The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-12-25

hundreds of human beings with food, raj
ment and shelter; tells, also, of human
need aiding wealth to increase its glittering
heaps. The building is ugly enough in pro-
portion and detail by daylight; but at the
moment of which we would speak, five
minutes before six o'clock p. m, November
20, 1880, it was transformed into "thing of
beauty" by the gas lights which shone
through its numerous large rectangular
windows.
A steam whistle sounded from some sub
terranean depth. A bell changed in small
belfry above the roof. The motion of
whirring wheel and flying shuttle ceased,
and almost as quickly the operatives were
rushing down stairs and out of the gate. A
motley procession it was, of both sexes, va
riOus ages and different nationalities. By
the dim light of the transformations -
gas burners, which the economical select
men of Caplaville had distributed at re-
spectful distances, no one would have sim
gled out Julia Leighton from the throng;
unless the start, the involuntary shudder
ELECTED, when profane or coarse words sui
lied the evening air, had been noticed. The
worsted nube, wound about her head and
throat, was not snowy white. The dark
plaid shawl that covered her shoulders
was as coarse as those worn by many of her
associates in labor. Her rusty black dress
was made more rusty by the fine particles
of cotton that adhered to it.
Poor Julial brought up in affluence and
taught to be personally neat, almost to
fault, she had not discovered any miracu-
lous way of keeping herself in toilet, in
spite Of oily machinery, dust-laden atmOs-
phere and scanty time and means. She
walked rapidly on, taking deep inspirations,
grateful that she could, three times day,
fill her half-famished lungs with pure air,
EHOw different my life is from what
expected she reflected. "Only two years
ago hadn't thought of this. Father,
dear generous father, was living and sup
plying our home with every luxury. Serv-
ants were ready to wait upon me at any
moment. 1t had always been so; why
should it not always be sol Ny fear was
should be selfish and forget that l ought to
help Gods less favored children bear their
burdens. And l do believe the thought
that troubles me most now is that | am
living only for myself. But what can dO2
When father died, and We found the old
home mustbe given up, was full of hope
that could take care of myself and more I;
but one thing after another failed, and l
had come down to work with my hands
only, or consent to be burden on my
mother and sister Bertha. Now am earn
ing my living, to be sure, but thus far
have not been able to- doubt if, in this
factory ever can-do MOI :. l am work
ing for self, living for self, and l seGm to
have neither time, strength or money for
any thing else"
No family home shed its light on JGlia's
dreary life. The village housewives had
scant respect for " mill-hands,n and the
very qualities that would have been as a
passport in an employment suited to her
talents and education made her, as a
mere laborer, an object of suspicion. She
entered the low doorway of one of a block
of factory boarding houses, passed on into
the dining and to her place at the Ia
BILE; threw her shawl and NUDE over the
back of the chair and sat down to take her
tea, amid the sound Of footsteps, coming
and going, the scraping of chairs on the
wooden floor, the din of voices, pitched tC
every note of the gamut and uttering unin
teresting comments and rough jokes. The
oomfortless repast ended, she mounted Il
the crowded dOrmtory, where, in consider
alton OF an extra allowance to the " board
ing-mistress,n she had a right to call {
small single bedstead her own, and thu!
gained the ll-Will of her room-mates, whit
looked upon her as a would-be aristocrat
AS she assembled the stairs, a querulous
half-mOaning sound fell upon her ear
When she reached the room the moaning
became words.
"Pm so thirsty. I'm so thirsty"
@ What1S tho mattbpp wild up2V erie.
Maggie O'Brien, coming in behind Julia
and looking towards bed, close under tn,
caves, in the farther corner of the room
"Isn't it wather we have, clost beside ye
Can't We be aisy now an lit the gurrls hav
a bit I'VE pacel It's thired we are"
The moaning voice came again; "Tm S
thirsty-that's cistern water-I can't drinl
tin that rusty tin cup"
"Its moighty foine we are,n exclaime,
Maggie. "Sure an Wen sind fur yez silve
cup, wild the gould linin' widin' it.n
"WhO is sheW asked Julia, in an unde
tone.
Dom We know Nancy Bintl Its me
self thOrt every sowl in Their mills was aC
quainted ter Nancy Bint fur the name
stingy Yankee she is. Sure, don't she
savin' livery clint an niver goin ter froli
in all her name stingy lifef" cried Maggie
whose fondness for frolics told sadly on he
everyday wardrobe and reduced her say
ings to zero.
" An what furs Their misthrees STINT he
here fur ter be tarmentin Their likes av
usl" continued Maggie. s" It's in a cras
consumpshin she is, an it's in Their hous
furndst er this wan she's been. Mebh
Their gurrls wouldn't sthand Their likes av
her amy more"
Julia approached the bed, where lay th
sufferer, woman, whom time, hard wor
and selfish, misery pinching had mad
thoroughly unattractive to all but those I
whom nothing human is foreign. JUL
shook up the pillow, smOothed the wrinkle
.. bedding as well as she could and was aboU
to raise the cup of water to the parche
lips, but the expression of disgust on tn
sick womap's face arrested her hand. A
excursion into the kitchen and an encounte
with the IRRITABLE, Over-wrOught "boart