before leavin
Chicago. But Edgar's attention is 500
! diverted; and he is utterly unaware {
the constraint in his sisters manne
r and voice as she greets his friend whe
' he appears with commendable prompt
ness that evening.
S "Perhaps l ,0as rude" Dwight Hase
r den confosses, ingeniously, as he an
t Kitty stand by the window of privat
4 parlor of the Windsor. in the dusk of
r November evening, and indulge in .
.o,nsad x,at fanbar ratrnSpactinp .sRi