The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-07-08

speak tried to say. % Don't be afraid.
/ Peggy, l can save you;" but it was ike
shouting in a nightmare. He knew Pont
| was swimming after him and he drove
I him back with his oar, wondering after
/ he did so how he dared take the sec
onds time Then he SAYS he remem-
/ bers nothing more distinctly until we
were nearly ashore, my boat in tow of
his, and l in a dead faint upon my
cargo.
''Peggy!PeggyT" hewas calling when
came on the beach; and Pont could
not be made to understand by blows
why | was not to be torn and tossed and
kissed and barked over. Peggy,
What tempted you to 90 body liftin'?
What graveyard did We take it from?''
That made me laugh, if you can be-
lieve it; even then. in spite of every
thing. | kissed father and the dear old
dog and pulled at the grass as sat there
on the bank to make sure | was on dry
ground again. Father was dreadfully
bewiidered and kept talking about hav-
inc forgotten to feed Pont and to call
him in that night, Just as if that was
Anything to be sorrv for; for if the dog
had been. comfortable in his bed and not
shivering hungry out of doors he would
never have heard my cry, and then -
| suppose God sends suffering to us all
sometimes to make US help somebody
else.
% But, father" said l, when my chat
tering teeth and Pont would let me
speak, "you must break into ParSon
haY
take his best horse and ride over to Cap
tain Bedelrs for me. No, no, get the
horse and Pn go myself"
1" Are you crazy, Peggy? Is it body
liftin' and horse stealth both at once?n
Its struggled brandy, father-that's
what's in that enough to make
our fortune. Don't wait for talk now;
be quick as you ever was in your life.
I'll hide the boat in the flags while you
get the horse. They may be after me
the smugglers-yOu know" ...
was gallOping across the island at a
breakneck pace in no time, for the Cap
tain lived on the eastern shore. Father
had taken no notice of my costume, but
Captain Bedell did at once, or rather
he was slow to discover Peggy Herrick
in the rOugh-lOoking man rapping with
a whip-handle on his bedroom window
just before daybreak.
The Captain didn't need many direc-
tons when he was on the trail of SNUG
gled brandy. He sent Vim Smith back
with me to guard the bOCty-each of US
carried a revolver-and he started for the
poplar tree and the church steeple. Be
fore night he had the whole gang in
Buffalo iail-MiSs Nancy, the departed
grandmother and Jerry Clark, for as
soon as | had pushed off with the coffin
the three started out to follow at a safe
distance with cask of brandy in their
boat, and the Captain, who had Jerry
before their arrival, had little trouble in
catching them. ~.
The Captain was good friend of
mine, and he saw that | had not only
the handsome reward, but perhaps more
praise than | deserved. He interested
himself in selling our place and in get
ting me into a good boarding school in
Batavia. Colonel Allen, who owns
nearly all the island, gave father good
situation on his dairy farm, and men,
Der of the Falconwood Club presented
Pont with a silver-plated collar with
Latin on it, which was all well enough,
for Pont can read Latin Just as well as
he can English, and l think he would
rather not have everybody know what
he has done in the world.
There, that is all there is to it. 1t is
not just as the newspapers had it, you
see. My hair did not turn white out on
the river, and l have not worn mems
clothes ever since. The truth is, L am
tired of telling this story over and over,
and l thought when Captain Bedelrs
visitors ask me after this to come up on
the piazza and tell that " smuggling
story" while they watch the Niagara
River gliding along under the moon
light | would just give it to them in
print-that is, if [ can find anybody to
print it for me" ~ Y. Post.