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

But Sam also was determined Ma
ture had not given him those keen darl
eyes and that strong development O
sinew and muscle for no purpose; the
future did not daunt him, and his minC
was resolved on Mira and Congress
and this was his own precious secret
However, like many another man, hi.
plans came near TO shipwreck for want
of a chart; yet what man ever lived who
knew the channels and the quicksand:
of a woman's mind?
Sam set himself to work to make his
rival ridiculous; he demonstrated poor
Henry's ignorance, and played on his
credulity; he ridiculed him 10 his face,
and carefully beguiled him into all kinds
of false positions; all of which reused
Mi'a's innate feminine perversity and
kindness to take the side of the weak.
est, and she gave Henry so much en-
enlargement that even her parents were
puzzled.
Perhaps she might have been enrag-
ed, perhaps trembled, had she seen, her.
self unseen, an interview between her
two lovers one morning They were
both planting corn in the long lot-a bit
of meadow land at the extreme limit of
the farmland when their bags were
empty, and the drills leveled over their
golden sprinkling of seed, Henry was
turning his face homcward, when Sam
stopped him.
Look here, Hen; hold on; I've got
somethin' to say to ye."
"Hay?" responded Henry, with an
air of idiotic establishment, but turning
back on his tracks.
" Don't yawp so. jest want ter say
that | know what you're snakin' around
this here humstead for; an you can't
come it, now | tell ye."
"What be yew a-talkin' about?" put
in the naturally astounded Henry.
"Why, I'm talkin' about Miry Calk-
ms. Maybe you think you're goin' to
git that gal; but tell We you amt, not
by long shot!' ~.r ~
".Welli whose troop do you ride in ?''
inquired the other, with fine sarcasm.
Not your'n, anyhow, Hen Pine
and | amt jokin', you kin swear. I'm
goin' to marry Almiry, eff any living
man docs; SO you'd jest as good haw
out o. the road afore you're kicked
out.
" Mighty Moses! how yew talk! -
gasped the alarmed youth. -
"'Tain't all talk, sir. Be you goin'
to quit without haulin', or not?"
4" do know" answered Henry, sui
lenly, his native obStinacy asserting it
self in place of courage" do know's
I'm going to be walked over this fash
ion. ] guess Pm as good as you be, and
I've got sight more chink."
"Darn your dollars! who wants 'em?
Miry amt that sort; she'd ruther marry
a man than pocket-book. -
" She amt nobody's fool, now | tell
We, Sam Peters. See if she wouldn't a
heap ruther settle down on our farm
than 90 tin-peddlin' long o. you. Ho I!
guess shan't haw out o. your road !;
not much. No, sir!''
"Look a-here,'' calculated Sam,
growing savage. "You'd better hear
to me, Hen Pine. Eff ketch you hang
in raound Almiry any more, I'll make
you sos'tyou'n wish t you was further,
pretty quick. A bumble-bees' nest
wouldn't be nothin' to it. Now this |
say an swear; eff you don't 90 easy,
you'll go hard; just you rec'lect that. -
Sans handsome face grew dark and
his fist clinched involuntarily as he
spoke; and with an uneasy chuckle,
which he meant to have made defiant,
Henry went Off alone, resolving to per-
severe in his devotion to Almira, and,
besides that, to tell all about this small
interview with his rival.
But Sans keen wit warned him that
this would be Henry's first move, and
that luckless wight got no chance to
speak to his adored all day, and was
even obliged to see her drive off to the
village with her mother, quite ignorant
of Sans audacity.
Now it was Henry's duty to fetch the
cows from pasture at night, and he set
off early to-day, that they might be back
by sunset, and his chores all done when
Mira returned, intending to ask her for
a walk after supper, and put his fate to
the touch, as well as bring Sam to con-
fusion. But he reckOned without his
host. Sam took short-cu across the
bill, drove the only Attorney heifer, the
pride and delight of Mrs. Calkin's heart,
out of the. pasture into moving lot
where an old barn stood, and shut her
up, betaking himself to clump of hem
locks which overlooked the road, till
Henry came sauntering along, and, let
ting down the bars, began to call the
creatures out of the lot. They came on
after the fashion of cows, as if time was
no matter and speed unknown or i'm
possible; and perhaps Henry would
have driven them home without missing
the Attorney, had not Sam, who was
something of ventriloquist, thrown his
voice across to the further hillside, and
uttered a faint ''Moo-oo.n
Henry started, looked toward the
sound, then back TO the cows, and after
rubbing his eyes and counting over the
slow procession filing past him, seemed
to become aware that Miss Betty was
not among them. Another distant low
convinced him.
Darn it ALL" Sam could hear him
mutter; "that alfred critters ben an
strayed agin. Well, they'll go hum dy.
rect, | guess. | must hunt her."
And hunt her he did, first uphill and
then into the deep woods, Sam stalking
him all the time like a deer-hunter, and
Henry disturbing the fragrant stiffness
of nature with varioEs explosives OF
both wrath and disgust, but not daring
to 90 home without the COW, which was
Miry's special pet. After various trib
ulations Sam landed his luckless riva,
on the edge of a great swamp, from
whose tangled thickets the distressed
utterance of Miss Betty issued more
than once before Henry dared attempt
the Doggy surface and darkling growth
at last, however, he plunged boldly in
and Sans device having taken effect
he himself, familiar rs a squirrel with
all the wood ways, FASTENED back to the
pasture, and released Miss BETTY, who
had been kept quiet with a bunch Of
juicy carrots, and, turning her into the
road where the rest had gone, took the
shortcut homeward, and would have
arrived there in time TO be seated on tbs
doorstep to receive Aimira but for al
unforeseen occurrence. And vet fate had
no spite against Sam; it was the ole
story of aail fbat IL only hiHdpn rood