The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-01-07

cried. She cried with such will that
the village sexton forgot to play his
usual hymn-a thing he had not done in
the course of sixty years.
Now, you must know that they were
all very good, pious people who lived in
that village. And ever since the church
had been built as regularly rs two
o'clock came round. come rain. come
shine, the sexton had climbed the tower
Stairs, and there on the little baBustrade
had played a hymn in Gods praise
And on this particular afternoon the
sexton was Just in the act of raising the
old brass trumpet to his lips when for
the third time that day the baby cried
The sexton was old, and he was
rather deaf, but he heard her; he was
old, and he was rather blind, but he
saw her-the little white bundle, crying
away among the storks. His precious
trumpet dropped from his fingers. He
seized the rope of the alarm-bell behind
him and pulled with al his might
The baby told the sexton.
And the sexton tolled the bell.
Well, the people came running out of
their houses in terror. The cry of fire
was spreading up and down the street.
ders and pals of water. Some of the
women appeared armed with brooms,
though what they were going to do with
them I'm sure | don't know. Not see
ing any fire, they looked bewildered.
where the fire, seXtong' they
shouted wildly.
.It's worse than fire." was the an
swer from the top of the tower. THE
storks have got "a child in the nest over
yonder. Quick, quick, or they'll be oft
with it againr'
Ladders were hastily bound together
to make them longer. Two or three
men were softly creeping up to the barn
roof, when Mrs. Stork, getting hint of
what was going on, picked up the baby,
and away She went over all their heads.
The tire-engine had arrived on the scene.
Some men seized the hose and sent
heavy stream of water full against the
extended wings of the mischievous bird.
But what was a little sprinkling, more
or less, to Madame StoFk?
On she sailed, rather slowly at first,
enjoying the fun of bringing the peas
ants out into the fields and woods in pur-
suit, then faster, till she looked small
black speck in the sky to the excited
people watching below, and at last she
was out of sight
BY and by she began to near Il city
There were a great many houses and
spires and chimneys. Outside the town,
in an open meadow. large number of
people were collected together. In their
midst was a big colored mass of-some-
thing the stork didn't know what, and
hn hnl 1,,'+ rhnt hat L
mention to you that it was balloon.
Presently the balloon was loosed from
its mornings, and with bound assembled
grandly into the air. A thousand pairs
of eyes were watchingit, and a thousand
mouths were praising its, graceful mo-
ton, when the thousand pairs of eyes
fell upon the stork-and the balloon was
forgotten. The people were wild with
excitement. Cries of horror and la
menting were heard on every side. A
huntsman fired few shots, though with
out much effect.
keep close to the balloon, Mother
Stork, Keep close to- the balloon and
you'll be all safe" whispered the wise
bird to herself.
Attached to the balloon there was a
boat, in which were seated . man and
woman.
"a child! childr' exclaimed the
woman, discerning the'baby as the stork
drew near. "Oh, you dear little thingn
she cried, talking first 10 the baby and
then to her husband. "Oh, do let us try
to save it!'
The wind was drivingthe balloon along
at rapid rate, so rapid that the stork
|, I,,- I'll,
travelled many mile already, and was
growing short of breath. Still there was
the sound of those disagreeable leaden
balls haunting her ears, and she pressed
on as long as she could.
Baby grew somewhat uneasy howev-
err. The pincers that had been pinching
her up so tightly certainly were loosing
their hold.
Baby felt herself going going
"Ahr' said the woman in the balloon,
giving a deep sigh of relief; " l thought
we should have to lose her after all. |
call myself a pretty lucky woman now,
to find baby in the oloudsr'
"Wife," said the man, passing his
! fingers over the littlewhite bundle; ''the
! fog is so thick | can't see very well; but
by the feeling of so, much fine lace and
ribbon should say it was the child of
rich parents. If So. our fortune is made.
We have only to, advertise it in the
paper"
''Rightr' was the answer. They'll
pay any sum for the sake of getting it
back | shouldn't wonder if we got
enough to build new house and live in
ease all the rest of our days. That is, if
it's" she stopped in dismay as new
thought struck her" living. 1t don't
moYe. It's so still, I'm afraid it's dead.