The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-04-18

too, his success was very great. He
married beautiful, stylish woman,
who fully shared his antipathy to the
Days, and who never lost an oppor-
tunity of Notifying them; and social
Sights are bitter enough to those whose
whole life turns upon social success.
In fact Mr.. and Mrs. Jonas Terry. with
their grand house and exclusive enter
tainments, and fine turnout, were the
Mordecai sitting in the gate of all
Charles and Josie's happiness.
Many time the two mad gone TO-
gether over everything in the room,
taken every book from the shelves, and
examined every creyice in the cases, but
all in vain. The l. o. U. was evil
IDENTIFY lost, and Charles said, after
every fresh search and disappointment:
mo use, Josie; l tell you everything
goes against honor and virtue. If you
want to be pointed out as a pattern OF
all excellencies you must be in secret a
natural and practical villain"
So the years went by fifteen of them.
The l. 0. U. was not forgotten They
lived in a society where people have lit
tie else to do but remember the antece-
dents of its members, and Charles Day
and hts wife very often felt the infu-
ence of Jonas accusation. The two
men never spoke. If they passed each
other on the drive, Jonas cracked his
whip Extensively, or Mrs. Terry looked
scornfully at the shrinking couple, but
they had long ago said all to each other
that it was possible to say.
In the fifteenth summer after the
loan Charles went yachting, and on
one memorable night was shipwrecked.
Almost by miracle, and after he had
sunk thrice, he was rescued The first
words he uttered to his wife were.
"Josie | have found the /. o. U. Write
down just what / say: Shakespeare,
knights Edition, vol. iv., page 213,
fourth compartment, fourth shelf, fourth
book"
Josie wrote it down; but he was SC
restless lest anything should now hap
pen 10 the library that he returned to
New York as soon as there was the
least safety in doing so. When he ar
rived at home he went straight to the
library, and putting his hand on GER
tain volume, opened it at the page he
had indicated, and there was the lost
l. o. U.
"When was drowning, Josie, the
last time sunk, everything | ever did
became in moments flash clear as
day to me, and | saw myself putting
the note in the place found it. 1t is
wonderful But it is true, and Josie
dear, thank God! my name will be
cleared at last.
The clearing of his name was
CHARLES first thought, but after it came
the very satisfactory one of making
Jonas pay the principal and interest
due him. "And after that is done,
Josie, / shall sue him for defamation
of character, and make him pay for
every insolence."
This was no idle threat The next
morning Charles lawyer confronted the
false-hearted scoundrel with his l. O.
u. and entered proceedings at once to
recover. Jonas at first tried to compro-
mise, but this offer Charles Indignantly
rejected. II want the word to see, "
he said, that though punishment for a
cowardly, wicked deed be long delayed,
it is sure to come"
And perhaps the social and CONNER
cial world in which these two men
moved never had more vivid illustra-
ton of this truth. The business that had
been built upon fraud and a wrong
crumbled away as if touched by some
, whitening blight The court awarded
Charles Day principal and full interest,
, and subsequent action for defamation
gave him, in PREPARATION for his fifteen
, years slandered name. fifty thousand
dollars.
, But by that time the firm of Jonas
Terry was unable to meet such claim.
He shut his doors in dshonor, and fled
, in the darkness of night from the thou
t sands whom he had robbed.
at is great punishment" said
Josie, sorrowfully; "and he has four lit
tie boys"
at was great crime, Josie; and the
wrong to my purse was the least par
: of the wrong"
I But Mrs. Terry, sitting in hel
, wrecked home, took different view o
the case. "Charles Day is entirely t.
! blame" she said. "His weakness anC
his laziness threw the temptation il
Jonas way. 1t is the weak men tina
, make the wicked ones. Harper
Weekly.
Noualf;ae IN .Iareaue