The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-08-15

/ NnACAE- - ECOa 80 IL
Julie.
year or two-I noticed jules habit o
quoting and defending her husband, a
II some one had accused him.. You
uncle, too, grew sober, bat twas sud
den blow TO me when be one morning
said:
{" Hammerston was carried home
again last night
"Ill?' asked I.
" No, he wasn't III, :" said he. sta
As soon as Icould went down to sec
my darling. Shs was very much dress.
ed, TO look pretty when he came out Of
his stupor, you see.
"Mr. Hammersion isn't very we'll, >
said she, "but think he'll be better
when he awakes. We've had an invita-.
ton to Mr.. Gallandet's reception to-
morrow evening. Mr.. Gallandet is
veIy fond of John, you know"
didn't dare breathe word of sym
patty 20 her.
Hammerston wasn't the man to weep
and promise amendment when he re-
covered. He was fault-finding and ar
bitrary, and grew worse and worse.
Julie had read about the curative prop
critics of coffee, and she made coffee,
coffee, morning, noon and night, coffee
pot ON the range, between whites.
She would talk to me and her minis
ter about faith, and providenees, and
answers to prayer, aud seemed to think
we'd neither of us suspect she'd any
thing but speculative interest in the
subjects.
Hammerston forbade her attending
church, and hid her Bible. Once when
he came up here without her, / gave
him 2 talk, and when l spoke of his
own miserable eternity, he. interrupted !:
81 expect to catch Il for little while,
but ] shall grin and bear IL 'tillit's over
with"
Blodgctt, the saloon-keeper, attempt
ed closing his mortgage on the house,
and your uncle bought it off and made
the deed to Julie. but she was weak,
and Hammerston badgered her into
signing notes with him.
| sent herwine that spring, thinking
maybe it would bring back color to her
cheeks, but one day when was there
she laid her baby across her knee, and
began smoothing down his dress and
fannels in nervous kind of way, and
says she:
"Auptie, don't wish you to send me
any more wine. It's such an unneces-
sary expense, You know. I'm getting
very strong -seein -
She held out the baby, and-dropped
bjn. y
After he had hushed crying she said ;
Ne2tweek I'm going to take him
to the church-meeting to be baptized. I
want you to stop at Mrs. De Laine's
and ask her to send down his cap as
soon as it is finished"
HammerSton passed through the
room, and said he:
"No, you aren't going to take him to
be baptized. l don't have any such
fooling over my children
There were red spots in jules
cheeks, and she sat for some minutes
looking steadily down at the baby, her
lips tightly closed, but when was leav-
ing, she said:
"Don't forget to call at Mrs. De-
Laine's."
g You won't take him, will your"
asked l.
"Yes," said she, looking steadily at
the baby, - shall take him -
She did. 1t was the church-meet-
ing before the July communion; a
warm, still day, beautiful as the days in
Heaven, ] reckon. The church parlor
was full, and the windows being open,
the air drifted in upon US, soft and holy
as if it was Gods own. benediction.
When the child was called for, know
ing jules timidity, l whispered, "Let
me go out with you"
"No," said she, the bright spots
coming in her cheeks, "no, it isn't your
place. | shall take him out alone-all
alone"
Then she united his cap-juSt bit of
satin and lace-and she smoothed one
Of his curls over her forefnger, and car
RED him out-my poor little thin-faced
girl-and there were those red spots in
her cheek, and her eyes burning, and
her lips close-pressed! You could hear
the bees humming in the locust bios
SONS outside, and the air stirring the
leaves of the great Bible on the table,
but when the drops sort o. glistened and
fell on the baby's forehead, there WASH It
the faintest rustic of silk in the room.
You could see people wiping away
tears, for every body loved Julie, and
every body knew what she was endur-
ing. Then there was the prayer-I've
said and I'll say it again that it was
tender and sweet as if Christ himself
had made it over the poor child and her
child.
We drew the baby home, and I re-
member just how the sunlight fell aslant
the trees in the Park, and on the turf,
and how it lay in door-yards facing the
west. It-was aJune afternoon, you
know.
The men from Blodgett's had come
out to sun themselves on the strip of
turf before the saloon. AS the baby's
small carriage-wheels crunched upon the
gravel, jules husband raised himself
upon one elbow and stared at US.
'Hallo, Jul" called he; "that you,
Ju?n $50
She didn't say word, and she hard
ly spoke all the way home. l thought
she had rather be alone, and so L left
her.
All the remainder of the afternoon she
sat out upon her piazza, alone with her
baby.
The sun set beautifully that night, and
you know how from that place you can
see the evening purple come over the
lake, and the lights CLEAN out from the
village, and just how solemn and quiet
it is therei Well, she sat there until
near u O'Clock, then Hammerston came
fumbling at the gate and staggering up
the walk.
"Ju," said he, "Blodgett laughed at
me about your taking the baby to be
baptized this afternoon; did you take itp
Did you, Ju Hammerston?"
ssYes, | did, Jonn.''ra swue
He ST &rted to strike her, but, stagger-
ing, you see be hit the baby and knock
ed it on the stone walk. 81
Dreadful This is life only. 1t has
nothing to do with eschatology, you
know.
1t didn't kill him, nor it didn't make
him a complete idiot, but be was always