The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-07-15

to drift among them when you cannot
see .them:'
They glided from the shore, appearing
unsuhstantial at little distance, and soon
blending ike phanfoms with the chill
mist She looked down at the dark water,
ard disturbed David by asking how he
would feel if she should 90 overheard
and never come up. They had reached
the opposite shore when the distant throb-
bing that smote his ear reminded him that
he must leave her.
IL isn't 50 dark nOw-I can paddle
b4ck alone" she urged. . The moons
rising. The lilies are asleep. but shall
try to find one on the way to carry back
with me +"
He glanced fondly into her uncertain
face, left one more kiss oil her lips and
sprang ashore; while she, indistinct IN the
dim light and heavy atmosphere, gllded
outward and passed into nothingness, Ike
a ghost receding to the land of shadows
He waited under the nearest tree, in the
foolish hope that he might hear the beach,
ing of the c4nOe or the film sing down OF
the paddles as she gained the other side.
But no sound came back through the veil
behind which she had disappeared. The
small noises that fill the night in such a
place-the breaking of dry twig, the
football of startled rabbit, the plash OF
a prowling mink-never seemed so dis
tinct before.
9TH ol' mans Jest a-tearin' into things
tonight - remarked a neighbor who over
took David.
"Yes, so he is"
"Jest a-makin' tn OF shanty hum.
en- tell two mile off when he's mad.
Makes 'er bile then. Bust his wheel fore
mOrnin'."
These observations did not have very
soothing fleet on David, who saw when
he entered that the mill was groaning un-
der a tremendous head. He attempted no
conversation. Hersey did not sleep well.
aud rose of his own accord about mid
night His first act, after the usual
rubbing on his crown and pulling out of
his bull's-eye and tobacco. was 10 raise the
gate and let on an additional weight of
water. The mill trembles afresh under
the new impulse.
SUDDENLY, as David was preparing to go,
the saw stopped with groan, while the
disencumbered wheel flew Oh with re-
doubled speed. Down went the gate, and
Hersey glanced into the black abyss with
a frown still blacker. To descend among
those slippery timbers was easy enough
for supple man in the daytime, but for
an elderly one in the middle of the night
il was a different thing. David's response
bility had ceased, and he leaned quietly
against post in the deep shade with his
coat over his arm.
Hersey's knowledge that his folly was
silently criticised by the yOungster &ho
" couldn't run mill did not increase his
presence of mind. He surmised that the
key which held the pitman TO the crank had
flown from its place. He sullenly kicked
aside trap-dOor and disappeared. In his
perturbation he slipped. and only pro-
iecting brace pin saved him from plunging
hradlong against the slimV sills tar below.
He clung to his resting placr, cursing
himself for not having gone down proper
ly by way of the taii-race, and hesitatlng
whether to dash his brains out like con-
sistent man or to crawl back batfled before
David. Dead silence reigned, except as it
was broken by the Kissing and gurgling of
the sardonic water.
"GO home -
These two words, the first ones spoken
that night. assembled strangely but EN-.
phaticaily from the depths. David moved
out of the mill, but sat down in the log
wav. Silence reigne again. Soon grizzly
head came through the floor, and then Mr..
Hersey lifted himself into view.
He had no sooner Strengthened up than
he was sn.itten with disgust to see David
stalk into the mill again and continue the
solemn pantomime by removing his h t
and holding the inverted candle over it.
The bottom of the candle was
then planted in the resulting puddle
of grease, which cooled and held it
upright. The hat, resembling volcanic
! island surm united b. a lighthouse, took
/ is place OH David's head. while a hatchet
| was secured under hi suspender.
Mr.. Hersey, suddenly left alone in the
dark. peered wonderingly downward,
saw the light sink lower and lower, and
saw the slippery limbers that had failed
| him Weld sure foothoid to the fellow he
/ had ordered to go home. AS David bent his
! face close above the crank sigh escaped
Hersey, and lis hands wandered nervous
| lv towards the lever: - swan I've no
| ton to let 'er fly now; 'twOuld take him
plump in the nose" But he denied him
self the pleasure.
When David began to ascend. feeling
that this service must win me open ac-
knowIedyment, Mr.. Hersey stcalthily
scrambled out of the way, and was not
visible when the light shot above the floor
again.
On pile of boards near by he was
wrestlinr with his OnScience. Should he
tamely permit his daughter to wed a youth
whom others of the same inches could
hanslle? He was too Jealous of the honor
of his house to endure the degradation
and too sensible of the general merits OF
the ease to raise any other objection. Had
David at this moment walked up and CIV
en- him thrashng he would have beer
satisfied and ready to bestOw his blessing
Retreating footsteps crossed the log
way.
"Dave :" he groaned, and rose from tn,
pile of boards, The footsteps ceased
"Hold on"
Hrrsey set the saw nervously, glanced
at the heat lightning playing in the west
stepped out among the logs and crushed
into the earth with his foot some phos
phorescent fungi that like an evil eye hat
been glover ing at him.
81 never was afeared o. fOX-tire. Dave
but somehow that biggest piece there
made me think o Ellen face that night
pulled her out o. the tlOOm-drownded
{ thought when the moon shone on er
She WANT but nine. Fetched my supper
: here once N while then. when the log
was sutferin'. never seen a lily senc'
but what think how 'er white face a.
that yeller hair o. her'n looked a-fioatin
! there N the water By George set tht
saw an didn't start 'er!" Hiss, clatter
plaSh. crash, rip! rip! rip!
What did it meHl-herrey telling Davlt
: to ''hOld on" and talking in this way? 4
certain volcanic hat. embelli>hed by tn
: foundation of ia lighthouse, took a joyou
turn in the air. a. hate hats" was al
the young man ventured to say in explain
alton of its eccentriciry. as the old man
: eyebrows lowered towards him. His fac
{ frightened: his ear heard pleasant pro
/ phecies in the watery voices below; hi
s eye raptuously swept the far dark lin
' where the woods closed round the pond.
Hersey was at the foot of the log, Dav
: at the head, the saw tearing away betwee
D them. The countenance of the forme
S was still perplexed and cloudy. Present
{ " it cleared little. Finally, it broke int
: full sunshine, and he dropped his h nc
r spike. He came up and bent close TO D.
/ yid, raising his voice above the racket
] Dave, wasn't your leg ever broke G
snything?"
r His countenance fell. Back went tn
: carriage. Clink, clink, rang the crow
har Hiss clatter plash crash, RID rip