The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-08-08
THE RIVAL PICNICS.
How an Accident Settled OPPOSE
ton and Led TO a Wedding.
THURSDAY, july 4TH.
GLORIOUSl ANNIVERSARY OF INDIE
TENDANCE.


GLORIOUSl ANNIVERSARY OF INDIE
TENDANCE.
The Methodist Congregation of! lliddIebHg
will hOldla First Class picnic at Clapp's hill.
Brass band. ice cream. poem. Orraton
and fire works. meet at Masons 2 p. NJ.
Tickets IS cts Children Y price.
"Therer' said Ed Tully, as he affixed
this notice to a post in Mason's store.
II bet that I'll fetch the hull village"
Ed. was a muscular young wheelright
of lively manners and social instincts.
Reuben Apologize, the best carpenter
in Middleburg, stepped back to survey
the placard, and remarked, with the
shy conceit of the true artist; cit looks
well, if did do it"
"1t'ssplendld, said Ed; "good as print.
But NUNS the word, for if Holloway's
folks know we're expectin' to make
anything for our preacher, not one of
'em will buy a ticket, while, as it is, the
young fellers might find the picnic a
good, cheap treat for their girls. Hello,
Mason!'-aS the store-keeper looked
out through little window and under
the legend Postof1ice don't let on to
Holloway's folks that we're raisn'
money for Mr.. Dodd." Then the young
men went down the village street.
Presently old Mrs. Crawford and her
pretty niece Abby dropped into the
store.
ANY letters for us, Mr., Masonp Mop
Why it seems as though somebody had
ought to write, Got any dark blue
paper muslin? Why, sakes alive,
Abby Gas she spied the placard), eff
Dodd's folks amt going to give a
picnic!'
The store-keeper's gossipy soul I'M
derwent moments struggle; then he
compounded with conscience by saving,
"Well, Miss Crawford, I'll tell you, as
a secret, we're raisin' money to buy Mr..
Dodd horse and buggy"
Miss Crawford, who was massively
built and conscientious old lady, became
at once very thoughtful, and in walking
home she remarked:
when we need an organ so bad, ii
don't seem right to help Dodd's folks to
get horse and buggy. Don't you GO
to that picnic, Abby.n
''But, aunt" said Abby, ''the picnic
no harm"
"Abby," Miss Crawford answered.
turning upon her niece large, solid
countenance that seemed to open up the
whole subject of architecture, lever
since certain person has come to Mid.
dleburg I've noticed you don't take Sc
rious views of things"
Abby flung her little head away, and
INDUCED in that pain and privilege Of
youth called blushing. The girl, having
soft dark eyes, rich gold brown hair
and dainty skin, blushed uncommonly
well, the pale rose of her cheek JUS
deepening to lovely carnation. oh
aunt! she stammered, 'you know l re
fused DR.. Worth, although l did love-
the aunt turned that study in masonry
upon her again-"I did love his little
daughter Mabel dearly"
Abby" said the good woman, pas
.sionately dashing a tear from her hon
est eyes, "I'd rather see you dead ant
buried than married to heather, or
what's worse, an-an Armenian.
Miss Crawford's strange use of thi
last word was owing to slight misun
Outstanding of Mr., Holloway, her pas
tor, when, in reference to the Methods
Church, he remarked mildly: "Mr
Dodd is rather too Arminian for me
ather-too-Arminian.
Some of the congregation, not vestet
in theological terms, heard this wit
awe and horror, and easily changing
vowel, the word armenian had be
come terrible cabalistic synonym fo
all heresy and schism. Middlebur
possessed but two churches, and the vi
layers were pretty evenly divided be
( tween Mr.. Holloway, Presbyterian, an
\ Mr.. Dodd, Methodist. The two gentl,
men entertained respect for each othel
and although, Mr.. Holloway being di!
nified and scholarly and Mr.. Dodd b.
ing free-spoken and familiar, there W,
no intimacy between them, neither su
pected that their congregations wei
nourishing bitter rivalry.
Miss Crawford, on recovering fro
her outburst against heterodoxy, Chanc,
to meet the Sparks girls, and 81
told them the news.
"Picnic" cried Mary Sparks, wit
proper spirit. Horse and buggy f
Mr., Dodd? Guess not. Let's have
\ picnic ourselves"