The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-01-27
The Suffering Father, and How His
Infirmity Reacted Upon His Son.

He had been a good-looking young
fellow; but, as he lay on bed in Belle
vue Hospital, his aspect was unpleasant.
His face was criss-crOSSed with adhe-
sive plaster, clearing had been made
on the forest of hair on his head, and
one leo stuck out into sight bandaged.
His features were immobile by reason
Of the stiffening patchwork, his mouth
would only open half way, and when he
talked the unvarying expression of his
face was very queer. The surgeon had
slightly drawn the muscles on one side
of his mouth with the strips of plaster,
so that, viewed from one standpoint,
he smiled blandly; but on the other side
the visage was solemn and resentful.
His name is John Garland.
Glow are you feeling?" asked the
house surgeon.
"Jest as if my head was as big as a
barrel, and almost all of the barrel was
head, replied John.
The reporter was standing at Johns
smiling side, wondering at his good
humor; but n change of attitude Show
ed the other half of his face, which
seemed much more appropriate to the
occasion. He was induced to tell about
the accident which had injurei him.
'Ne and father was working up in
West Sixty-secOnd Street." he said,
blasting out rock. We was to get a
cellar cleaned out by spring; so there
wasn't no hurry about it. Us two kind
o. worked along easy. We'd get in a
blast every two or three days, and draw
out the rock and drill the rest of the
time. Well, Sunday morning we
| thought we'd 90 round and put in an
| hour or so, cause we'd lost day for
Christmas. Twas up on the rock piling
stone, and father was down in the hole.
| hadn't no idea what he was up to.
! You see, he stammerS so he can't say
much anyway, and 50 as general thing
we don't talk very often. Sometimes
he begins to say something, but word
sticks, and he has to give it up. SO |
didn't think any thing of his keeping
still for a good while. What do you
'spose the old man was doing
"Fixing a blast, maybe?"
"Blamed if he want dom jest that
thing. Notwithstanding twas Sunday,
! he'd took a notion to set off blast; but
! | didn't dream of such a thing. First
off | see the old man a climbin' up the
other side of the hole. He seemed as
if he was in an awful hurry. He be-
gun to say something, and got
as far as 'John'-then the next
word stuck. I generally don't eX-
pect any more when he gets that way
and SO | went to work again. Then
! happened to look up again, and he was
strugglin' over that word wOrse'n | evel
see him struggle over any word before
He made up terrible faces, twisted hi,
mouth round and round, and swung hi:
arms as if he was crazy.
"'Never mind, | said to him, try il
again by'n by. faint no hurry, is it?
/" He nodded his head, meaning 'twa>
in hurry, and tried to start round tC
my side of the hole, but there was fence
on one side and high rock on the other
He made up faces worse than ever, anC
begun with John again, but couldn't
get no further to save his life. All he
could say was a kind of 'Um-um-um.
You see he'd lit the fuse, and was tryin
to tell me to get out the way. just a.
he was gettin' purple in the face, and
guess he'd pretty near put his jaws ou
Of Joint, she come"
"The wOrd!n
"Moses! nO-the blast. Blamed if i
didn't rise me like a rocket. They say
| come down 'mOngst the pieces o
stone. N. Y. Sun.