The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-03-25
An Innocent Old Couple on Their
Travels.


A couple of nights ago, says the Louis
| vile COHrie,'-JO,T7aat, very aged couple,
who were compelled to remain at the JET
fersonville, Madison and Indianapolis de-
pot all night, waiting for the morning
train, attracted attention by their actions
and talk. The man was eighty-three
years of age, and his wife, eighty-two.
Both were gray-haired and evidently pass
ing into their second childhood. The
maA's frame betokened a giant strength
in early age, now weakened materially by
old age. The couple had come from the
mountain fastnesses of Tennessee and
were on their way to visit daughter, liv-
ing about eight miles back of New Al
bany.
The man was veteran in the war of
1872, and was one of the few surviving he
roeS of the battle of New Orleans. In re-
lating his presence as soldier of Jack
sons army he became enthusiastieyassti
his fame trembled with emotion atthesfe-
membrance of that day. Strange to say,
neither he nor his wife, during all their
long years of existence, dating back to in
fancy of the Great American Republic,
had ever, until their present trip, seen a
railroad train. Living far in the noun
tains of East Tennessee, where the IRON
horse shrieked not its notes of the rapid
progress of the times, they had passed
more than the allotted time OF life, in utter
ignorance of the changes that had taken
place in the world since Andrew Jackson
fought and whipped the 'Britishcrs" be-
hind the cotton-bales in New Orleans.
But the time had come when they must
visit some of their children, before the
finger of death was pointed at them.
lot, 70
had their trunks or 'boXes," as they called
them, checked to this point, not under
standing this manner of doing business
but trusting that all would come right.
They got on the cars with many misgiv-
ings. As the train bounded along, many
miles an hour, they trembled for the safe
ty of their lives. They saw fire in the
locomotives and steam issuing therefrom,
but could not comprehend how the
burned thing. as the old man called 1t,
travelled so fast. They expected every
moment TO see the train hurled off the
track and themselves crushed upon the
ground, Notwithstanding the assurance of
passengers to the contrary. "HOw does the
thing go?" they would ask frequently,
but explanations did not give them very
clear and satisfactory idea of the great
motive-power of the locomotive, in max
ing such vast strides over the land. The
Shrieks of the locomotive sounded ike
claps of thunder to their ears, and puzzled
them exceedingly. When they arrived
here at night, being poor, they were COM
PEELED to stay during the entire night in
the waiting-room of the depot, and there
slees away the weary hours.
Here another trouble seemed to affect
them. The new checks were given them
for the transportation of their baggage
over the j., NJ. and |. road, and they fear
ed that some fraud had been perpetrated
upon them. The brass checks have pieces
ofIeather attached to them. 81 don't like
these here gumalastics," said the man to
his wife. "Fd like tor see my box; I'm
afeared some o. these here fellers are
goin' to get away with it. Pears to me
changing these here things looks kinder
suspicious" and he shook his innocent
old gray hairs doubtfully.
A number of parties questioned them as
they sat in the room. Suddenly loco
motive began to yell its loudest, and the
old man uncOnsciOusly said TO Betsy, By
| iehokys did yer hear that clap OF thun-
! der?' When told what it was he was
much relieved. Another thing puzzled
! him and his wife. There was sofa stand
lDU Ill IL6 IOOlll, tilus do HC otlO uPOh AII IL
seemed to him to spring up and down.
| He wanted to know what it was made of,
and was answered, laughingly, by an Off
GER, that it was made of horse hair. He
viewed it with an eye of great curiosity.
By and by the couple was left alone, and
finally fell asleep.
About one o'clock in the morning, the
| officers at the station-hOuSe near by kindly
cooked some coffee for them and sent ii
over to them, for which they were very
grateful. Before daylight l1e man awoke,
and, hearing the locomotive ''roaring" in
the yard, he shouted to Betsey, his wife,
g Betsey, git up, hyar comes that burned
old thing, and we must be off," But il
was not the train. and the two composed
! themselves again to sleep.
The last words of the man as they left
the city were, " Eff ever my gray hairs get
out of this trouble, yer will never ketch
me riding on keers agin," and the first act
of his before leaving was to inquire about
his box" and those ''gumalastics. The
next day every body about the depot was
talking of the curious old couple and their
embarrassment in the presence of high
toned civilization. ..-,