The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-12-24

men were lounging. The often-repeate
question was this time answered in th
affirmative. Yes, they were here. -Falle
so low as this! The Boutons mOunte
the filthy stairs, swarming at every fligf
with squalid children, up and up till the
reached the topmost garret. Here the
| knocked, and m a minute a woman cam
out, closing the door behind her. A wO
man-but could that lean, careworn crea
ture, witn untidy hair and threadbar
clothes that hung loosely about her pinch
ed figure, could that really be the bonny
cOmely Mrs. Fanshaw of old days? Jan
Bouton was past speaking by this time
her knees were shaking under her; sh
could hardly stand, but she signed to he
husband to tell her story. He did so a
once, in frank, manly way, standing al
the time in the dreary passage. He touch
ed tenderly upon the various incidents
but he omitted nothing, and he ended by
humbly entreating forgiveness for hi
wife. His listener heard him in entirt
silence, and as he paused, wailing voice
called from within: Mother, Mother,
do comei"
Mrs. Fanshaw turned without word
and hurried back, leaving the door wide
open. The Boutons followed her. There
was not an atom of furniture in the
wretched room except two straw pallets,
and some old boxes which served as seats
no signs of food, no fire on that bitter
day. On the floor beside the empty CRATE,
crOuched two boys of nine and ten, while
girl, year or two older, was trying to
ilfuse some of her own vital warmth into
little child of four. They were all dark
4
them, and went to where Mrs. Fanshaw
was bending over a pillow of straw, on
which little golden head was lying. The
mother could contain herself no longer.
She flew across the room, and threw her.
self on her knees by the side of the pallet
"My baby, my baby I" she cried. John
ny opened his eyes with look of wonder,
but did not speak.
"He is dying" hoarsely whispered Mrs.
Fanshaw "dying of hunger"
For one moment Mrs. BoutOn turned
away her eyes from her child. "Fetch
food" she motioned with her lips to her
husband and he was gone in moment.
There was silence in the room till his
return, both women broOding over the
child. AT last he came, laden with all
that he had been able to seize in raid of
two minutes upon thea@stry cooks, and
followed by boy bearing steaming can
of soup.
With a flood of tears, Mrs. Fanshaw
held out her hand to the woman who had
been the cause of her husbands ruin, say
ing, +" God bless you for having come in
time to save him; he is like my own. |
forgive you for his sake" And the two
women embraced and kissed each other
by the side of tine child's pOverty-stricken
bed.
The sun rose bright and clear on Christ
mas Day. About noon Henry BOutOn
carried little weak Johnny in his strong
arms to a warm CHEEKY lodging in a
healthy neighborhood. Most of the fam
lily had moved some hours before, so as to
be ready to receive him, and the child
looked around with amazement when he
had been softly laid on the little white bed
in the corner. Mrs. Bouton had decked
the room with greens, coZy fire was
out its welcome, kettle was
singing on the fire, and the table was spread
for the dinner that was already sending
out savory whiffs from the adjoining
kitchen. Mrs. Fanshaw was there, al
ready beginning to smile and beam again,
suri ounded by her children in warm win
ter dresses, and Mrs. BoutOn waiting on
them ali. Johnny's ideas were vague as
TO the relationship in which she stood to
him, but he had no objection to find
second mother in the loving woman who
and petted him so tenderly.
Presently in came Mr.. Fanshaw, who
had been forbidden to make his appear.
ince earlier, and his astOnishment was
sight worth seeing. An arm chair had
been drawn up to the fireplace, and Hen
Y BOutOh's CHEEKY voice invited him into
{. As ne was about to sit down, he found
/ bl..Idle lying on the seat, but he almost
ct it drop again when he saw What it
contained. OF all things in the world, a
lran-new conductors uniform! "Yes,
7ou are honOrably reinstated, and pro-
noted to conductorship, Henry BOuton
vas saying, when he recovered from his
81 wish you Joy, I'm
,ure."
''NOw, little woman, let's have dinner"
Fhey had dinner, and such dinner
There was a turkey, of course, and roast
Ieef, and sausageS, and mince pies, and a
)lum pudding, and all the delicacies that
we're :er thought of. The very spirit
If Christmas seemed to shine out OF
Henry Bouton's eyes, and to illuminate
lis good natured face; he was resolved
lpon fun, and he was not a man to be
launted.
Bless you the stories that he told, the
okes that he made, the absurdities that
le perpetrated at that dinner would fill a
yolume, and then the children began first
o laugh, and when the magnificent ap-
partition of the pudding, spouting fire with
III its might, burst upon them, a genuine
hOut of baby glee came from the younp-
st, which rejoiced its mothers ears, and
# which he was as proud as could be. The
3outons were in no hurry. They had
aiken rooms in the same house and meant
o live there.
And there they live to this day, thriv-
ng, happy, prosperous lot of people as one
would wish to see.