The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-10-29

the best boy, though 1 say it, that
Youl II meet with anywhere. Yes, in
deed, he's handSom' as a picter when
he's washed off the coal-dust and put
on his Sunday clothes. / say SUNDAY,
but there amt no Sunday in these
parts and the highest church is more n
twelve miles oil. We're Jest heather
here, and it's bad on the bows, yUl
know. But Lloyd nat rally good"
| was tired and sleepy, and as soon
as an impromptu screen had been made
by fastening quilts and blankets to a
loist at the farther end of the room, |
betook myself to bed. The partition
curtains hung within reach of my hand.
and 1 peered out before falling asleep
and saw the stern, hard man still in his
old position, and his wife busily knit
ting at little table.
| do not know how long l slept, but |
was awakened by loud, harsh voice,
which knew could only belong to old
Stratton.
What in thunder brings you from
the kiln?' he said.
peeped out and saw two men stand
ing near the door. The figure of one |
recognized instantly as that of the young
charcoal burner we had seen in the for
est, though the light was too dim to see
his features. The other was even taller
and stouter.
Didn't you hear me ask what
brought you herePn
1--WE left Jake to watch" was the
hesitating answer. Lloyd, here, got
hurted, and he felt faint, and thought
I'd come home with him"
The mother jumped from her seat
and ran to her boy, but the father new
er even looked toward him.
" How did he get hurted?" was the
next stern question.
"Well, you see, Coats boys and Jar
Wis sons coined down upon us tonight,
and wanted to scatter our kiln. We
had a tussle and kept 'em off, only
Lloyd, he let big Jack Jarvis wallop
him, and cut his face open with pen
knife. He can't fight, Lloyd can't; and
he cried to hold on when he wa n half
whipped. 'Taint his fault, for he's weak
as a cat.
Ibid you hurt Jarvis any?"
A dead silence. Neither of the boys
spoke until the question was repeated;
and then the first speaker drawled out:
They wos four to one, and me and
Matt had huff to tend to our own bust
ness. Lovd's big enuf to take care of
hsself: They'll pay US another visit, l
reckon, fore mornin'. They haint got
no weapons; but we kin match EN- with
our fists any day"
never in my life heard such growl
OF rage as escaped that mans, lips. 1t
was like some wild animal lashing itself
to frenzy. He raised his hand and
cursed his manned foot which tied him
down. and he cursed himself, and his
sons, and their foes, until fairly stuffed
the bed-clothes in my ears to shut
out the horrible sounds.
After few minutes everything be-
came quiet, and through rent in the
blanketnear the bed could see the moth
err busy with her simple ministrations
about her son. Once he drew her face
down and kissed it tenderly. They were
sitting not far from my corner.
'Taint nothin', mother" he said, in
a low voice; 80 twon't even leave a
scar"
Though spoken almost in a whisper,
the old man heard it.
"No, you cowardn he said. in low
tones of concentrated rage: "vou
beaten hound, that's been kicked, and
comes creepin' in to be salved and
coddled for a scratch like that! Do you
see that gun?' pointing to one which
hung with several others on rack
against the wall. IF you haven't
strength to keep yourself from bein'
whipped, that Il holp you. If you're a
son of mine you'll wipe out the dis
graceful mark that varmint left on
you"
The poor mother ran towards him
with clasped hands.
"Oh Nathan" she said, sobbing,
"dOn't send my boy on such an errand!
You heard Matt say none of the boys
had weapons, and why, why do you
want him to murder any bodyP"
He thrust her rudely aside and, point
ed to the gun, looking tiercely at the
boy. The habit of implicit obedience
had evidently been rigidly enforced in
that household, and Lloyd, with his
face pale as ashes, rose from his seat
and took down the gun. The wretched
mother no longer tried to stay him as
he passed out of the door, but she
threw her apron over her face, and laid
it upon the table, yet not a sound es-
capped her lips.
was so bewildered that until Lovd
had taken down the gun and gone out
l did not realize what he was ordered
to tlo. Even then, that fierce, brutal
old man had terrified me to such de-
gree that did not dare to interfere by
a word. He and his wife had evidently
forgotten my existence, or took it for
granted | was sound asleep, and | did
not care to undeceve them.
| lay there for long time, nervously
listening to every sound, but fatigue