The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-10-28

The black men sought their missing
chief in vain. and then mOurned for him
as dead. 1t was awild, lonely, yet beau
tiful spot where BaSset had made his
retreat: a deep and narrow reft in the
heart of the hills. BasSet cleared a
space on a small grassy plateau at the
head Of the gully, and here, with the
stems Of fallen gum trees, withes of the
willow, and clay from the bed of the
stream. built himself a hut. The cap
ture ofsuch animals and birds rs he re-
mired for food employed but a small
part Of the day. He did not usually
stray far outside the confines of his
mountain valley, lest he should again
meet with any of his late compahions;
but one day he had wandered a long
way beyond the boundaries of the
gorge. lie had left the mountains be-
hind, and had descended upon the plain.
Wandering on, with no fixed purpose in
his mind, he came upon solitary home
stead standing in the midst of level
well-grassed country, sparsely sprinkled
with woodland. 1t was the dwelling of
Hugh kavanagh, a spirited squatter,
who, seeking new and awider pastures
for his increasing flOcks, had pushed
farther and farther into the interior Of
the country until at last, and what he
thought would be his final resting place,
was one of the remotest stations in the
colony. As Basset contemplated the
home of Mr.. Kavanagh and its sur
roundings-the garden in front and the
small farmyard and outhouses in the
rear, an air of thriving and civilized
comfort pervading the whole-an idea
took possession of him. COncealing
himself in the neighborhood he waited
till rEghtfall. When all lights had been
eNtinguished in the house, and every
thing seemed quiet and at rest, Basset
stole from his hiding place. First he
entered one of the Out-houscS and
stealthily explored its interior. 1t was
a bright moonlight night-a circum-
stance which assisted him greatly in his
enterprise. At one of the places he found
a goat and two kids, and at the other
several lambs with their mothers. He
took the goat and its kids. Then he en-
tered the garden in front of the house,
and gathered several plants of flowers
and vegetables, carefully taking them
up by the roots. He was guided by no
choice in the matter, selecting the plants
rs they came, but he made no wanton
destruction among them, taking as many
only rs he wanted. Withdrawing with
his stolen booty he placed the plants in
his game-bag, slung the goat and the
kids on his shoulder and made his way
back to his mountain home. A few
nights after he returned to the scene of
his depredations and repeated his for
mer exploit. He now took Il sheep and
two lambs; and besides these a spade
and n hoe, and n quantity of different
kinds of grain from the stalls.
Basset had now the means of creating
occupation for himself. He TILED the
little plateau on which his hut was
raised, and planting his flowers and
sowing his grains he cultivated, tended
and nursed the patch of ground morn
ing and night with assiduOuS care. The
pleasure and pride of ownership which
he now experienced in the possession of
his garden, his field and his live stock
was a new and very agreeable feeling to
him. He enjoyed perfect freedom, to-
@Cther with 4 certain sense Of ciVillZa-
ton. He was dependent upon no man ;
he was entirely sclf-suflicing and self
supporting. Now and then, indeed, at
! long intervals, he paid a visit to Mr..
Kayanagh's station, and-well, stole
several articles which it was beyond his
resources to produce himself. On one
occasion, finding the family all from
home during the day, he entered the
house itself, aud took thence a number
of books. To the reading of these he
gave himself in the hot summer moons
and the long winter evenings.
Thus the hermit lived, solitary, but
suilicing for all things in himself, and
for five years he was cOntented and
! happy. lie thought he could live thus
! forever; blt he was mistaken. The life
he had been leading for the past five
years had, unconsciously to himself,
been working q gradual but decided
| change in the mans nature.
Among the books which he had taken
from Mr.. kavanagh'S house was one OF
German legends, grim, fantastic stories
| of the mysterious and the supernatural.
On stormy nights, sitting by his lonely
wood fire, his fancy peopled the tumul-
tu0us elements outside with the strange
! beings of these old legends; he could
/ imagine a legion of storm-spiTits abroad
on the wind. to whose turbulent do
minion the valley had for the time been
surrendered. Gradually these influences
/ had an awing effect upon Basset's mind
! The intense solitude of the mountains,
which in stormy seasons became desc
| lation, was beginning to OverpOwer and
almost to COW him. Whatever of will
fulnesS and stubborn resistance was in
nate in him was becoming tanned and
Subdued. He now acknowledged nc
human master, and the stern impaSsive
/ forces of nature We're overmaStering
him. His lonely liberty was making
him a grave, thoughtful and joyles;
man. lie went about his daily occupa.
ton in his garden, his field and among
/ bis animals, but they were ceaSing L
Weld him the satisfaction and the pleas
ure which they had once done.
Seven years he passed in this valley
seven Golden summers. seven StOrmfu
/ and dreary winters, and then the soil
tude had fairly oyermastered him. Alb
sJlute freedom had worn him out.
1t was again summer, a calm anC
beautiful evening in November. Mrs
/ kayanagh sat al the door of her house
working at somepiece Of sewing, watch
inc the sunset and awaiting the return
Of her husband from his DAYS occupa
ton. Her two children, q boy and girl
PLAYED together near at hand. As sh,
looked mp ever and anon to view tn,
fading sunset and to gaze in the direc
ton whence her husband should appear
q figure came suddenly into her field o
vision, emerging from the scattered
clumps Of woodland that fringed tn
horizontal line. 1t could not be he
husband, for ii was the figure of a pc
destrian. 1t adyanced steadiiI, and tn,
clearer its outlines became the more un
familiar it looked to Mrs. Kavanagh':
ewes. When at length she made on
distinctly the appearance of tn
stranger, some slight diSconposur
mingled with her wonder. The nal
advanced till within half a dozen yard
Of where she sat and then paused. Fo
/ n ,1~op,an Mrs Ea,-anaorh was no