The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-02-18
"I tell yer tain,t no use, 2 cried the man.

II tell yer tain't no use,v cried the man,
pettishly.
"Ohf Mumfordi OH Mumford ~ cried
the old lady. and she began to bounce
about so violently that feared she would
roll off the bank Into the road.
"Tutl tut /! nanny !" said my man.
Beginning to lose patience with all this
! idle mummery, turned suddenly towarC
/ the swaying bundle and said For Gods
/ sake, what is all of this nonsense about
Mumford 20 ~
1t was like giving the bundle an electri-
cal shock. Half springing FROM her seat,
she gave her huge bonnet a push that
! tumbledit from her head into the dust.
What is this about Mumford g' she cried.
4" Is that what You ask g' Her gray hair
| bristled all over her head /; a wild light
shone IN her sunken gray eyes, and she
/ stretched bony hand out toward me al
most in a menacing manner. "Mumford, -
she continued, calming somewhat, MUM
ford IS not. Mumford, sir, ioas my husband
! for forty gears. He sleeps now on the
banks of Green River. We left him there.
! BE sleeps there under the trees, where
should sleep!' Her hand dropped, and
in a sobbing voice she said: Yes, under
the trees--thank God for thati Under the
green trees He was born among the tall
green trees of Kentucky-liveG among
trees all his life-died among trees When,
far out in the desert, they told him he was
dying, sir, he asked 10 be raised up that he
might look out of the wagon. No. said
be, Il can't die here. There is not a tree
in sight! Go on
He lived. sir, till we reached Green
River, and was laid on bis bed under the
trees. Then he took my hand, sir, and
lx- In. Iia
"Thomas Thomas 20 called shrill
but weak voice from the wagon. Thomas,
is that mother a-talkin'?''
Thomas the doubling Thomas
who had all this time been sitting so de-
jectedly on the rock, arose and walked
sluggishly to the wagon.
The animated bundle looked after him
and said: Sim his mother-in-law He's
stick-a perfect stick ~ said she decid-
edly. YES" repeated she, "a perfect
stick, o, that by keepin' Mumford be-
fore him-by CALM Mumford up in his
mind-I could get him to show some of
Mumford's spirit
In moment Thomas came back and
said: ''Nancy-that's my wife, sir-wants
to see you. She's sick in the wagon"
NOdding to the young girl who was
holding the sick child at the front of the
vehicle and placing my hand on the faxen
locks of the little one by her side, looked
into the back part of the "family mansion"
Just as a tall, thin, hOllow-eyed woman
was rising from some quilts.
Resting in sitting position by holding
to the side of the wagon, the woman gazed
wistfully at me.
You are sick, my good womani' said
l.
80, yes, sir-very, sir! I've mountain
fever"
Now that fully comprehended the dis
tressed condition of this poor, sick, friend
less, mOneyless, shipwrecked family, was
so overcome that, as [ stood facing the
wistful eyes of the sick woman, 1 knew
not what to say.
Nodding toward the young girl holding
the infant, the woman said MARY says
that you told daddy-my husband-out
thar, that some of the teams might help
US. o, sir, if they would Daddy is
clean discouraged, pore mani
| assured the woman that | had said
nothing but what believed to be true.
Are there many teams on the road
now, sir?'' asked Mary.
A great many. L wonder that none
have passed along. But you are not on
the road they travel. 1t is nearly half
mile to where this road joins that running
from Virginia City to Carson City"
g If / could see them, sir; if they could
see mother-see us all-they would help
us to get away from herei''
"Indeed they would! Most of them
are noble fellows, and there is not a man
among them all that would pass you by l''
90, thank you, sir Thank you! o,
mother do you hear? and the kind
hearted girl began kissing the sick baby to
hide her tears.
Looking up she said: "Mother has been
sick so long and, and now pore little Kitty
is sick; and we-haven't hardly any thing
to eat. What can we dO~
"You are all safe now. Our Washoe
people have assisted hundreds of emil
grants that were in distress. They will
most certainly take care of you till you
can find means to get to California"
"God bless them /" said Mary.
"Will you please call Thomas, my hus-
band, sir, to get me some water?' said
the sick woman, who had fallen back on
her couch and was trying to moisten her
parched lips with her equally dry and
fevered tongue.
at once went TO her husband and, slap
ping him on the shoulders to arouse him
out of his state of dreamy detection, told
him what his wife required.
As was about to return to the wagon
to have some more talk with Mary, L felt
clutch at my coat. Turning about, |
found the old woman gazing keenly in
nv face. This old woman. | now began
to see, had an eye and ear open for all that
was going on about her. notwithstanding
that at first sight she seemed such heed
less, imbecile bundle.
THAT man," said she, sis a good
enough husband to my darter; but, la /!
he amt one of our kind-he aint Kentucky
stock, He amt like pore Mumford was
hain't got the stir! When things went
like this, Mumford he'd get mad. La
You ought te see how he'd tar round
Swar he'd swar terrible, Mumford would :;
though he's at rest now, pore man! Now,
see here-yot just see what you kin do for
us! He,n. Rodding toward the wagon,
shes stick, you Know"
| faithfully promised the Mumford re-
lict that | would see them all out of their
troubles.