The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-05-04
A PERILOUS VOYAGE.
BY CHARLES e. HURD.

Those familiar with the lumber re
gions, not only of ihe United States, bu
of Canada, know that the great stream:
which float the huge RATS of timber
down to the various ports and mills
along their course are often made ser
viceable for other purposes. Some
times tho lumberman or shingle-makel
takes his family with him to the scene
of his winters labors; and in the spring,
when the seasons work is ended, places
them-women and children, sometimes
a round dozen-On a raft of logs OF
shingles, and, keeping close TO the
shore. floats down ten, twenty, or thir-
" miles, TO his home. The hunter, who
has for weeks hunted and trapped in
the vast forests along these streams,
binds his package of furs together,
makes himself a conveyance by lashing
half a dozen logs firmly 10 each other,
and accomplishes his journey of a hun
dred of more miles in twenty-four hours.
As a general thing, there is little risk
in such journey. If the weather is
fair and the river clear of floating lum-
Der, there is hardly more danger than
there would be in making the distance
behind pair of farm horses in a coUn-
try wagon. People, however, if they
live in constant contact with danger,
grow careless in time, and often risk
their own lives and those of others
where there is no apparent necessity.
And so it happened in the instance !
am about to relate.
John Allen was , well-to-dO farmer
,f h. Tah
and, besides the income derived from
his land and dairy, he owned, in con-
nection with his son, tract of wild
timber, some dozen miles up the river.
Beginning to turn its advantages to ac
count in a small way, the two had erect
ed a small shingle-mill near the shore
and kept half a dozen men at work
during the winter The result the first
year was so satisfactory that it was re-
solved to increase the facilities of the
manufacture, and, that it might be done
Understandings, they determined TO
visit the mill for a personal eXamina-
ton.
They were TO have one of the farm
hands drive them mup as far as they could
get with team; and from that point it
was hardly more than a mile to the mill.
More than half the way the road was
merely rough cart-track through the
woods, making the journey rather a
tedious one; but by starting very early
in the morning they calculated to make
all the necessary investigations and get
back early in the afternoon.
This was the plan agreed upon, and
the time set was the following Saturday.
As soon as it became known in the house
the two youngest boys, Harry and Jack,
were wild with excitement.
"MayR't we 90, too?" they shouted
in concert. "Please let us 60. We
never saw a shingle-mill."
"A shinglc mill isn't much to see, -
answered tseir father. "And, besides,
you'll be getting into all sorts of dan
ger"
'Ohl no, we won't Wen be so
careful if you'll let us 90. 1t would be
such nice ride!"
"Why don't YOU let them 60, Fa-
ther?" said Mrs. Allen. They won I
take up much room and they'll enjoy it
so much" ....-.
"Wen, well" said the farmer, good
naturedly, "let 'em 20, then; let 'em
90. l shall have to take the double
wagon, if they do, though; and that's
big enough for the whole family"
"Why not take the whole family,
then?" asked Mrs. Allen, half in earn
est. I've hardly been out of doors
the whole winter and spring, and |
should enjoy the ride as well as the
boys
Farmer Allen laughed
ANY more of YOU want to 90? What
would you do with the baby?''
'Take her, of course. You don't
suppose weather like this would hurt
her? She needs the air as much as
any body"
"Are you really in earnest, Mother?''
"Certainlv. / don't see why YOU
can't make a pleasure-jaunt out of it as
well as a business one. | haven't been
so far away from home for five years,
and | guess the house could get along
without me for half a day. Becky can
get dinner for the men at noon, and we
should get home by two or three O'Clock
At the latest "
"Wen, Just as you say, then. Pm
sure I've no objections. Wen have to
start pretty early, and, instead of hav-
ing one of the men 90 with us, shall
have to drive
So the matter was settled.
At seven O'Clock the next Saturday
morning the party set out, all in the
highest possible spirits. Innumerable
charges were left with Becky as to what
TO do about dinner and how to dispose
of other household duties, if they should
not return at the time expected. A
huge basket of lunch was placed under
the seat; much TO the satisfaction of
Harry and Jack, who had been too
much excited in regard to the journey
to care for breakfast.
1t was a splendid April morning, and
but for the brown looks of the fields
and the thinly leaved trees would have
seemed like June. The sun shone and
the birds sang and every thing seemed
delightful. The two boys were con-
stantly finding something new to ad-
mlre IN things about them, and their
merry shouts often occasioned a svm-
pathetic 5000 on the part of the baby,
who stared with her biz round ewes at
the commonest objects as if they were
the most wonderful things in theworld.
1t was after IL O'Clock when they
reached the mill. The wagon had been
left at the end of the road, mile back,
the horses taken out, and bag of oats
emptied upon the ground for them.
They were both steady-gOing old veter-
ans. used to the harrow and plow. and
would stand Just where they were left
hours at a time. The farmer, however,
had taken the precaution. after putting
the brides in the wagon, to tie the
halter TO one of the wheels.