The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-10-15
Youths Department.
TRAPPER JOE,


Ninltred! One year ago. or, as she
reckoned it, one snow.time and one
bower-time ago. she was living in Bos-
ton, and now she was in the wids of
Colorado. 1t was great change-this
gong from comfort and luxury to a
place where comfort was hard to ind,
and luxury not to be thought of; where
they had log hut instead OF a house.
and pig in place OF n poodle. But. on
the whole, she enjoyed it. Her father
was better, and that was what they
came for Yes, on the whole, Wini-
fred liked Colorado; and so did her
little brother Nat; though. il YOU had
told him Boston was Just around the
corner he would have started to run
there without waiting toput on his cap.
Such little mite o afellow Nat was,
and so full OF sunshine. Only one thing
could trouble him-and that was to be
away from mother even for half an
hour.
See these two children now trudginr
to the little stream near by, quite re-
solved upon having a fine rocking in
fathers canoe. This queer boat, made
OF bark, and sharp at both ends, was
tied to a stake. Now that the stream
was swollen and flowing so fast, it was
fine fun to sit, one in each end. and get
bounced about as Winnie said.
You get in first, because you're the
littlest," said Winnie. holding her dress
tightly away from the FLASHING water
with one hand, and pulling the boat
close to the shore with the other.
. No, you get in first, cause you m a
girl" said Nat. II don't want no
helpin'. Pm going to take off my toos
and tockies first, cause nanny said l
might"
Nat could say shoes and STOCKINGS
quite plainly when he chose, but every
body said "toos and 'tockies'' to him;
so he looked upon these words, and
many other crooked ones, as a sort of
language of Nat, which all the world
would speak if they only knew how.
in at last-both of them-and n fine
rocking they had.
At first they talked and laughed soft
ly. Then they listened Then they
talked a very little. Then listened
again, lying on the rushes in the bottom
OF the canoe. Then they ceased talk
ing, and watched the branches waving
overhead; and, at last, they both fell
sound asleep.
This was early in the morning.
Mother was very busy in the cabin,
clearing away the breakfast dishes.
sweeping the room, making the beds.
mixing bread, heating the oven and
doing a dozen other things. AT last
she took q plate of crumbs and scraps
and went out to feed the chickens.
Winnie! Natn' she called, us she
stepped out upon the rough door stone.
" Come, feed the chickensr' Then she
added, in a surprised way, to herself:
"Why, where in the world can those
children be? They must have stopped
at the new clearing to see their ia
Their"
At dinner-time she blew the big tin
horn that hang by the door, and soon
her husband came home alone, hungry
and tired
ooh, you little witches!'' laughed
the mother, without looking up from
her task of bread-cutting. "How could
you stay away so long from mamma?
Tired, FrankP'
" Yes, very. But what do you meanP
Where are the Youngsters"
She looked up now and Instantly eX-
claimed in a frightened voice, as she
ran out past her husbands
"Oh, Frank! I've not seen them for
two or three hours! | thought, to be
sure, they were with you. They surely
wouldn have stayed all this time in
the canoer'
He followed her, and they both ran
to the stream. In an instant, the moth
er, Fastening on ahead through the
bushes, screamed back: "Oh, Frank!
Frank! The canoe is g0Hen'
All that long, terrible day. and the
next, they searched. They followed
the stream, and AT last found the canoe
but it was empty! In vain the father
and mother and their only neiohbor
wandered through the forest in every
direction, calling; winnie! Winnie!
Nat! Nat!' In vain the neghbor took
his boat and explored the stream for
miles and miles-no trace could be
found of the poor little creatures, who.
full of life and Joy, had so lately jumped
INTO fathers canoe to "haye rock
Where were theyP Alas, they did
not themselves know. They only knew
that they had been wakened suddenly
by great thump, and that when thev
jumped out OF the canoe and started to
go home, everything was different.
There was no foot-path, no clearing
where trees had been cut down. no
sound of fathers AK near by, nor of
mothers song--and the stream was
rushing on very angrily over its rocky
bed. The canoe, which had broken
loose and, borne on by the current, had
toated away with them miles and miles
from the stake, was wedged between
two great stones when they jumped OUT
OF 1t; but now it was gone-the waters
had taken it aWaV After n while in