The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-11-04

soon git true departure by the mum
bers. For the first block there wern'
no numbers; there were vacant place
and factory, and what not, but whel
| come to No. % on the next block.
were glad | had made lucky land-fall
and were sure | were right. OF cours,
then all had for to do were to follow
along till | got to 65. 1t were a mic,
little twO-story brick house, and as
ringed the bell, couldn't help wonder
in however Dick had fetched up in sicl
moorin's as these. There were a nice
little lass opened the door, and when
asked her if Mrs. Lee were at home
she said she were, and asked me to wall
| in.
80 What name shall ] say?' SAYS she
as went into snug little parlor on the
right of the hall.
49, Well, MISS" saws /, 'as she don't
| know me, the name don't matter, tell
her it's friend from a perticlar friend,
as would like to see her on important
business
80 Yes, sir, says she, and / thought
to myself if the mistress is as nice as the
maid, don't wonder at Dick, and then
| thought of what I'd promised Old
Neptune the first time | crossed the line
never to kiss the maid if | could kiss
the mistress, unless | liked the maid the
best and wondered if | should like the
mistress as well as | did the maid.
Presently there come into the room
as neat little craft as one would wish
to meet in a days sail. Fine figure
head, good smooth bow, able body, and
clean run, all ship-shape and Bristol
fashion fore and aft.
Did you wish to see me?' she said,
and didn't wonder at Dick gittin' in
the doldrums, for weren't much better
myself. You see | thought it would be
easy thing for to do, but now that it
had got to be done didn't hardly know
what to say.
"'The fact is, marm.' says | a-stand-
in up before her, and | wished was a
hundred miles away, Dick Ostrom,
whom | 'spOse you knows well, is a
chum of mine, me and him havin' now
been shipmates off and on for over a
year, and put Dick, marin, to a weather
earin' in a gale of wind, and there aint
none better as any body'll say as has ev-
er been shipmates with him, but along
side of woman, marm, as no doubt
You have obsaryed, Dick are as skeerv
as a colt, and so you see, marm, havin'
long e'en almost worshipped the ground
YOU stands on, he never couldn't git his
courage up to the Stickin' pint for to tell
YOU so, and so bein' his chum, volun-
teered for to come and let YOU know
how the land lay, and that Dick, hayin'
saved up a good bit of money, were will
lin for to be spliced, if so be as how it
were agreeable to you, marm;' and |
wiped the sweat off my head and were
glad it were over.
"Well she looked kind of confused,
but | seen that she weren't displeased,
and she says, Il suppose | know the gen
tleman you speak of, hayin' noticed him
in meetin'.'
soho; thinks l, there's where Dick
come across the craft. But says she,
this is so sudden, so entirely uneXpect-
ed, that really | am not prepared to
say anythin'.'
"' He'll never come near you agin,
marm,' says L, unless he thinks he has
some little sight; may tell him that he
may come up and see you tomorrow
night?'
49, shall be home tomorrow night
says she, and of course I'm always
glad for to see my friends
"' Talk enough, marm' says /, for |
considered the business as good as set
tied, and bid her good AFTERNOON, she
lettin' me out of the door herself.
"Wen, | goes down and sees Dick,
and | says It's all right, old chap, and
you re a mighty lucky fellow; all you've
got to do is to haul alongside as soon as
ever you like, and the widder's yours,
and she'll be eNpectin' you tomorrow
night But Dick were too much in
hurry to wait for the next night, and
away he goes that same evenin' as hap
py as a young pOrpus.
:" turned in mayhap about 10 O'Clock
that night, and were just droppin' off
to sleep when | were woke up by Dick.
Il don'twant to Strikeyou in the bunk
says he, though I've had a mind to put
a knife through you; but get up and
put on your pants, and come out on
deck, and we'll have this out here and
now
"' AvaSt,' says |, there's some mis-
take here, and | aint a-goin' to fight
till knows what it's for, and anyhow |
aint a goin' out on deck for to fight,
cause the watchman will call a police
man and We'll both be locked up in less
than no time so whatever's the trouble,
it'll keep till mornin' and then if I've
done any thin agin You, We'll 90 down
to the north shore, and fight it out
pleasant
4" Some the rest of the chaps had got
walked up, and they took my part, and
jiSt told Dick there mustn't be no fight
in there. and them and he agreed for
to put it off till mOrnin', and then,
says he, I'm larn you how to fool a
shipmate.'
''Well he goes out on deck and /
heered him a wallSin' there and | waited
spell, and then | went out and | says.
Now, chummie, what's this all about?'
d" SAYS he, you never went near that
woman, and have made a fool of me.
80 AvaSt!' says l, 'who says sop
"' She says so, says he.
"'Then,' says |, with all due re-
spect, and I'm sorry to say it of sich
nice creeter as she appeared to be, she
tells thunderin' lie. 'Taint no use,
Dick, for you and me to fight over this
thing, III go up there with you to-mOr-
row, and if | don't convince YOU that
she lies, don't never call me Shipmate
again. She amt worth stoppin' out of
bed for; 90 turn in and take your rest
like a man.
"Wen, sir, next night we goes up to-
gether, and when we gifts to the top of
Mortimer Street, instead of portin',
Dick Starboarded.
40 Hold hard, old fellow; right your
helm;' says l, that amt the way
Yes it is says he, this here is
Rincon Steet, t'other way is Doug
lass Street
al don't care what you calls it,
this is the way l went, and at No. 65 l
found Mrs. Lee, and mighty nice body
she is
"'That's Douglass Street, says he,