The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-12-24
know but what you did the best you could

: know but what you did the best you coul
/. for him." "a.
!, The woman looked up gratefully to h,
: husband, but tears filled her eges. ST
2 took the great brown hand and stroked i
4 saying, softly, "You are sure you forgi,
5 every thing that went before-before lie
g New Yorkg'
7 "Why, what are you talking abou
5 Jenny? Didn't | tell you the day W
married that bygones should be bygones
eh, little woman? and haven't you bee
the best of wives to me for three year
since then. It's just the sight of Americ
makes you foolish and nervous-lkt
You'll be all right as soon as we ge
there"
There was little pause, and then tn
wife said, timidly:
Harry, I've never told you exactl
how I-came to leave my baby, and to-t
take the box. | should like to tell yo1
now"
"Well, my DEAR" he answered, withou
shadow crossing his face, " tell me now
if it will be any comfort to you; but dom
feel obliged to-"
mo-" she replied, drumming softly
with her fingers upon the side of the YES
! SCI, L .SIOulu W uO IL. AlltT-
after he deserted me, you know, we really
were starving, my baby and l. Tha
morning we had been wandering about al
night in the cold, and he cried for bread
and had none 10 give him. All, mel
can hear that little cry now! At last, we
came near the depot, and could see The
warm fire through the waiting-room win.
dow; | thought my baby would die soon
if he wasn't fed. and all the courage went
out of me. | put him down by the en-
trance, thinking perhaps some passenger
might take pity on him. And then
watched, under cover of the darkness, and
saw them take him to the station-ho
o, what miserable, miserable place for a
little childl"
"My poor girl 4" said her husband csm-
passionately, as she stopped, choked by
her tears.
"The next day 1 was prowling about
near the StatiOn-hOuse-I couldn't go far
from it, it always seemed to pull me back
when came TO jewelers. shop, where
Lady was going in with snuff-box to be
mended. | could see her unfolding the
parcel, and then the jewels sparkling upon
| it. | lOnged for the food that it would
have bought, and thought how cruel it
was that she should have that splendid
must be taken from me-"
She waited a msment, and then went on
her eyes fixed upon the dim outline of the
distant shore.
"The salesman left the shop. and the
lady walked towards the door holding the
box. | don't know what possessed me
then. | rushed in, snatched it out of her
hand, and ran away. There was a hue
and cry for pelice. and the next moment
[ could hear them behind me. tried to
go faster, but on turning corner L ran
up hard against man. 1t stopped me,
and then the horror came upon me of
feeling myself a thief. had never stolen
crumb before. | could not give N.Y.
self up, and be dragged to prison, but
slipped the box into the mans pocket, and
ran on. thought he would feel it drop
and give it directly to the policeman"
And are you sure that was the same
man who took little Johnny?' asked the
husband; lit hardly seems likely"
81 am sure; his name was Fanshaw,
too," she answered; it was given in the
paper, with the account of his having
claimed the reward. l saw it afterwards"
What made you think of going to
South Africa?'
Well, when knew that nv boy had
termined not to die as | thought should.
but TO try and live for his sake. | obtain
ed position as stewardess on ship bound
for South Africa, and | thought it the only
way TO earn money somehow to support
him. I've never heard of him since. |
,0onde7 why they have never answered my
letters"
"1Ou wrote to the wrong place. most
likely" suggested the husband; show
ever, it was lucky you remembered the
jewelers. address all right, >for if he
hadn't acknowledged the receipt of the
hundred dollars we refunded, and prom
ised not to prosecute, we couldn't be here
but as to Johnny, you'll see, Jane. Well
find him ON, and We'll have him home,
and bring him up to be honest and true,
and we'll find means to reward those that
have been kind to him, never you fear"
and he stopped down and kissed her.
Thus it was that the mother of the de-
serted child returned to America-the hap
py, respected wife of an upright .and sue
cessful man. yet yearning for her lost
darling with longing that never faded or
grew dim. Daily, during the homeward
voyage, she had pictured the meeting be-
tween herself and her boy, until she could
almost feel the clasp of his little arms
round her neck; but as the Flying Scud
neared America. a miserable restlessness
took possession of her-a sick fear lest she
should not find her child. Her husband
was very kind, very tender with her, but
he had no power to still the terror that
filled the mothers soul.
It was on a rainy morning early in
Christmas week, that Henry BoutOn, the
fortunate diamond-seeker, and his pale
wife landed at New York, and as soon
as they had attended to their baggage,
they started together to look for the Fan
shaws.
They went first to the old lodgings to
which little Johnny had been traced by
Lis mother. The door was opened by a
man of whom they inquired the where
abouts of the Fanshaws.
"Walk in" said he, civilly, when he |
had heard their query, land I'll inquire"
He did so, and pleasant chatty woman
came out, with baby in her arms. elf
you please, ma am" she said, "the Fan |
Shaws left here three years ago and more. |
When Mr.. Fanshaw got into trouble my
husband was put in his place with the |
railroad company, and as he couldn't af- |
ford to keep these lodgings, we took 'em
off his hands,"
Henry Bouton turned to smile cheerily |
as his wife before heasked, "What trouble
was it?"
'Why, sir, don't know that l can
rightly tell you. 1t was something about |
a gold snuff-box that Mr.. Fanshaw was
to have stolen, and he was dis
missed from the cOmpany's service. His |
character was cleared afterwards by some 1
letter from South Africa, and my husband |
said the company would have given him
another situation, but they never could |
trace him. But lor', ma'am," she ex-
suddenly breaking off, "do let |
me get you chair. You look ready to
Drop 49, |
Henry Bouton scarcely waited to thank |
the astonished woman for her informa-
tiOn, before he bore off his wife to the car
riage that waited at the door. She cow
cred in a corner of it, and shivered as if |
with cold, but said not word.
"Don't take on so, Jenny urged her |
drawing her shawl more closely |
round her; "for my sake don't. You
couldn't dream you were doing him such
IN injury, and we shall find them, I'm
sure. Try to think of some other place
where they may be heard Of" She shook
her head hopelessly at first, but after
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