The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-06-20

steps, that lady, by some sudden, mex
plicable notion of mind, answered his
kindly greeting with an abrupt ques-
ton;
"When do you expect these city chill
dren?"
Mr. Dale's benevolent face beamed.
He had hardly dared to expect so much
interest on the part of his grand lady
parishioner
"On Tuesday, four p. m. train"
81 will send my carriage to the station
at train time, and you can give any
needful directions to the driver"
Thank you, thank you!'' said Mr.
Dale as heartily as for a personal favor.
This is kind. indeed, Miss WincheS-
ter
How often we misiudge persons"
he said to CHEEKY little Mrs. Dale, as
they walked home. 81 barely hoped
that Miss Henrietta might perhaps give
little pecuniary aid, and here she Of
fers to take one of these little strangers
to her house.
"Reallyl Now, Mr. Dale, are you
sure she said SOP" queried his wife.
81 can not be mistaken. She in
quired when the children were to ar
rive and said her carriage would be in
waiting"
Eyes, l heard her tell papa so, said
little Bessie.
"Well, | am very much surprised
that she should take one of the chill
dren," said Mrs. Dale. But, poor
little thing! how dreadfully lonely it
will be out there"
Meanwhile, Miss Winchester was
driving towards Evergreens, blissfully
unconscious of the part assigned her by
the pastor in the entertainment of the
coming little visitors. Her feeling of
annoyance had somewhat subsidized dur
ing her pleasant ride home, and her
countenance assumed its usual serenity
as she changed her outdoor dress for a
cool, crisp lawn, and ate her elegant
little dinner in the great shady dining
room. Then she repaired to the library
to look over the mornings text and
references and read her religious papers,
her invariable custom OF spending Sab
bath afternoons.
But Mr.. Dale's sermon and his appeal
for the children would mingle in her
mind, else wny should her memory
seem so full of troublesome texts this
afternoon; texts which apparently had
no bearing ON the sermon, but rather on
the appendix?
Miss Winchester prided herself, and
with reason, upon her familiarity with
the Bible. But just now she did not
care to recall, II was an hungered, and
We gave Me no meat; 81 was a
stranger and we took Me not i'm; ''ln-
asmuch as we did it not to one of the
least of these, We did it not to Me-"
Some way, the offer of the carriage,
made entirely without the meaning the
good pastor attached to it, began to
lose the satisfaction it had given earlier
in the day. The brown thrushes and
flame-tinted orioles fitted here and
there, and sang their clear carols
among the lindens. The sweet summer
air lifted the leaves and stole through
the open windows of the library; the
afternoon shadows crept longer and
longer over the smoothly cut grass and
gay flower borders, but Miss Win
chester, with her Bible on her lap, lean
ing back in her easy chair and looking
out upon her beautiful grounds will
the calm and settled stiffness broodins
over all, felt unsettled and i'll at ease.
"You will take the carriage to thu
station, john" said Miss Winchestei
to her coachman, on Tuesday after
noon. "And take any of the children
where Mr. Dale tells YOU
"Yes'm," answered John, turning
toward the stables, and not at all re
GREETING an errand which would tax,
him from wedding the beds within sigh
of Miss Winchester seat near the win
dow.
An hour or two later there was
sound of returning wheels, and Mis-
Winchester, walking among her flowers
picking off dry leaf or faded blossom
here and there, was confronted by John
hat in hand, and beside him a smaI
boy.
''Please m, this yer's the one Mr.. Dial
told me TO bring"
Told you to bringr' exclaimed Mis-
Winchester, startled out of her usus
staid composure. 81 did not mean t
have any Of them brought here"
You didn't say nothin' to me
ma am" said John, shifting uneasil
from one foot to the other "'cept 20 d
as the parSon told me, an he SEE: 'Ah
John, here you are, and here's littl
fellow to 90 out to Miss Winchester
SEE he, an so l took the little cha
, along"
"Mr. Dale is very inconsiderate, yer
, inconsiderate, indeed" said Miss VIII
. chester, severely sitting down upon
/ rustic bench.
3 Gam to take him back, ma am, tn
eve?" asked John, as stolidly as if a
0 exchange of corn or potatoes was undo
/ consideration.
NO" said his mistress, shortly. "G
f and tell the housemaid to come to me.
D The unwelcome little visitor ha
~