The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-04-02

keeD tlS gifts TO himself, and went up
) stairs to my room, where presently Aun
+, Betsy came bringing the shawl and thu
e satin.
I "'Thce had better put these thing.
} away = said she, laying them on the bed
4 | took them Just as they We're, and open
inc the window, drop,fed theiA 0ilt .aiI
1 N&ter underneath tien. instead O
t cisterns, we had great trOughs standing
r under the caves. 1t was silly thing tC
do, but was so worked up Il didn't care
: one pin. For once | saw Aunt Betsy in d
rage. She scOlded me roundly. and ended
: by declaring that | should marry Abiranl
within a week or she would never see noT
, speak to me again. | should have gone
away that very night, only Aunt Betsy
was taken so sick didn't 1ike to leave Her.
What Abirpm thOrTht tli3ii lie found his
n,esehS all Wet and spoiled, can't say.
He never said a word to me nor | to him.
did my work, and waited on Aunt Bet
sy, but | couldn't get any word to Lewis,
much as | wished it, for old Jacob was
sick, and | hadn't any other Tessetget.
"Well fee TWO or three days Abiram was
Wonderful busy clearing out the cellar.
Now and then he would take his boat and
run down the creek, and he grew so queer
and excited that began to wonder what
was going to happen. | hardly ever got a
chance to step outside the door, Aunt Bet
sy kept me so close, and what with the
work and waiting 6A Her, | was pretty
Well Used up.
''One night-it was the 20th of NOvem-
Der and fine moonlight. though rather
foggy-I went to the backdoOr for breath
of air, and | saw fine large brig coming
up with the tile. She seemed to find her
| NaS Without any trouble, and presently
came to anchor over there where you see
that pine stump-it was a fine tree then
not far from our house. stood watching,
and presently saw Abiram and two other
men come ashore ,rOih inc brig. They
eanie up the path toward the house, but |
didn't stay to meet tn, IN. | went back to
Aunt Betsy. and when Abiram called me
TO supper, he told me the strange men
would stay, and asked me if | wouldn't
sit down and make tea. For you see |
hadn't sat down to a single meal with him
since he Calne henie,
.,!Tca.' said |, where did you get any
| tea:' | knew ours had been out some
time, and you couldn't buy an ounce for
| love nor money.
"'Never mind,' said Abiram, looking
as pleased as could be. I've got it. and
plenty more of nice things. Now be a
good girl and see to the supper, and |
promise not TO say word thee won't like
| TO hear
"Well, | didn't want ito make a fuss
before STRANGERS, so said | NO'ild; and |
made Sdnie niGe Hot cakes and fried chick
en-, and turned out the tea, but wouldn't
touch drop, more than if it were poison.
The two men were English, as made out
by their talk, and che of them was captain
of the brig. He had been drinking lit
tie, and he kept throwing out hints which
made me open my ears, and caused the
other man to swear at him for foo.
"Well, | did up the work, and was just
going upstairs to bed, when Abiram
stopped me.
"' What is it? | asked sharply enough.
50 only wanted to say that thee needn't
be scared if thee hears noise in the
night;' said he meekly. Il have got some
goods aboard the brig, and ] am going to
have them unlOaded, beCatsn the captain
wants 10 get away
"SomeR6# 1T flashed across me all in
minute what the goods were. So instead
of going to bed, blew out the candle and
sat down behind the curtain to watch.
Presently | saw the men from the brig
bringing up the goods covered with tar
paulinS and slowing them in the cellar.
They had nearly finished when one of the
men let fall a square box, and | knew by
the sound that something had broken.
The captain cursed him for a clumsy fool.
Abiram brought out a broom, and | could
see them sweeping and brushing some
thing. Finally the business was finished,
the men Neiit away, and Abiram
carie upstairs and went to bed. He
was generally the first one lip in the
morning, but this time | stole march
on him and was down before six o'clock.
took the lantern and began searching
where had seen them sweeping the night
before, and sure enough. in little hollow
by the side OF the path found about halfa
handful of nice green tea
:" | gathered up the tea in my hands and
wrapped it in paper | had in my pocket
and then [ stole down to the creek, to the
place where | knew Abrams little skit
was tied up. 1t was no stiddeh move. i
had been thinking all night. and | made
up my mind that | must see Lewis and tell
him the whole story For, absurd as it
MAY seem, | was really afraid Aunt Betsy
would contriee some way to marry me to
Abiram even against my will.
= The tide was running ont and helped
me, and was soon at James Whitecar's
landing, for knew how TO handle a boat.
found Lewis at the barn, told him the
whole story. and showed him the tea.
You ought to have seen how his eyes
flashed.
80 that is what he has been up to-,
said he; we have been watching him for
a week. and suspected as much Then
he called Stephen Whitecar, James's broth
er, a great friend of his, and showed him
the tea.
-. lVo.rI +,I-o o,,.o ~ hin, ', -,;1 C.o,,I,o,,
Only thee keep quiet, Syblla, and don't
let on that thee knows anything"
Was Stephen Il Friend?" | asked.
well, yes, he belonged to Meeting,
and his mother was a preacher, as [ told
you. SO we talked it over, and Stephen
was for calling his mother, and having me
stay, but | said | thought had better 90
right back.
'DOn't tell me anythingn said |; and
then | can answer no questions
Lewis said was right and he would
row me back himself On the way it was
settled between us that he should come
for me the next day but two, and then VIC
would 90 and get married. The reason
we waited was that | should be of age in
two days, and then nobody would have
anything to say. hated to leave Aunt
Betsey and 60 against her wishes, but there
seemed no other way.
Il was busy getting breakfast when
Abiram came down. | thought it best
to be civil to him, and easily put him into
a good humor. That day everybody no
ticed that there was good deal of riding
round, and going in and out of Doctor
Elmer's and Mr.. Philip Fithian's. He was
minister and great patriot. | was on
thOrns. expecting didn't know what, and
ready to start at every noise, but | kept
about my work, and waited on Aunt Betsy,
and was so pleasant TO Abiram that he
really thought was coming round.
The next evening about ten O'Clock
there came great knockingat our door.
| was up in q minute, and looking out.
saw by the moonlight about thirty Indians
in war-paint and feathers standing round
the house. My heart was in nay mouth for
a minute and then il came over me what
they had come for.
. What do you wants' called Abiram
from his window.
. We have come for a cup of tear said
a voice which | knew right well. Get
up and give it to us like good fellow.
or we shah have 10 take it where we can
find it,
"Abiram clustered and talked big, but it
was no use. They told him if he didn't
Il al. 4 l. ftn...r,