The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-03-18
the sinking vessel had well nigh made

- .
Again she Istirred the fire, again
arranged the clothes before it,. and
poured some hot water into the tea
cups. Still the breakfast remained
untouched.
The syn was nov. soaring to his me-
ridian height when once more the
family assembled in their humble
dwelling; the prop of the whole was
yet wanting. They sat down to
cheerless meal, the seats at either side
of the wife remsiuing vacant. The.old
man was the only individual who ap-
peared to anticipate no evil; but he
hastily finished bis breakfast and
went forth.
sThem moou was rapidly passing, and
the sun had already given tokens of
the glory of his departure, whea
fsherman's wife, having lulled her ii-
fant asleep, went herself to the hill
that commanded an extensive view
of the widespread ocean. All the lit
tie. .household soon assembled on the
spot, but no boat was seen upon the
waterg-nothing that could give hope
except the aspect of the waves, which
looked too placid to be dangerous.
Their deep dread was no longer
concealed; while the old man paced to
and fro, looking earnestly at briat in
tervals over the. lonely sea, the moth
or and daughter were sobbing audi
bly,.
"FearleSs let.,him be whose trust Is
in Godp' exclaimed the father. The
sentence was uttered involuntarily,
but it had its effect.
"Aye," said the mother, ''he always
trusted in God, s,and Goodwill not Tor
sake him now."
do you remember, Jane, continued
the old man, show often Providence
was with me, amid the storm and the
wreck, when help from:man was far
of. and would have been useless if
nearY" And they cheered and en-
couraged one another to hope the best,
but to submit'tOsthe deereetof heaven,
whether it came as the dew to nour-
ish, or as the heavy rain to roppress.
From that hillock which overlooked
the ocean a8cended their mingled
prsyer that God would not leave them
desolate.
The fsherman-the object of their
hopes and fears-had been very sue
cessful during the night, when at day
break he was preparing to return
home he remembered his promise to
bring with him some seaweed to ma
nure the potato plot behind his cot.
tage. He was then close to rocks
which were only discernable at low
water.
He pulled for them, jumped on
shore, fastened the painter of his boat
to the jutting part of cliff, and took
his boat hook with him. He collect
ed sufficient quantity of the weed,
but in his eagerness to obtain it had
wandered from the landing place,
when he heard his boy loudly halloo-
ing and exclaimiDg that the painter
was loose. lie rushed instantly to-
wards the boat which was then sever
81 yards off; the boy was vairly en-
deavoring to use both the oars, and
Neptune, the faithful dog, was rum
ming backward and forward, bowling
faarfully as if conscious Of his masters
danger; at one moment about to
plunge into the waves to join him,
and the next licking the face and
hands of the child, as if he foresaT
that for him his protection would be
most needed.
The fisherman perceived at once
the desperate nature of hie situation;
the tide he knew was coming in rap
idly, and his hope of escape was at an
end, when he perceived that his boy,
in an effort to use the oars, had let
one of them fall overheard.
"Father, father" exclaimed the
poor lad, "what shall I y"
The boat was st this moment SO
distant that his distracted parent could
scarcely hear the words, but he called
out to him as loud as he could to
trust in God, the father of the father.
less. He then stood resigned to the
fate which be felt awaited him, and
watched the drifting beat the child in
peril from the fatal rocks. He had
offered up brief prayer to the throne
of mercy, when in an instant light
broke upon his mind.
"Good God" he exclaimed, %
may yet be saved. "
With the energy of hope battling
with despair, he collected all tht
stones around him and heaped then
rapidly upon the highest ledge ofrock
it was, indeed, wonderful how he coulc
have gathered so many in so short ;
time; but the Almighty gave strength
to his arm, as he was laboring not fo
life merely, but for beings still dear
er to him. The tide came on, or. an
soon obliged him toabandon his work
t He then mounted the pile he hat
heaped, planted the boat hook 6rml.
in one of the crevices of the cliff, an
: prepared to Struggle for existence
but his heart failed him when be con
: sidered how slight was the possibilit
. that the waters would rot rise aboy