The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-05-20

~,
,hristine had cooked the supper, MIXED the
ows. and now she was up in her chamber sing
ng little Phil to sleep.
Her voice came down to Hans below full oil
lassiOn and sadness.
.sIybo is 1t she loves in that wayl' he Won
Tered. He stood in the path of the little yard,
listening. Heller, coming across the street
we'd the square awed, heavy figure. What an
awkward figure it was, to be sure. HOW the
linen clothes bagged about it! He glanced
iown at his own natty little legs and shining
boots, aud tossed his head jerkily. lie carried /
his panel wrapper in cloth, anu calhe Il' o"I'S
inc the gate after him. ,.,
as that you Becht! Been whiting, toe!
he said, with an insolent chuckie. .,..-,--
Hans looked at him steaGtastlyi not nearing .
A word that he said. Was it Heller sne loved'
If he were sure of it, he would not speak
word for himself. No matter what became OF
him, if she were content. He was hurt 10 the
core.
Christine came down. She wore some stuff
of pale blue. and had fastened bunch OF Wnq
roses in her bosom. She was so silent and
cold with both the young men that one could
hardly believe that it was the woman VINO mao
sung with such passionate longing over the
child.
ssNow You shall see my panel ~ cried Heller,
nervously adjusting his spectacles: lie set II
ON the bench and dragged off the cloth.
"Ah-h! :" cried Christine, clasping her hands;
then she turned anXiOusly to Hans.
Hans was not ready with his words. His eyes
filed with tears. He laid his hand on Heller 5
shoulder with hearty goodwill. The work
gave him keen pleasure. In the lace oI Sne
mother bending over the child there was that
inscrutable meaning which he found IN me
quiet valleys. the far heights. But HeAer' ouu-
w. did not seem to see 1t. -,
Eyes, very nice bits of chipping there y
pulling at his red mOustache. 81 shall ask
fifty dollars for that"
Christine turned her searching eyes on him.
eyes, fifty,n he repeated, feeling thaC ne hau
impressed her.
Hans. too, looked at him wondering. How
could this paltry s0t compel the secret into ms
work. which to him was but holy dream
Christine was watching him anXiously.
" Is that YOUR panel!" she said at last.
Hans nodded, hesitated moment, ana theil
broke the thin bit of wood in two and hung II
into the road. >,
at was nothing but a passably cut mule, y
he said.
Heller laughed loud.
We'll. time to be off. Wish me good luck
Christinem .-.,.....,
| Hans followed. but she did not once look al
| Hans. As she opened the gate Heller laid his
hand quickly on hers; rose fell from mel
! dress. he caught it and pressed it to ms lips
| Ills breath was rank with liquor Hans thrus
! him back and strobe between them.
"This must end. Christine, you must choos'
between this man and me" -,
Il can easily do that" she SAID; quickly.
Heller laughed. Hans gulped down lulnl
in his throat.
:. Not tonight" he said.
Ry tomorrow. no doubt, Heller would b
| known as successful, the man whose purs
would ALWAYS be full. Christine must know
DreriscIv what she was choosing. 1t was Tx
/ i l. go Il, thiprG fin smile q
italI-she came to him
"Thcre is another rose on your breast. Sen
il tomorrow to the man You love"
81 Will.n She did not look at him. She wa
as pale as himself. He went down the street
leaving her with Heller.
Twohours afterward he went to the inn wher
'eid was, and sat on bench at the door
If the village was inside waiting to hear tn
I. sion. His heart beat rebelliOuslv agains
lee east. What if, after all, there had bee
lis b. hidden merit in his panel: 1t was Onl
rrcit. that Christine should be won by claT
natural .uccess and money-she was only
rap OF , But no." he answered himself
woman. i am. want no varnish Q
. what 1 alA ""
praise or mou> crowd.
Out came the. The most worthless lout i
! knew iti >1runkard, for luck" .
roes to LoECl0l : COZ ,or back for his wife, sal
Then he .n-L - tom ,ght he was betrothe
o IN, Gnrlsiy -, and nodde>t goodnight e
hon a. b,. ,,,-B,.I thro Hgh lhe loNu nc vi,
not 90 home \ ia mp 80 tbo f,rrc5cb;nl
cv. Down vursIa we. ti,a lrraat friend
meadows, theiaTp5ns streA : a child aoes +,
" trees. He went 20 Jhell
Us NON tF III oi og freIa Waha a lies the trunI
line of the Atlanta & "a chmond oon beirr a
.an o'cInrL that eyeufA q, the III 'on I oo'LS q
the fuII. the engineer N the eXl 3 +bo rl,al
going north, saw man at turn o. Now.
signaling him vehemently 10 STOP; mil M
way train in that leisurely n %lon VIII oil on
for any signal. But this eng ineer look,
in calm contempt. h
Reckon he don't know thu express! a,
said 4 little child in the cam saw the m
rcsticulating wildly and laughed at hh
through the open window.
The man disappeared over the brow Of the
hill The road made a long circuit around Its
base. When the engine came around this bend
the engineer, Hurst, saw on the track in front
a prison hand-car used to transport the con
Wet laborers from one division to another.
The cOnvicts had been taken to the stOckade
for the night. and the driver of the car was in
side of it dead drunk.
Hurst had been twenty years in his business;
he understood the condition of affairs at
glance He knew it meant death to all those
people in the crowded cars behind him, to him
il st of all He whiSted down brakes, but he
knew il was CT no use. The brakes were of
the old kind, and before the train could be
sIackened it would be upon the solid mass in
front.
.We're done for, lack" he said to the fire
man. Hedidn0t think of Jumping off his engine.
II is noticeable how few commonplace men
try to shirk death when in the discharge Of
their duty.
The brakes were of no use. The engine
swept on. Kissing, shrieking
Suddenly Hurst saw that the car was back
ingl-creeping like a snail; but assuredly
backing.
:. Y-har' yelled lack.
Hurst saw the man who had warned him
standing on the platform of the car, working
it. Now, il required at least four men to work
that car.
In another minute the engine would be upon
him.
.sGodl You'll be killedr shouted Hurst.
The terrible hardwood of the man stunned him
into forgetting that anybody else was in dan
ger At that instant from the train came
Irightful shriek-wOmen's voices The paSSen-
gers for the first time saw their danger.
1t was but point Of time, yet it seemed like
an hour The train did not abate its speed.
The man, a short fellow of powerful build,
threw the strength of giant into his strain
ing muscles, his white face with its distended
ewes was close in front in the red glare of the
engine.
Hurst shut his eyes. He muttered something
about .Ioe-Joe was his little boy.
The train Jared with long scrunching rasp,
and-stoppcd. They were saved.
- Great God!n PRAYED Hurst. Tight squeak
for your life, lack, he said aloud, wetting his
lips with his tongue.
The people poured out of the train. They
went up to the ear, some laughing, some
sweainr But every man there felt as if Death
ha! taken his soul into his hold for a moment,
and thea let it go.
Three stout men tried to move the car. They
could not do il.
=. Who is that fellow"
20 " workman on the rOadE'
L. ..nsl Ir-r.