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

childs sobs soon subsided under the com
bined influence of kisses and oranges
The little fellow was worn out by CRYING
and he nestled directly into has new rest
ing-place, and went fast asleep. claspins
one of Mrs. Fanshaw's fingers tightly il
his mottled hand. Invent to the mother'l
heart to leave him, but she felt that, in tn,
e present state of the family funds, they
could not venture to burden themselve.
with this helpless child. She laid hin
tenderly down, kissing The flushed cheek
and gently drawing away her finger.
=" BE kind TO him, poor little duck" she
said to the old dame, +" he'll soon get used
to it; but he is only a baby, and it is hare
for him to be taken from his mother,
aud in an unusually subdued mood Mrs
Fanshaw descended the stairs to join her
husband below.
Mr.. Fanshaw. meanwhile, had been sit
ting on a bench i'm the office talking to one
Of The officers who was off duty.
"Got such thing as chew of tobacco
about you, Fanshaw2'' said the officer,
peerinT hungrily into Toms face.
why, yes, replied Tom, /" thought
somebody might want some, so filed my
fbOx before | started.'' He put his hand
in his co it-pocket, and drew thence-a
| gold Louis QuatorZe snutfbox, from the
lid of which beamed a lovely enameled
face, set round with large diamonds. Mr..
Fanshaw's eyes opened TO that extent that
there was reason to apprehend that he
never would be able to close them again
his wife's glittered like a ravens; the
jcweled toy lay shining on the big palm.
Well" at last said Mr.. Fanshaw,
drawing a long breath. A moment after,
Bless my soul!" he exclaimed, "I've
hit it, 1t must have been put in my
pocket by that ere woman we met, with
the police close at her heels. Serve her
right, if she did get caught" added Tom,
Indignantly, "the jade, putting such
things in an honest mans pocket. But
what beauty it is, to be sure !"
A day or two later an advertisement ap-
peared in The Herald. offering one hundred
dollars reward for the box. Fanshaw's
conscience had been set at rest in regard
to the acceptance of such reward, and he
settled with his wife that she should go to
the statiOn-house and claim little Johnny
for they could afford to keep him on the
reward-and meet her lord afterward at
the jewelers. shop. When he reached it
he stared through the plate-glass window
IN admiration for minute or two, and
then walked in in the best possible spirits,
and advanced toward the counter.
g called about this advertisement"
said he, showing one that he had cut out
of the paper; " the box has come into my
possession"
go, indeed" replied the young man
whom he addressed, with an unmistakable
sneer. 20, indeed ;"
sit happened very curiously." Tom
went on glibly. :" and my wife were
walking"
Don't tell your story to me, if you
please" interrupted the shopman rudely,
- I'll mention your errand to my master.
Here, Jenkins, two upon ten."
The shOpman went down an inner pas
sage, and Jenkins advanced from the
other side of the shop and kept very close
to Tom, in manner which he could not
but think offensive, especially as a man
of far less respectable appearance was
left standing unmatched at the opposite
counter. Worse than this, the meaning
of the mysterious order, "twO upon ten,"
soon became obvious in the gluing of Mr.. !
Jenkins eyes upon the ten fingers, five of |
which were resting innocently upon the |
Tom began TO grow very un- |
when finally the first sales /
man returned and preceded him into a
private room, and Jenkins, calling another |
man to attend to the shop, joined quietly |
in behind. Tom felt that all his good spir- /
its had unaccountably left him, and was |
of wearing a hang-deg look, and |
Of being treated surprisingly like a GRIM
naI.
Mrs. Fanshaw. with little Johnny i'm her |
hands, hOvered about the door of the Jew
eler's shop for good quarter of an hour
before her lord made his appearance.
When at length he did so, she fell back with |
4 start, and looked with terrified eyes into
his the gas-light showed it to be of deadly |
white.
" Heavens save us, Tom! what's the
matter? You look like ghost!"
" Stuff and n0nscnse.'' he said, trying
% speak angrily, but the words came
hick and faint out of his throat. "What
you've got the brat, have you"
=" \ es, Tom. Poor little man, he was
20 pleased" and the wife crept timidly
nearer her husband.
We shall never repent it any way, Pm I
sure. l couldn't have eaten my Christ /
mas dinner comfortable, if we hadn't done I
t, but haven't you-haven't you got the
" Yes, Eve got the money!" he growled !
between his set teeth. 4
Mrs. Fanshaw felt such a lump rise in
ler throat that she spoke no more till they
we're at home and in their own rooms.
fhere she could no longer restrain her
ears; they streamed down unnOticed over
he new bOnnet-strings that she had tied
With such pride an hour before.
so, Tom ~ she pleaded, Il can't bear
his. Only tell me what it MEANS"
Meansln he exclaimed, ''it means that
hey don't believe a word of my story. 1t
means that shall lose my situation as sure
Is you're living woman; thanks to you
md that cursed brat! They don't prose-
ute, but they are going to write and in
Orm the Company"
The next day Tom Fanshaw was sum-
narily dismissed from the employment of
he n. Y. c. Railway Company without