The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-01-02

and / had not shadow of excuse to
eensure him.
Mamie said my younger sister
Belle, bursting iuto the room, where 1
was thinking over my troubles, ''come
down stairs, won't youP You have
been moping all day. Here it is eight
o'clock in the evening, and you are still
sitting up here by yourself. You have
no writing to do for that tiresome
paper, know. / don't see why you
do it at all. Literature is we'll enough
in its way, but think the trouble and
annoyance must far outweigh the glory
nd-emolument."
"Never mind, Belle. Go away. My
head aches.'
"Of course. The old excuse when
you feel cross. But do come down,
there's a dear. Papa has brought
gentleman home with him, and we
want some music. Mr.. Wilton sings"
II am tired of singing"
disagreeable. l will go and tell papa
that you will not come"
"Belle, don't be impertinent. Tell
papa | will be down in a few min
utes."
Plump came kiss on the end of my
nose, and Belle danced out of the
room, reappearing for minute to say:
"Oh, by the way, Mamie, Mr.. Wilton
is member of the Fourteenth p. Z.
Church choir. You must have heard
him sing yesterday"
"Belle!" l screamed.
But Belle was gone, after firing her
parting shot.
Now what should l dop If I only
knew whether Mr.. Wilton were the
black bearded basso or the blonde
mustached tenor! had a good mind
not to go down stairs at all. And yea
that would be cowardly. MOI / am
not afraid to write boldly, and / would
be consistent in my actions. At the
worst Mr.. Wilton would hardly strike
me, especially with nay father there
to protect me. Besides, he might not
even know that wrote for the papers.
1t was with beating heart that put
the finishing touches to my toilet and
walked slowly down stairs.
The parlor door was shut, but !
could hear voices in conversation on
the other side, among them that of a
stranger-Mr. Wilton. / tried to dis
tinguish the tones, that l might deter
mine, if possible, whether they were
those of tenor or bass. This is some
thing that can very seldom be decided,
even when the speaker is by your side,
the singing voice and colloquial tones
being in many persons entirely dis
tinct. | knew this, and with mighty
attempt to be calm. opened the door
and stood in the presence of Mr. Will
ton!
Thank fortune! 1t was gentleman
with a blonde mustache whom nay
father introduced me to by that name,
as bowed to the handsome tenor. Fol
he was handsome-as god. Or so ]
thought.
/ soon found that Mr.. Wilton was as
brilliant in conversation as he was
handsome in person. He had beer
everywhere and had seen everything
and above all was thorough musician
at heart. To my father he talked about
stocks, bonds, the labor problem, thu
political situation and the relative
merits of natural gas and bituminoui
coal as elements in the iron industry
l soon found that he had lately becom,
member of prominent iron firm
and that he gave his services to tn,
choir of the Fourteenth p. L. Church
, from pure love of music.
: "Will you not sing, Miss Medland,
asked Mr.. Wilton, when he had beef
| chatting for an hour or So"
felt little nervous about singin,
before him, but as knew l possessed
| fairly good soprano, well cultivated
t l did not hesitate. / sang two bal
lads, and then came Mr.. Wilton's turn
Your must sing for us, Mr.. Wilton
/ What shall it beP" 1 asked, carelessf
( running my fingers over the keys Q
the piano. Have anything that yo
( knowP"
He was hunting over my sheet musi
: and picking out piece here and there
5 Yes, here are several that l hav
sang before. l will try this if you vii
S play the accompaniment"
S He placed before me 81 Fear N
, Foe"
g lis not this in too low a key for you
l will transpose it, if you like"
t mo, l can manage it," was Nj
Y Wilton's confident reply.
: l said nothing, though as 1 bega
t playing the symphony wondered ho'
y this decidedly bass song would SCUM
5 when rendered by a tenor voice.
d The symphony finished, he con
menced.
: Horrors! The excruciating bass thi
It had spoiled the quartettel
! Yes. There was no doubt about j
o My handsome ''tenor" was the bas
}. and the sweet voice had credited
= Mr.. Wilton was possessed by the fierC
o man with the black beard and ey'
a brows!
d He got through the song somehow
5 apparently to his own satisfaction, an
d l did not ask him to sing again.
# He had not read my criticism thel
II but he saw it the next day, for he hi
| told mo 60 cfpoa