The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-04-26
SAVED BY LIGHTNING,

T. u - &Ase Al -To,ahsf Conlpdnioa. 4
SAVED BY LIGHTNING.
My name is Hunt. Yes, sir; Anthony
Hunt. I am settler and droyer on this
Western prairie. Wilds2 Yes, sir; it's
little else than wilds now, but you should
have seen-it when i and my wife first
moved up here: = There was not house
within sight for miles. Even now we
have not many neighbors; but those we
hageaare downright good Fouaf-
preoiate your neighbors as you ought,
sir, you must live in these lonely places,
so far removed from the haunts Of man
What am about TO tell happened ten
years ago. / was going to the distant
town, or settlement, to sell some fifty
head of cattle-fne creatures, sir, as
ever you say. The journey was "a more
rare event with me then than ii is now /;
and my wife had always plenty ofeom-
missions to charge me with in the shape
of dry goods and groceries ahd-such
ike things
OpryQppgest child >yas 4 sweet little
gentle thing, who had been named after
her aunt, Dorothy. We called the child
Dolly. This time my commission in
cluded one for her-a doll She had
never had a real doll; thatlis,Ia bought
doll; only the rag bundles her mother
made for her. For some days before my
departurethe child eouidtalK Of nothing
else cor we, either, for8t the matter of
that-for she was a great pet, the dar-
ling of us all. 1t was to be big, big
doll, with golden hair and blue eyes. /
shall never forget the child's words the
morning | was starting, as She ran after
me TO the gate, or the pretty picture she
made. There are some children zsweeter
and prettier than others, sir, as You can
have but noticed, and Dolly was one
"a very great big doll, please, dad
dy," she called out after me land please
bring it very soon.'' "A 1T N
1 turned to nod a yes toe her asishe
stood in her clean whitey-brown pima
fore against the gate, her nut-brown hair
falling in curls about her neclS, and-ithe
light breeze stirring them.
A brave doll, | answered - for my
little one-almost as big as Dolly
Nobody would believe, I dare. say,
how full my thoughts were of that
promised doll, as | rode along, or what
nice one | meant to buy. 1t was not
often | spent money in. what my good
thrifty wife would have called waste
but Dolly was Dolly, and L meant to dc
it now. "
The cattle sold, went about nay pur,
chases. and soon had no end of parcel.
to be packed IN tire saddle-bags. Tea
sugar, rice, candles-but | need not
worry you, sir, with telling of them-to,
gether with the calico for-shirts- and
night-gowns, and the delaine for the
chihnen's new frocks. I.astTofg all
went about the doll-and found q
beauty, 1t was not as big as Dolly, OF
half as big; but it had ,faxen curls and
sky-blue eyes; and by dint of pulling q
wire YOU could open and shut die eye,
at will, r-...'. az VI ~. -
--" DO it mp carefully" said TO the
store-keeper. my little daughter would
cry sadly if any harm came'to it.r5 m
The day was pretty wen ended before
all my work was done; and Just for q
moment or two hesitated whether
should not stay in the town and star
for home in the morning 'Ttwould have
been the more prudent sconrSeL Bnt
thought of poor Dolly's anxiety TO &c
her treasure, and of my own happines,
in watching the rapture inner delighted
eyes. SO with my parcels packed in TN,
best way they could be, amounted m,
horse and started.
Ii was as good and steady a horse a
you, ever rode, sir; but night began I,
set in before | was well mile awal
from the town; it seemed as if it wer,
going to be an ugly night, too,~yAgaiI
the thought struck me- should turl
back and wait till morning? l had tn,
price of the cattle, You see, sir, in nv
breast pocket; and robberies, aye, anC
murders also, were not quite unknown
things on the prairie. But | had m,
brace of sure pistols with me, and de
cided to press EDWARDS. ~ ~
The night came on as dark A. pitch
and part of the way my road would b
pitch dark besides But on that score
had no fear;I knew theroad We'll, ever
INCH Of it, though l could potride !
fast as I should have done in the ligf'
| was about six miles from home, | sup
pose, and | knew the time must be clos
upon midnight, when the storm. whic
had heensb brewing broke TheIthuntie
reared, the rain fell in torrents; the hes
/ could do was TO press onward in 1t.
All at once, as | rode on, a cry stan
lied me; faint, .wailingrsQund, ike tn
cry of a child ReininaAp, EsAt sd
and listened Had l been mistaken
No, there it was again. But in wha
direction / could not tell Icouldn'
see thing II vas, a 4 shaye SAID
as dark IS pitch Getting Of my morse
felt about, but could find nothing
And while was seeking the cry cam
again-the faint moan Of child in pain
Then l began 10 wonder. Fam Ms
superstitious, but l asked myself how