The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-06-26
and sorrows u q chivalric time or
transcribe the lays of a troubadour."
al am not so sure"


transcribe the lays of a troubadour."
81 am not so sure"
"But ! am. speak somewhat from
experience. l have written for this
and that periodical; the higher its level,
the more prosaic its demands. Study
from life,' they tell me; paint from
nature, forgetting with what different
eyes we look on nature; how our own
habit of mind colors all we see. Shall
l tell you storyP Not to illustrate
my theory exactly, but because I am
in the mood, you are lazy, and there is
nothing else to do just now"
gladly acquiesced.
my mother was q remarkable
woman-everybody's mother is that,
you know; she had clear head, a re-
tentive memory, and a wide expert
ence. She was the daughter of New
London shipping merchant, who came,
when she was quite young, to live in
New York, that his children might
have the advantages not procurable in
provincial town. But New York
itself was no. much more than that
when compared with European cities.
Still, it did have several good schools,
Kings College, and, l believe, some
other endowed institutions. My grand
father had made money, and he was
DESTROYS that his children should not
only be we'll educated, but should ad-
vance socially.
There was then considerable aristo-
cratic feeling prevailing against people
in trade, but my grandfather seized
the bull by the horns, took a house in
Pine street, furnished it according to
the taste of the day, sent his children
to school and dancing-school (the lat
ter was taught by French refugee of
good birth), patronized the theater
and the School of Fine Arts, and enter
tanned the notabilities who came to this
Western wild in search of health or
wealth, or both. He succeeded admir-
ably, was considered public-spirited
and generous, and made many friends
My mother, his eldest daughter, at
eighteen left school with a certificate
declaring her scholarly attainments, as
well as her proficiency in all the more
practical requirements of the time.
She was also an elegant dancer, and
was considered one of the best three
; dancers in the city. The other two were
Miss Van Colt and Miss -; but
had better not give the other one name.
D Twill CO Il her Vanessa, though Lucrezia
would be more apropos. These girls
/ Lily Van Colt, Vanessa and my mother
were constant companions. They
were very beautiful. Ny mother said
a Vanessa was superb, her figure COM
. handing, and her manners very i'm
posing. Lily, though charming, had
not so much bel esprit. She was of q
more timid nature, and it was no mat.
a ter of surprise that she did not attract
as much attention as Vanessa, nor thai
u Vanessa, Notwithstanding her many
It admirers, should marry first. Hel
choice was considered excellent
h young man of good family, of wealth
and of ambitious character. Lily
shortly after married her cousin, anC
J. my mother was bridesmaid to both
She delighted to describe the wedding
feasts and the beautiful apparel of thu
brides, from the wine and the wedding
g cake to the satin and pearl. But sucl
10 descriptions can hardly compare will
the luxury of the present day. How
ever, l always listened with boyisl
10 pleasure to all the details, for it wa
not until a much later date that
heard the whole of the story, or tina
portion of it which was untitled TO
childish ears.
1.-The winter succeeding these mar
riages was an unusually gay one
= Many foreigners were in town, an,
among them a famous singer-a Sig
nor Bolacca, or some such name. Ev
cry body raved about his exquisit
IS voice, and he was invited everywhere
Il in fact, the whole town was at his feet
= You may be sure this pleased his Sc
rene Highness, but the two brides wer
10 his especial fayorites. Perhaps h
&c thought himself safer in paying after
O. ton to married women than to maid
ems, 1t was noticed, however, thai
70 contrary to the usual custom, Vaness
did not seem to stand first in favor
- but that Lilys quieter beauty had pre-
d. cedence. This was the more remark
IN able because all visitors from foreig
n lands had agreed in pronouncing FaI
at essa's style 'unapproachable except
sc court circles.
" ''Now l have my own way of tellin
. stories, and you must pardon the int
u ruption, but | wish to remark that
al am coming to the part of my ia
ly which, when l have presented it in Ii
e; erary form, is always objected to {
ed sensational ] have therefore strive
he to no purpose when l have essayed
It's soften it. To resume:
nj You would not suppose that tv
er lovely young women, secure in the a
"a rection of their husbands, and enjoyir
se the respectful admiration of all the
ed friends, could possibly be affected
Of. the passing favor or a foreign adve
turer; for soa all those professional sin
nd ers were looked upon, no matter no
ial greatly they were courted or how hig
he ly their attainments were valued. b
IL bpcomp pvidpOt IN oil tbot Vopae