The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-02-16
MADE OR MARRIED.
BY JESSIE FOTHERGILL,
Author of zone of Three" prob ation." "T'he
WeUfelds," Etc,
. CHAPTER /.

LAWEkNtE STREET..
In the northwest of England there is
a certain great city, which, to serve my
purpose, | may call Irkford. Though
far from being second London, it has
a cosmopolitan character, which some
how sets it apart from other provincial
towns and cities. 1t is pre-eminently a
great manufacturing center, but its
numerous other branches of commerce
have drawn to it merchants of almost
every kind, and of all nations; and
'Jews, Turks, Infidels and Hcretics,"
taking the words in their broadcast
sense, may be daily encountered, either
in the streets of the city itself, or in any
of its large and numerous suburbs.
Greeks also, French, and great album
dance of Germans-it would be difficult
to find the nationality which had not
contributed at least few specimens to
the population of this great, dingy
city. Naturally, in SO large center of
wealth and commerce, all sorts and
conditions of men flourish, or the re-
verse, according to their circumstances
or capacities; from the merchant prince,
with his house like palace, down
through every grade of smaller capital
list. assistant, clerk, employe, till we
come to factory hands, artisans,
''rogues and vagabonds," miscellaneous
trades and professions, good, bad and
indifferent-in the great city there is
place for some of all, and they are all
to be found there; high and low jogging
elbows pretty often in the crowded
streets; but-and this is one of the
great characteristics of the Irkford
people-one and all, from the merchant
prince at the top of the ladder to the
beggar at the bottom, so busy that it
seems as if a hundred years would
scarce suffice in which for them to ac-
complish their purposes; too busy to
notice when they knock up against one
another in the street; too busy, it al
most seems, to pause and speak to q
friend whom they may meet; for if you
will take the trouble, and be so frivol.
ously careless of your time as to watch
the meeting of two acquaintance il
Irkford, you will generally find thai
they dash against each other, recognize
each other with kind of shock; begir
to talk very rapidly, both at once, eacf
gradually edging away from the other
until at last the slightly-clasped fingers
slowly separate; one mans finger-til
touches the tlnger-tip of the other man
and with a short nod, they may b,
heard severally muttering "Morningr
in an absent manner, after which an
one can see them tearing up and dow
. the throughout streets, with almos
impossible haste, as if grudging tina
meager parley of minute and a half
lust concluded. Such things as thes
take place during the hours of toil-th
business hours. After the factor,
hands have ceased to work, when tn
warehouses and offices are closed, ant
the city streets were somewhat les
crowded, then, it would seem, Irkford
Young and old, rich and poor, has som
leisure to devote to amusement, relaXa
ton, rest, of one kind or another.
1t is a town surrounded on all side
by suburbs. There are certain region
built over with handsome houses, stand
inc back from the read, where none bu
the rich Or very well-to-do live. Their
is the second-class kind of suburb, tn
inhabitants of which may be comfort
ably off, but whom no one would accus
of having a superiluity of wealth. Ther
are vet others, to walk or drive throug
which oives one sense of melanchol
so endless are their long uniforr
streets, so exactly alike the intermins
BILE rows of small houses; so porten
ously similar the organ-grinder and tn
man with the street-piano; the bin
beggar with the dog the very poe
but scrupulously honest mendican'
who perambulate them, singing som
of their mournful hymns, or yet MOI
lugubrious comic songs. There are
many of these streets; they are SO Ions
so monotonous, so dinghy hot in sun
mer, so hopelessly bleak and gray
winter; every little house in every Ion