The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-04-24
MARRIED IN A SILVER SPOON
The Story Which MARRIED the Happiness
of Two Little Girls.

of Two Little Girls.
Bessie and Edith were out in Bessie's
kitchen cleaning the silver spoons.
That was Bessie's regular Saturday
work; twas an understood thlnS that
every week on that day she was to pol
ish up the spoons nicely.
To-day her mother had gone to
visit her aunt, and her friend, Edith
Amos, had come over to help her
keep house. The two little girls had
been rather dilatory about their house.
hold duties; they had had good many
important things to attend to. Then
the dinner for BessIe's father, and the
clearing away, had been large under
taking. 1t was late in the afternoon
now. and they had just begun on the
spoons.
Bessie rubbed the silver soap on the
spoons and Edith polished them up
with the channels skin. Bessie was
very polite about giving Edith the pref
tier part of the work. Suddenly Bessie
took up a large, solid tablespoon and
eyed it, and then Edith, impressively.
There's story about this spoon,
and you couldn't guess what it is, said
she, mysteriously,
Honest, fond little Edith stared up
at her. ''No. What is it?" said she.
"Well, my great-grandfather was
married in this silver spoon"
"Why, Bessie Elliott
"He was"
81 don't know what you mean.
81 should think you might. l said
it plain enough. My great-graI.1father
was married in this. silver spoon"
"Now you're joking, Bessie. It's
too bad of you to try to make me be-
lieve such things"
mo, I'm not joking; he was,
truly"
Married in that spoon'"
"Yes."
"Why, he couldn't be married in a
spoon; how could he? A man couldn't
stand in a spoon. I don't believe a
word of il"
Il don't care if you don't; he was. +"
Bessie kept her face very sober. She
loved Edith dearly, but occasionally
she did like to tease her little. Edith
was such an honest, matter-of-faot
little body, and took teasing so seri-
Ously.
She took this more seriously than
Bessie knew. She said no more about
the matter and went on gravely polish
ing her spoons. When Bessie's mother
returned she took leave soberly and
went home, troubled, indignant look
on her candid little face which be-
trayed every thing.
"What allied Edith?" asked Mrs.
Elliot, 81 thought she seemed odd
"Oh, nothing" laughed Bessie,
"only she's mystified over my great
grandfather's getting married in that
silver spoon. I'm going to let her
puzzle over it awhile, then I'll tell
her"
"You ought to be careful how you
talk to Edith" said her mother, "she
takes every thing so in earnest"
ooh, she'll get over it, mamma"
The next day Edith did not stop fol
Bessie, as usual, on her way to school
she kept aloof from her at recess. too
and never looked her way once in study
hourG.
Bessie waxed indignant. "If she's {
mind to show out like this about suct
a little thing, she can" thought she
And she was very sociable with thu
other girls, and returned Edith's neg
lect severely.
She grew inwardly uneasy as tn,
days went on, and Edith's strang
manner toward her did not change
but she said nothing. There was
good capacity for stubborn wrath il
her childish heart.
There isn't any sense in Edith
making fuss over such little thing,
she kept saying to herself, and tn
words acted like kindlings to keep he
wrath alive.
Both little girls were quite miserable
they glanced furtively at each Other
and were very friendly and lively wit
the other girls, so neither should thin
the other cared. But no new FRIEND
ship could make up for the lost swee
ness of the old one. Both spent man
lonesome Saturday. Probably Edit
: was the unhappier of the two over tn
arrangement. She was more SENSITIVE
and her real or imaginary cause
, grievance was greater. She worrie
) over it great deal, and it SCENE
somehow to her that the culminatiu
, point of her trouble was reached, or
! afternoon, when Bessie went above h
.. in the spelling-class. Poor Edith fa
a cied that she looked glad, though tn
4 was probably nothing but fancy, al
she broke down completely. She la