The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-12-25
mistake not she left some Updown stocE''

Otullls 1 SuppOSC guu huuN' III LAW ~ . /
down so low now it ISN'T even quoted;
however, if can do you p good turn, am
quite willing 10. You would like to turn
it into money, no doubt just bring the
certificates into the counting room to-mor
row. If Pm not there Mr.. Stacy will pay .
you for it, at the rate Of ten dollars a
share. That's more than it's worth. You
see the Updown is all run out; the ma
chinery is behind the age and makes an an
tiquated style of goods"
This being said in an off-hand way, with
the air of man to whom no one would
dare to say nay, Mr.. Bulfch turned on his
heel so quickly that he hardly heard Julias !
thanks" uttered in rather a low tone
AS she passed out she could not be deaf tc
the jokes that were passing among the Oper
atives; or help knowing that she, herself,
was the object of their ridicule Though
Mr.. Bulfnch inspired the Itoilers under him
with some awe, he was not popular, for the
hands gave him the credit of originating
some burdensome regulations and any one
on whom he conferred the rare honor OF
his notice was sure TO be made uncOmforta'
bly, prominent.
"Some folks got great present this New
| Year. Wish l could have one,n said one.
"'F me an you'd only git ter be residery
leg'tees, mebbe Their big buys ID convarse
'th u.s." said another
Maggie O'Brien, who had been directly
behind Julia in the Incl fingered at the
gate.
"It's an auld rat, tn dgint isln she de-
clared. "He's afther buBin Nancys Up.
down. Threw for We, now He niver buys
that that's wuth nothing an he'll niver
pay pinny more than II he with AVE that
same" and Maggie ran oil, not caring to ba
too intimate with one who was, though un
justly, disliked. Julia walked on wondering
where the "wuth aver property that was
"wuth nothingn at all could be. She could
but think that Maggie's comment on Mr..
Bulfinchs dealings was a shrewd one,
moreover it seemed almost sacrilege tG
part with Nancys life work for so paltry
sum.
The certificates were not handed to Mr.
Stacy; but the Jokes about the "rousin
New Years present" were kept up, anG
Julia was known all through the mills as
the " Resdery Leg'tee" This might have
been hard to bear had she not remembered
that, in refreshing weary body with cold
, water she had offered the water of eter
nal life - to a fellow immortal; she had
preached Christmas joys by deeds faI
more effectually than she could have by
, words she had induced darkened soul to
recognize the fact that the Virgins son
, God with usn is {" The true light which
{ lighteth every one that cometh into the
, world"
Julia was several times approached by
would-be buyers of the Updown shares.
, Though even the smallest sum offered
) would have been of great value to her in
{ her straitened circumstances, her "good
/ genius" prompted her to refuse 1t was
through Maggie O'Brien that she first
t learned that the 'patieut waiter had been
{ ''no loser" Approaching the dining-roo
! after the close of one working day, she
. noticed that the tumult was even greater
9 than usual, but when she appeared in the
doorway all voices were hushed but that Of
, Maggie O'Brien, who was shouting:
Y "Well, she didn't nowL told her not, .
a Then appealing to Julia: 'sDid yez be afther
tellin yez ter hould on2'
= mo, / haven't sold the stock, answered
e Julia, smiling at the earnestness of her in.
d terlocutor
: Isn't that what Pm tellin' yezl" ex.
s claimed Maggie, looking triumphantly
i around; then turning back to Julia, she
r. added: 4" Aud Bulfnch an more er then
@ auld bys that's made er gould's afther set
tim them mills agoin, an folks is sayln
@ Their stocks thravellin' up livery day
!, Amt it glad We are tould yez not ter be-
# sellin' itw
1t As no one at the table seemed disposed
% to contradict Maggie, Julia, though no
a fully believing in her good fortune, wrote
~ that very evening to a broker whom shC
n knew to be former business agent Of he
" fathers and inquired whether the time wa
le favorable for selling Updown shares. TIL,
IS reply came promptly:
"There is no Updown on the market
e Nearly all the stock has been quietly bough
d by capitalists who have the ability to maxi
the mills paying investment. We do no
t. hesitate to advise you, if you hold Updown
V, to offer it at auction, with instructions no
sc to sell for less than cent. per cent. abov
1t par. Should be happy to attend to the busi
l. ness for you"
y The advertisement of ten shares of Ur
Is down drew together a large company
IL agents of some of the principal holders o
G. the property who were struggling for tn
to balance of power in the corporation; forme
owners who considered themselves victim
and who were determined to see that thes
lost shares should not be bought for a song
\ those who meant to make the occasion a
| hilarious one, and some.real friends of tn
Leighton family, The auctioneer, recognil
ing his opportunity, offered the shares o
condition that the highest bidder Shout
take one or more, at his option; the mex
highest, one or more, and so on till the te
We're taken. Excitement ran high, tn
u bidding was so rapid that only the thoi
oughly initiated could follow 1t, and tn
! shares that had cost Nancy Bent less tina,
hundred dollars each stood her residuar
: legatee in fifteen times thatfor every share
Julia Leighton no longer works in tn
Caplaville mills, but no summer passe
- that she does not visit the town to see this
- the turf grows green around a marbl
cross bearing the name Nancy Bent an
- the inscription; "An heir of God throug