The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-09-25
A CLASSIC MANIAC.
A Young Lady Who Refused to
be Sacrificed.

Soon after the surrender / became
teacher in the female seminary of j,
in South Louisiana. Like many another
of my countrywomen, / was compelled
to disregard the normal antipathy Of
the Southern mind to a woman over
stepping the strait limits that bind her
within the sacred privacy of home, and
battling in the worlds arena for daily
bread So l took my place in the
ranks of the combatants, and trained
young ideas in the seminary of j.
| found it a pleasant little place, pretty
and picturesque, and especially favored
with good society and an abundance Of
schools and churches. 1t had one
great drawback, however; what that
was my story will disclose.
One summer evening set out for a
ramble through the pine woods extend
ing for some distance above the town.
1t had been an intensely holiday, and l
had found the tedium of the schoolrOom
increased to an intolerable degree by
the burning heat of the atmosphere; so
went to look for coolerspot than the
brick walls of the college could afford
] found it on the top of a pine-crowned
hill, and, seating myself. on the soft
carpet of dead pine straw that covered
the ground, became immersed in
thoughts of former halcyon days, be-
fore the grim spectres OF war and ruin
stalked through our sunny land, that l
forgot all about the lapse of time and
my distance from home.
/ was recalled to sense of my sur
roundings by a low roll of thunder,
and, starting up, was surprised to see
how dark it had grown. The sky was
covered with thick clouds through
which shone an occasional ominous
flash The wind, too, had risen, and
the solemn roar of the pine trees, surely
the most mourniu eerie sound mortal
ears ever heard, filled the air. | hastily
descended the HILL walking as rapidly
as possible, hoping to reach home be-
fore the storm broke. Before | had
gone half a mile | was startled by a
loud voice Just behind me, saying:
"A pleasant evening, madam.
turned round and stared in astonish-
ment, first as not being as | supposed
entirely alone, secondly, at the uncere-
monious salutation of a stranger; and
thirdly, at the very inappropriate re-
mark, Immediately behind me, as if
he had Just sprung out of the ground,
stood a young man, evidently Il gentle
man, in faultless evening costume eX-
cept that, strange to say, he wore no
hat Where he had come from, or
what he could be doing out there in the
woods in that dress and bareheaded,
could not conjecture; nor how he pre-.
sumed to address me so Familiarity.
replied by as slight and cold bow as
possible, and turning from him walked
rapidly onward. Not at all discomfort
ed by my chilling behavior, he stepped
up to my side and walked with me, con
tinuing the conversation, or rather
monologue, in the same loud tone.
Gan unoommonly pleasant evening,
certainly. ] have never felt the balmy
air of the sweet South so refreshing a:
after day when the scorching rays O.
PhnUus, as the ancient Greeks named
the bright luminary of the sky, have beer
so over-powering. / trust We shall have
alovely night when the pale Diana, god
dess of the silver bow, will reign su
preme. and with her mild beams coo
our burning brains?'
is he crazy thought |, getting
rather pale and nervous, and then crit
icallv examining my unwelcome escort
No. he looked sane enough; somewha
fightv, certainly, and decidedly high
flown in his language; but com
posed and gentemanly in manner. Jus
then | remembered that an amateur
Thespian society had been recently
formed in j which entirely pos
sessed the hearts and souls of the iuve
nile population, and at once set dow
mvnew acquaintance as an enthusiastic
yotarv of the histrionic art, who carried
lofty phraseology of the boards int
private conversation. | even though
his face looked familiar, and decidet
that must have met him at rehearsal
So. as there seemed no possibility o
retting rid OF HIM, put a good face Of
the matter and replied civilly that wa
afraid he was mistaken IN his opin
ion of the weather, as there seemed ev
cry prospect Of q violent storm