The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-10-07
EDWARD BROWN, STOKER.

EDWARD BROWN, ST0KER.
We were very quiet, Mary and l, as
we strolled out of the churchyard, down
one of the lanes, and then crossing a
stile, we went through a couple of fields
and sat down on another stile, with the
high hedge on either side of us, and the
meadow that they were beginning to
NOW at the other end, one glorious bed
of flowers and soft, feathery grass.
Polly" | says at last, breaking the
silence, " amt this heavenly?''
"And you feel better?" she says, lay
ing her hand on mine.
"Betteri" | says, taking long
draught of the soft, sweet-scented air,
and filling my chest, better, old girl !
Ifeel as if Twas growing backward into
a boy"
"And you fifty last week!m she says.
EYES," | says, smiling, "and you
forty-seven next week" And then we
sat thinking for bit.
"Polly," | says at last as | sat there
drinking in that soft breeze and feeling
it give me strength, "it's worth being
i'll only TO feel as | do now"
For you see I'd been very bad, else I
dare say I'm not the man to go hang
ing about church-yards and watching
funerals. I'm a stoker, and my work
lies in steamers trading to the East. I'd
come home from my last voyage bad
with fever, and been carried home to
die, as my mates thought, and it was
being like this and getting better that
had set me thinking SO seriously and
made me so quiet. Not that | was ever
a noisy sort of man, as any one VINO
knows me viii SAY. And now, after
getting better, the doctor had said |
must 90 into the country to get strong,
so as there was no more VOyaging till /
was strong there was nothing for it but
TO leave the Youngsters under the care
of the eldest girl and a neighbor, and
come and take lodgings out in this quiet
Surrey village.
Polly never thought should get bet
ter, and one time no more did /; for
about month before this time, as lay
hollow-eyed and yellow on the bed,
knowing, too, how bad | looked, for |
used to make young Dick bring me the
looking-glass every morning, the doctor
came rs usual, and, like blunt Eng
liShman, put it to him fiat.
doctor | SAYS, "yOu don't think
| shall Get better?'' and | looked him
straight in the face.
''Oh, come, come, my mani" he says,
smiling, "we never look at the black
side like that"
None of that, doctor, - says. "Out
with II like a man. | can stand it. I've
been expecting to be drowned or blown
up half my life, so | shan't be scared at
what you may say"
"Well, my man." he says, "your
symptoms are of very grave nature.
You see the fever had undermined you
before you came home, and unless ----''
Gan right, doctor, - says, 9 under
stand. You mean that unless you can
get a new plate in the boiler she won't
stand another voyage"
"Oh, come! we won't look upon II as
a hopeless case," he SAYS. t"There's
always hope" After little more talk,
he shook hands and went away.
Next day when he came | had been
thinking il all over, and was ready for
him. | don't believe Twas bit better.
In fact, know was drifting fast, and
saw it in his ewes as well.
waited till he had asked me his diff
ferent questions, and then, just as he
was getting up TO go, asked him to sit
down again.
"Pollv, nv dear" | says, 81 Just
want few words with the DOCTOR" and
she put her apron up to her eyes and
went out, closing the door after her very
softly, while the doctor looked at me
curious-like, and waited for me tospeak.
Doctor L SAYS, you've about
given me up. There, don't shake vour
head, for | know. Now, don't Won think
I'm afraid to die, for 1 don't believe ]
am, but look here. There's seven chill
drcn down stairs, and if leave my wife
a widow, with the fewpoundS | have
been able to save, what's to become of
them? Can't YOU pull me through?n
"My dear fellow" he says honestly,
''Pve done every thing l can for your
That's what YOU think, DOCTOR" ]
saws, - but look here. I've been at sea
thirty, years, and in seven wrecks. It's
been like lodging death with me a score
of times Why, pulled my wife there
regularly out of the hands Of death, and
I'm not going 10 give up now. I've
been -'
"Stop, STOP" he says gently. ''YoU
are exciting yourself"
. Not bit, ;" | says, though my voice
was quite whisper. '1'ye had thi:
over all night, and I've come to think
must be up and doing my dnty.'
but, my good man. he began.
"Iisten to me, doctor,m | says. {"
score Of times | might have given NJ
and been drowned, but made a fight
for it and was saved. Now | mean tC
make fight for it right here, for the
sake of the wife and bairus. / don't
mean to die, doctor, withouta struggle
| believe this here, that life is given to
us all as a treasure to keep. We might
throw it away by our own folly at any
time, but there's hundreds of time:
when we may preserve it, and we never
know whether we can save it till we try
Give's q drink of that water Etsrl
He held the glass to my lips, and
took a big draught, and went on, h
seemingall the time TO be stopping t
humor me in my madness.
InprOr. = SaTS