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

selected or r. lected here. ENfry elcintnt-
al caprice translated the commonplace
anew. A single br, ath OF cooler air-com-
ing whence? going whither!-chaDged
instantly The tone of the whole SCENE.
Nothing was too incoBgruous or poor TO
escap,. an afIiuent and harmonious trans
formation
Your hand trembles," she said lightly
as Davil ssisted her ashore.
All earth and heaven seemed propitious.
His tongue Sas able TO utter the love his
manner had more eloquently told before.
Youth. passion, fa' th were theirs, and
the hour that comes but once passed
Then Ellen hastily arranged
dripping treasures, which would have
warmed to blushing roses had they touch
ed her breast, hung one about her lovers
neck and slipped suddenly away as 3irily
as the down of dandelion, repeating,
- Here-to-mOrrow- sundown."
Ii was busy time with Mr.. Hersey.
By the middle of July the water usually
got low. and there were great many logs
, till sufferin' to be ripped into" With
a little assistancefrom David he kept the
mil running night and day. A small
room, fashioned of slabs and wany boards,
in a corner near the flume, contaip ed saw
du,t, a buffalo robe. a hay pillow and
window of four broken panes. Here each
night he would lie down for few hours
that "A little knitting might be done on the
raveled sleeve of his care while David kept
the saw at work. By reason of his noe
turnal industry the latter felt privileged
10 do but little plowing and a great deal OF
fishing.
That evening, as usual, David turned
his face milward about niue O'Clock. He
did not even know how he had surprised
his mother when he came back from
Birdseye about noon and hung a bunch
of water-lillies where the cat couldn't
reach them, remarklng wildly that he
would dress them after dinner and have
them fried for supper. He talked to HIM
self, paused a good while to watch the
moon climb above the trees, and, TO speak
rather paradoxically, was just conscious
of being little delirious He was an ac-
cepted lover for the first time.
Only one obstacle remained. would
that night, while elated with success.
beard the lion in his den, the Hersey in
his saw-mill.
Scarcely a sound disturbed the soft
night as he strobe on except the faint rip !!
ripl rip! that throbbea through the sub
dued roar of the distant wasUe-weir, and
increased on his ear, as he approached,
like his own rising pulse. Only the seeth-
ing of the water in the black depths below
greeted him as he crossed the log-way.
A rough figure was bending by a candle,
which lighted the massive face and grizzly
beard. bringing out Hersey's powerful
profile from the surrounding darkness
like Rembrandt pict re. A dim move
ment about the head-blOck; clink, clnk,
rang the crowbar against the iron dog
which gripped the log till the sap ran a
shadowy arm like giants grasped the
lever. Hiss, clatter, plash, crash, rip I!
rip. rip! was the quick response as the
black flutter-wheel grew white with foam
and the dancing pitman wet with spray,
and the savage saw settled to its work.
David went about his duty with alacri-
ty, The tumultuouS flood that rushed be-
low stirred his blood and was full of in
spring voices. The race ran molten sill
ver in The moonlight. The distant line OF
woods that marked the rim of the pond,
heaven from earth. shutting the
seen from the unseen. WAS spiritualized by
the sweet secret over which il brooded.
Midnight came-the time for him to
rouse HerSey and take his own depar-
ture. He stopped the saw and resolute.ly
entered the sleeping-cuddy. Then he
turned to the little window and looked out
again on the dim landscape. The moon
light. falling against the sash, cast shad-
oWv cross upon his breast.
The stiffness awakened Mr.. Hersey, who
rubbed his head, pulled silver bulPs-eye
and plug of tobacco from his trousers
and gaZed at the face of the one while
shaking his own face at the tough end OF
the other David paused in the shallow oI
a beam and touched Hersev's arm. Some,
what hurriedlv, with his heart in hi,
mouth at first. he told his story. Mr.. Her.
sey gaZed at him without winking. turned
in silence ami grasped the gate-lever. Hiss
clatter, plash. crash, rip! rip! rip! waS
the answer. David waited with sinking
heart till the stub short was reached. The
other, still silent, ran back the carriage
set the saw deliberately and again reached
for the lever. David took up his Oat
shook the sawdust from it and turneC
to GO.
"Dave! Come back"
Hersey arefullv placed the crOwbal
where it did not belong resumed his place
pushed some sawdust through the wid'
racks of the floor with his foot: cain
this rather sudden? You can't run ;
mill. Plenty o. BOYS o. your Inches cal
h4ndle YOU. Don't say no more 'bou
it." Hiss, clatter, plash. crash, rip f! rip
rip!
As the falling sunlight, on the following
evening. was struggling through the tree
tops, tranSliguring with mysterious ten
derness the details that would have beeI
worthless in any other scene, Ellen start
e TO bide her tryst. Her face was unusu
allv thoughtful. About her eyes, tear
iess and clear themselves, hOvered a grow
ING shadow, although her firm mouth wa
>weetened bv smile of expectancy. Th
shores of Birdseye were at this hour NOR
than ever a wonderland of I'M Xplicabl'
lints and unexpected harmOnies and un
fathomable feeling. AS she approached
swaying gently and loOsing her yellow
hair, her face frightened against the dusk!
green, as if one of her darlings of III
pond, that now hid themselves betOr
her, had arisen and unfolded in large
life
At his evening meal her father hal
pushed back his chair, fishing bit q
goose quill from his waistcOat pOckel
and putting to her the question, "Ho0
is it?"
Ellen knew what the question meant
and answered it plainly. The converss
ton ended by Mr.. H. rsey putting on hi
hat with the knot of the band in front, an
turning round in the doorway to say, Il
see girl o. mine deader'n a stuffed ow
afore I'll give my willingness. Any bod
can handle him.
.'It makes no difference who can hal
die him," was the quiet answer.
Such sentiment precluded argument
He gave q stare ef amaZement and val
ished in disgust, his manner indicatin
that his logs would soon be relieved
their sufferings if ripping into them cOul
do il. He really felt as he had sometime
done when treading cluDsily on a stra
flower, but he had not seen how to el
press his convictions more delicately Will
out yielding them entirely. A ray frol
the descending sun, journeving million
of miles to nestle in Ellen's hair. crel
through the window overlooking Bird
eve and ended in a golden mist about b,
head. She shrank into the shade and Fl
her face. Hrnce the absence of It's usui
serenity when on her way to David.
He told her of his failure with h'
father the night before. ''You should hay
left il 70 me- was her comment.
A fog crept outward from the shor'
covering the water and blotting out Il
stars that wayered below. She watched
silently. For a moment she stood askin
he self whether the love that had grow
mn there from mysterious depths. like n