The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-11-16

in an upper chamber in solitary con-
finement, while the veteran was pre-
sented with a demijohn of rum, and re-
tired into a state of drunken seclusion,
which lasted for over q week. Nick,
smarting with wounds and ill-treat-
ment, lay upon the floor of his prison
till night-fall, and all the household
had gone to sleep, when he managed to
burst open the window, lowered him.
self to the ground by rope made from
the coverings of some goods stored in
the room, and ran out into the night,
he knew not whittier.
While passing through the town he
suddenly encountered tall and fierce
looking native, whom he recognized as
the chief of one of the wild tribes in the
interior, to whom he had frequently
sold liquor, for which, like the rest OF
his people, the chief had a consuming
passion. This native, who was more
intelligent than most of his race, and
could speak little French, Intercepted
Nick as to his destination, and, upon
hearing the circumstances, offered to
take him with him to his tribe, and
train him as his own son. The natives
were cannibals, and Nick was rather
doubtful whether his introduction might
not be the signal for grand feast, at
which he should figure as the principal
baked meat, but he finally reflected
that he might as well die at once as
perish by inches with his inhuman mas
ter; moreover, the chief seemed sincere
and friendly, and, if he fulfilled his
promises, career of such surprising
delights was open before him that to
boy of Nick's temperament it was per-
fectly irresistible-so he took the say
ages hand, and accompanied him to
his canoe outside the town. After pad
ding all night and part of the next
day, they reached large native village
nesting in valley among the hills
and fronting upon beautiful land
girt lagoon, where the water was crys-
tai clear and little troubled by the
waves of the sea. Nick thought he had
never seen a more beautiful spot, and
though he was little alarmed at the
actions of some of the savages, who
fourished unpleasant-looking clubs
and spears made of sharks teeth and
fsh-bones in very suggestive manner,
he was soon relieved by the chief, who
in few words apparently explained
his position in the tribe, and caused the
demonstrative ones to throw aside their
weapons and bear him on their shoulders
in triumph to the home the great man
occupied. Here the garb of civilization
was removed from him, and the cos
tune of the country, consisting of a
quantity of blue paint and cocoanut oil,
with the minor item of a narrow strip
of cloth about his loins, was placed up
on him. A native artist, with a fish
bone needle and preparation distilled
from the juice of certain plants, then
tattooed his shoulder with mark de-
noting that he was of the chiefs house
hold, his ears were pierced and orna-
mented with rings, and plentiful re-
past of fish and fruit was set before
him. Thus began his life among the
cannibals-a life lasting for four years,
and made interesting by many scenes
and experiences which, if narrated,
would too far extend the limits
of this article. Suffice it
to say that he thoroughly enjoyed it
while it lasted, for at that age he was
little troubled with thoughts of the fu-
ture, and he was the leader of all the
boys of his years by virtue of his adop-
ton as the "chief's boy" Being en-
bowed by nature with strong consti-
tuition and excellent physique, he was
soon able to outstrip all his companions
in feats of strength and agility, and in
time became the most successful hunter
and fisher in the tribe. Though the
want of clothing rather embarrassed
him at first, he was not long in over
coming the feeling, and became SO
habituated to a state of nature in this
respect that he had never since been
quite able to enjoy the habiliments
which colder cline and the prejudices
of society require. His relations with
the tribe were generally very friendly,
and as he grew to be Is or 16 years old
a period at which people mature in
that part of the world-many dusky
maiden began to look upon him with no
unkindly eyes. Indeed, Nick was at
this time little better than a savage. He
had become as brown as the natives
themselves; the Tahitian language was
the ly one he knew perfectly, and in
most respects it would nave been diff
cult to see in him any traces of the civ
ilization which had treated him so I'M
kindly, and which, indeed, he had for
that reason tried to forget.
1t was not perhaps strange, then, that
the daughter of the chief, his patron,
should have felt preference for him
over the other young men of the tribe
who sought her favor, or that her father
so interested himself in the match as to
begin erecting a house for the young
couple. Nick looked upon these pre-
parations with apathy, and made no
movement to interrupt them, for,
though he had no particular fondness
for the girl, he knew that any objec-
ton he might urge would be of no eff
feet, and might get him into trouble.
Besides, he had lived SO long with the
savages that he had almost forgot that
he had once been a civilized being, and
the thoughts of his former condition
were, at best, only misty and underlined.
But, at about the time which was to
consign him forever to barbarism, an
incident occurred which recalled him
to his true position. The tribe of which