The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-05-30


have been very laughablc sight to
witness quadratic equation stand on
its hind legs and smirk at him through
pair of goggles; but it somehow
dampened the hilarity of the occasion
to recognize it as the very formula by
which he had years ago passed false
Judgment on his friend. poor Biggs,
who had upset the hypothesis and re.
versed the result by laying down his
life in noble self-sacrifce for fellow
being, And there was the simple equa-
ton that had brought ruin and death
upon young Markham's father. odd
that he had never taken into considera-
ton the wound the old Major had re-
ceived in his head while gallantly de-
Tending his country at the battle OF
Shiloh, Macy tried to calculate the
problem anew, and to figure out the
negative influence of this powerful and
neglected factor in its action upon the
next generation, but found himself in
capable of continuous and sustained
reasoning.
BY this time he had passed into Il
state of the most acute torture, physical
and mental. Lines of all descriptions
ran him through and through, like SO
many arrowy and curvilinear lances,
Logarithms danced over his flesh, scar
ing it with red-hot irons EXponehts
and co-efficients, fractions and quad
ratio surds, moduli and binomial theo'
rems swarmed about him, haunting, re.
wiling, accusing.
Amid the throngs of uncanny crea-
tons he at last discerned a face with
corrugated brow, unfathomabe eyes,
and grim, relentless features. Macy
shrank in terror from the reproachfu
meaning of the gaze, realizing that he
was in the presence of none other thar
Pythagoras, greatest of the TABLED
founders of the science he had loved 81
faithfully and employed in every walk
of life Then he walled out a piteou,
appeal for relief from his prosecutors
An ogaeular utterance left the gray,
lips of the old philosopher;
"Thus is punishment melted out tt
the human upstart who has sought t.
pervert great science from its prcdes
tined sphere, and who would measure
human soul and determine its com
ponent clements by the rules and law
which were framed for the world o
matter alone A-
Macy felt whitening sensation as h
listened to the words of the sage an
met the calm scrutiny of the deep eyes
He thrust out his hands with gestur
of despair, when-oh, joy!-the coils c
the steel spiral loosened, and he fel
himself slipping back into time an
space and the happy, uncalculatin
world. The ancient philosophers feat
ures relaxed and altered.
1t was his daughter, pale and fearful
bending over his PROSTATE form, layin
an ice-cold cloth upon his head wher
that singular sensation of dull pain sti
fingered.
"Oh, father! thoughtYou would nevc
, know me again. "
He could not contrive to articulatt
but his eyes framed question whic
her lips FASTENED to answer:
I'VE had been watching him for day
fearing he would do something de,
perate. If we had only come momer
sooner. But the key caught in the loci
He had knocked you down before W
got the door open"
Macy closed his eyes, and endeavore
to make mental digestion of this info
nation by slow and painful process
AS he comprehended their purport, tt
: awful word murder" framed itself
his mind. Then his gaze became fixed
sad rebuke on one who stood benin
the girl, as if Sinking from his sigh
Strange travesty of creation that shoul
= mask a guilt-laden soul behind tn
!, clear-eyed handsome face. How he ha
liked, and admired, and trusted the DO
and hoped for him, in the face of Il bal
- full hereditary influence. Monstrou
that confidence should be repaid Wi
! deceit, generosity with cupidity, al
that all his kindness should be reward,
with cowardly murderous blow. \
: mathematical formulas came to Macy
. aid. no scientific course of reasonir
was needed to solve the miserable ce
a tainty or phrase the tragical result; b
IS as he looked at the graceless scamp
e own eyes slowly filled with tears.
IS "Tissa' The girl had not heard IT,
3 tender chord in his voice since h
u babyhood. "How can you-how can
D stand there and-look-the same
e 1.-The sameP You are joking, pap
II Ned handled hun very roughly"
q her excitement and gratitude s
d threw off all restraint and extended h
a hand coniidingly to the tall fellC
L standing behind her. ''Of course
l. knew who it was had taken your mon
L the minute you told me, father.
le didn't need to reason that out, and n
"a and | have been watching him eV
a since. Oh, YOU wicked creaturew
u A vengeful CLEAN shot from her ey
d. as she flashed them across the roo
N Macy followed the direction of t
to look In the custody of two Office
his clothes tumbled and torn, his ia
ln ,.,,I a., 10 bo1 :,