The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-03-28

lips in spite of his self-control. With
Almira's strong arm to help, and his
own efforts, he was at last laid in the
bottom of the wagon and taken to the
house, where the old farmer came to
the rescue, and bufore long Sam was
carefully laid on ''ma'sn own bed in the
little room off the kitchen; and Henry
being yet in that unpleasant swamp
looking for Miss Betty, Almira herself
drove hurriedly back to the village and
fetched the doctor.
Two hours after, as Sam lay there
splintered and helpless, but not uncom-
Portable, he could not but hear blum
dering foot stumble into the kitchen,
and the old farmers voice in its gruffest
tone begin:
"Where in thunder hev We ben, Hen
cry Pine? Here's the old cat TO pay;
COWS hum two hour back, an nobody
to do a chore but me; Sam fetched in
with n broke leg, mother e'en-a'm0st
distracted, Almirv obleeged to go arter
the doctor herself, and you a-wantin'."
Well, swan to man." responded
Henry, in an injured growl, "I've ben
a-doin' my darnedest to find that tarnal
/ Jarsey keow. She's led me sech an
other chase all over creation, an hain't
faOund her yit; an / dono but what
she's sot in the hemlock swamp this
minnit."
"Oh, come now, that won't pass no
muster at all, sir. Betty's safe in the
yard along o all the rest on 'em, an has
give down good six quarts into my pail
this very night; so you needn't give me
no such humbuggin' talk, sir. | won't
STAN it,
"Lordy! dono what you're a.talk-
in. | say an swear I've ben a-huntin'
Bet all over, up acrost the wood lot an
way into the big swamp, till I've tore
my clothes a most off'n me. Look a.
therel"
"More fool you'll" calculated the dis
gusted old farmer, as he eyed Henry's
rags with a sidelong glance. "Jest you
harness up t'other mare, an make
tracks up to Miss Peters's over on the
mounting, an fetch her over to see Sam.
Take the lantern along; the roads
kinder bad, an don't lose the mare"
Stung by the undeserved sarcasm, and
not as sorry for Sam as he ought to have
bPen, Henry took things at his ease, and
it was well on to midnight before Mrs.
Peters got to her boys bedside, to find
him sleeping quietly; and when he woke
at early dawn to the strange conscious
ness of his own helpless and painful con-
dition, it was comfort to see his moth
er's anxious, tender face bending over
him, and to feel her motherly touch
about his bed, smoothing and settling
and "tidying up" as only his neither
could do. After the rest of the family
had dispersed to their various duties,
and Sam had his mother all to himself,
he came to full confession, even so far
as to own his previous conversation
with Henry.
." thought of you in lninnit, moth
er. knew you'd tell abont it's being
a Judgment; an | declare | donO but
what it was. He's got clear field, an,
Pm left out in the cold for all my boast
in; and here Sam heaved a deep re-
luctant sigh.
b" Well, Samwell, it don't never do to
force Providence. The book says, We
know, it is good that man should
both hope and quietly wait and | eX-
pect that holds true about all good gifts
| make no doubt it's Judgment, Sam
vel, and | hope it'll be blessed to ye.n
81 don't feel none too blessed now,''
murmured Sam, under his breath. alt
does seem a heap more as if | was 10th
er-thinged."
Luckily his mother did not overhear
poor Sans amendment of her final
opinion, but busted herself as tenderly
and carefully about his wants and wishes
as if she meant TO modify the visitation,
while she acknowledged his deserving it,
But Mrs. Peters could not be spared long
for Sans service, and though she took
every opportunity during her short stay
! to impress upon him her belief that he
was being punished for his hard feeling
and unkindly acts toward Henry, and
read to him punctually and pointedly all
| the Scriptures she could sift out OF the
Bible to that same end, it was doubtful
even to her hopeful soul if Sam accepted
the situation with proper submission.
/ Still, she had to leave him, for he could
not be moved yet over that rough noun
tain road, and Mrs Calkins and Mirv
! both declared it was not to be thought
of at any time. The bedroom was
"dreadful handy" opening into the
| kitchen and shed both; and now all the
blowing and planting were over, there
was not the same pressing need of his
services that there had been. Even Hen
ry, seeing the field was clear for his
cOurtship, became sulkily amiable to his
rival, and helped take care of MIN I'M
asked which in time softened Sans feel
ings toward him so much that one bright
Sunday afternoon, when Henry had be-
taken himself to church with the rest,
leaving Miry to look after hen that
would 90 come OFF, on Sunday in spite of
the tithing-man, Sam improved the ac-
casion to confess his sin to Miry-that
is, as far as concerned his hiding of the
COW and leading Henry astray-and his
profound conviction that the broken leg
was a judgment.
Now Almira was at heart real wOm-
an, for all her cool head and strong
will. To have Sam on her hands. help
less and appealing, for the last three
weeks, had softened her nightly to-
ward him. The handsome dark eyes,
languid with pain and WEAKNESS, had
their share in this influence, no doubt;
and the courageous patience with PAIN,
the grateful look and word which al
ways met any little service done for
him, the cheerful endurance of helpless
ness and weary days-all these bent
Mira more and more toward her unde-
clared lover; for Sam had never yet said
the first word of love to her, yet by
some wonderful perception this acute
young person was as well aware of his
passion as if it had been blazoned in a
thousand words.
Sam did himself good service una
wares on that Sunday, for Henry took
heart the same night to declare himself
on the way home from singing-school,
prefacmg his offer with full, true, and
particular account of Sans threats and
hard words. OF course Mira was quick
enough to understand at once why Sam
had misled Henry on that eventful night
when he broke his own leg, and She
could scarce help smiling at the piteous
tone of her present adorer as he re-