The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-09-05

They had reached the house, and
Uncle Prescott sat down on the long
settee in the hall, and drew Reginald
close to his side.
Reginald" he said, in a low and
tender voice, II am more sorry for you
than you can guess. Your heart is not
pure, true heart; it sends out poison
Gus thoughts. Why do you cover them
up and keep them; why do you try to
seem white while underneath is the hid
den troublePn
Reginald's eyes sought the floor; he
could not look in his uncles face now.
He knew his heart was not pure and
true, that it only appeared to be so, but
he had thought that his uncle believed
in him.
"When you broke the rosebush, why
did you make it appear that your baby
cousin had pushed the box over and
damaged the bush? When you dropped
the Ratchet in the cistern, why did you
cast the blame on your little friendP
When you broke my choicest grapes
from the vine, why did you arrange
that Dugald should be suspected of the
actP Had you acknowledged the wrong
deeds you would have been endeavoring
to lay bare the poison in your heart,
and taken the first step toward getting
rid of it; but, though you know it is
there, and is dangerous and degrading,
you keep it, and cover it, and work to
hold on to it, and want nobody to know
about it, and try to appear white and
clean, when, in fact, under your pleas
ing face and manners is a corrupt
heart"
Had Uncle Prescott struck Reginald
blow he would have been man enough,
in his own way, to have borne it, but
those, words were worse than blows.
He had a certain amount of pride which
made him wish to be respected and
thought well of. He did not care so
much about being honorable, but he
liked to be thought so. He had mag
ined that Uncle Prescott believed all he
said, and thought him fair, square
! boy.
His pride was wounded his good
opinion of himself was humbled; he
looked so utterly wretched that Uncle
| L
close to his knee. . ..
Reginald" he said, kindly, 81 am
only pulling some of the white paper
of, and looking at the impurity under
meath. Tell me truly, do you think you
have corrupt hearth
Reginald quailed under the question.
To be asked to own having such pos
session was staggering requirement.;
yet he knew his uncle's charge was
true, and he could do nothing but &C
knowledge its truth.
''You can not easily be rid of the i'm
purity, my boy" said Uncle Prescott;
'you have hidden it, and kept it, and
fed it until it has overgrown the good
in you. You have made it your sole
object to try to appear good and pure;
do you wish to go on feeding and hid
inc the poison, while it grows more and
more powerful and impureP"
Reginald was too heartily ashamed Of
himself to have much to say, and while
declaring that he did not wish to con-
tinue doing as in past, was much con-
cerned to know how much of his decep-
ton, and how many of his tricks, per-
petrated during the past few weeks
spent in his new home, had been dis
covered by Uncle Prescott.
"Ifyou do not wish to continue hid
ing and keeping this poison, let us be-
gin now to pull the pure white paper
OH of it." said Uncle Prescott; what
did you cover up yesterday? | must
have the secrets of each day since the
time you came to share my home. Tell
me frankly, what did you cover up yes
terday?"
Reginald glanced at his uncle and
then at the floor. He was not all bad;
he did think it would be more comfort
able to be true and honorable. He did
feel alongng to be rid of his present
inner life; he saw himself as he had
never seen himself before; he felt q
loathing for the acts he had only
Thought clever, smart.
Uncle, you would hate men he ex-
claimed, passionately; Il never can
tell you the half. ."
Suppose l do hate you; suppose 1
never do and never can forgive or for
get it; suppose you lose me as your
friend; what can that matter in COM
parison to losing your soul, your self
] respect, the respect of the whole world
who may ever happen to hear of you,
losing your own heart of honor? I'M
2 cover the poison, Reginald, and let me
help you get it out of you"
Reginald was looking in his uncle's
face; he was brave with sudden BRAY
cry; he was true with a sudden honor;
he was filled with a determination to
l be free with a new freedom. He re.
) counted trick after trick, accidents and
receptions, and Uncle Prescott could
, have been angry enough had he moi
7 been in soul-earnestness, helping Regin
r aid fight fight never to be forgotten
Reginald, having confessed every
l fault he could think of, waited to hear
: the words which would Danish him from
r his new home, but his uncle took hi
hand kindly, saying: Il believe you
4 r IL r NJ