The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-02-17
Some Fables Adapted to the Present
Times.
[From the New York World.l


An Elephant had been endeavoring to
rive the bole of knotted Oak with his
trunk, but the tree closed upon that
member, OBTAINING it and causing the
hapless Elephant intense pain. He
shook the Forest with his trumpeting
and all the Beasts gathered around him.
''Ah ha, my friend," said pert CHM
panzee, ''you have got your trunk
checked, see." s'My children" said
a temperate Camel to her young, ''let
this awful example teach you to shun
the bole ~ ''Does it hurt much?" said
compassionate Gnu; "Ah, it does; it
does; it must 1 have been mother my
self" And, while they were sympa-
thizing with him, the unfortunate Ele-
phant expired in great agony.
MoraI-The moral of the above is so
plain as to need explanation. Talk is
cheap.
TIE DEY AND THE KNIGHT.
A Christian Knight was playing at
draw-poker with the Dey of Algiers for
monarch's ransom. The fearless
Christian observed that the Grand Viz
ier was looking over his shoulder and
telegraphing the quality of his hand to
the DespOt; but, repressing his lndlg-
nation at the discovery of this perfidy,
he dealt his antagonist four Kings and a
Jack, and himself three Aces and two
small Hearts, having previously taken
the precaution of placing the fourth Ace
upon his knee. The Moslem Ruler drew
one card and the Christian warrior two,
taking an early opportunity of replacing
one of them with the card on his knee.
The betting was long and ardqOus; but,
finally. the Christian, not desiring to
prolong the agony of his brave oppo-
nent, called him. What, then, was his
surprise when the Dey brought forth
four Kings and an Ace-the Ace that
he had so prudently placed on his
own knee; while his own hand consist
ed of three Aces, Queen, and the seven
of Diamonds.
MoraL-Honesty is the best policy,
and no man knows what Dey may
bring forth.
THE CENTIPEDE AND THE BARBARIC
YAK.
While a Centipede was painfully toll
ing over the Libyan desert, he was en-
countered by a barbaric Yak, who
scornfully asked him how were his poor
feetp The humble creature made no
reply at the time, but some days later
found the barbaric Yak taken in the
nets of the Hunter and almost devOured
bv Insects, which fled at the approach
of the Centipede. "Help, help, my
rood friend,h exclaimed the unfOrtu-
nate beast. "I cannot move muscle
in these cruel tolls, and the raVenous
Insects have well-nigh devoured my
delicate flesh.n "Say you so?" re-
sponded the Centipede. "Can you
really not defend yOurself?" "Alas
how can Up" replied the Yak. See
YOU not how straitly L am bound"
"And is your flesh, then, so delicate ~
"It is, though say it who should not. "
"Then," said the Centipede, 81 guess
I'll take bite myself"
Moral-The other mans Extremity is
often our Opportunity.
THE PRoCRAsTINATING BROKER.
A procrastinating broker met rich
but simple Capitalist who was going
down to Wall Street with bag of Gold,
"To-morrow,' he said to himself, Sc
will unload some Pacific Mail on that
Snoozer.'' But, 10! when the morrow
came, he found that the Capitalist had
gone short on Union Pacific the night
before and lost his pile!
| MoraI-Never put off till Tomorrow
the man you can do To-day.
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE.
The Hare once challenged the tor
toise to a race of speed. The har'
frisked about merrily, paying little at
tention to his rival, or jeering him 70,
his slowness. The tortoise, however
plodded along steadily, and had wei
nigh reached the goal, when the Har
observed his progress. Away darte'
the Hare like lightning, and won tn
race.
, Moral-The Race is not always to tn
Slow.