The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-11-06

PROM 'o0S'
And this is the prologue Of "a Step
Aside" Hugh Langmuir say at the
Terry dinner table after honestly in
gratiating himself with his fellow
boarders, that the first week he was in
New York he was MORALLY afraid that
somebody might suspect how "green
and country" he was. But in fact he
is a good sort of lad, "tough the son
of Clergyman, and bright and chatty,
and he soon wins favor even with Mrs.
Terry, and does not go up to his room
directly after dinner as he had been
wont to do; and he fingered awhile in
the parlor where Mrs. Terry and the
Valreys spent the evenings. 1t was a
hdeous little room, with a green and
red carpet and staring white walls.
The pictures were mostly photographs
of the Terry family. enclosed in shiny
black frames There was some artistic
waxwork-a cross with wreath of
flowers, standing on a bracket in the
corner, and beneath it little marble
topped table held ghastly water lilies,
which were protected from the dust by
a glass shade. What saved the room
from being nightmare was the large
table in the middle, covered with a
cheerful crimson cloth. The green rep
armchairs had a well worn, comforta-
bic look, too; and when Mrs. Terry and
Pauline sat sewing by the drop light,
and Papa Valrey, who always turned
his back to them so that the light came
over his left shoulder, and always ex-
planned and apologized, sat near with a
newspaper, the little group looked
pleasant and homelike to the lonesome
boy.
In this shabby boarding house Pauline
looks like a creature from some other
sphere to Hugh, and it seemed when he
brought her few Christmas roses for
her dress as though she had a right to
all the roses in the world. He could not
see a fat old woman lolling back in a
carriage without a fierce impulse rising
up in his heart to pull her off those satin
cushions and put Pauline in her place.
He hardly knew that he loved her, yet
she had taken root in his dreams; he
pictured her the heiress of q beautiful
home, sitting at the head of a table, a
liveried servant behind her chair, he
saw her dispensing gracious hospitality,
driven out in her carriage, walking
about a conservatory, wearing fine laces
and rare Jewels. If he could give hel
all this! The thought intoxicated him,
and as he watches her fasten the roses
on her breast, he nearly spoke his
thought aloud
"Do you ever wish you were rich" he
asked
She reflected for a minute before SHE
answered slowly, in a way that showed
how little she had thought of the infinite
possibilities of the future:
81 don't know. Beingric seems like
being somebody else | can't imagine
it, Sometimes | wish | had money
enough to buy long gloves 1t annoy'
me to shop about, trying to find CHEAP
hings."
"0h, l mean more than that, D." he ex-
claimed. 81 mean going shopping in q
carriage and buying whatever strikes
your fancy"
She laughed. eyes, that would be
pleasant but school teacher does not
60 shopping in a carriage and buy
whatever strikes her fancy"
And so Hugh falls deeply down, OF
up, in love, as he pictures the girl, not
a school teacher always but rich anC
sheltered by his love, forever lifted from
this plodding rut of school teaching
He tells Papa Valrey all that is in his
heart after this conversation, which
ends by his saying abruptly:
Il hate to think of your teaching {
lot of stupid girls"
"Ah, but they are not all stupid "
Don't you hate it?' he asked.
Hate teachingP Inever thought o
hating or enjoying it particularly. 1t i
!. IN, metier-my trade. | suppose | shall
always teach.
} you shall not" said Hugh, fiercely
They were alone for those few min
, utes, and the gas had been turned low
, Pauline reached her hand up to tn
burner, but Hugh caught her by tn
wrist
Pauline" he said, and his voic
trembed little.
Hush, Hugh, she whispered softly
Then he kissed her hand
, NJ Valrey came in with his spectacle
and newspaper.
1T is very dark here" he said. H
/ turned on the gas, and when the ligh
T. flooded the room he did not seem to nc
l tice the two flushed, excited faces tina
it revealed but seated himself deliber
! ately by the table and unfolded hi
I paper.
= Hugh's breath came thick and HARD
II 5 eyes sought Pauline's and she LITE
e hers with smile that answered hin
a Love needs no words; love can beg an
e yield in silence.
The 'step aside is Pauline's, wher
a after the death of her father, she is lie
S to struggle on as governess and con
= pan.on at the house of poor Hugh's en-
a ployer. who has even then learned
/ love her. Brought in contact wit
wealth, her future with Hugh seen
d very small, and lacking in all these c
+ sentitl things sensitive woman low
It anu Graves. The story of her tempt
S ton, tnis thoroughly natural strugg
k which uopS on unknown to her VOuT