The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-09-02

nau TO SJaN ab nome. one Iflcu some
bacon and roasted an ash cake. and ate
her breakfast placidly Then she beat
up her feather bed and MIXED the COW
and tied the calf; alter which she wad-
died again to the mound. Seeing moth
ing, she leaned her broad back against
the magnolia tree, shut her eyes. and
placidly went to sleep.
Suddenly she walked with a start.
The atmosphere was heavy. In the dis
lance flames were mounting to the sky.
Then a terrible explosion that seemed
to make the very earth culver threw
her to the ground. Others followed;
the glass in her cabin windows broke
into bits; smell of sulphur tainted the
air.
Now, Aunt Betsey knet0 the world
was coming to an end! Falling on her
knees, she prayed fervently that Tobey
and Jim and herself, and ''ole Mars
an ole Mis- an de chillen an Mars
Abram Lincoln an JEFF Davis an all
good Christians and miserable sinners
might be brought inter de fold" And
she was still pouring forth this ALIEN
bracing prayer, when night came bring
ing son and husband home.
Their day had been very eventful.
They had found the town in, al, upEoar.,
A certain wild young cavalry iofbceT
with name like that of a novel hero
Earle Van Dorn-had galloped into
Holly Springs wjthshis reckless brigade
before the soldiers IN camp were awake,
to their utter confusion and overthrow
Not much blood had been shed, bpt-aA
the FederalsA were captured, fdisarmed
and released on parole. Holly Springs
the pretty little town-was out of its
wits with Joy. Handkerchiefs~ and tiny
flags-starred and barred-waved from
every window. Houses were thrown
open to chance guests in gray. and as
few had time to enter, the gateways
were crowded with children. Matrons
and maids, laughing, weeping, shaking
hands, asking a thousand questions,
stopped only to regale their friends
with the delicacies most enjoyed by
these sons of chivalry-buttermilk and
onions.
Toward the middle of the day the
foundry buildings and the old school
house were fired. These held army
stores that could not be taken away
delicate eatables for the hospital, boxes
of medicine, barrels of flour, coffee,
sugar, tea, whisky, brandy and wine; so
it was determined to destroy them,
rather than leave them for the benefit
of the enemy.
The people of Holly Springs had
known by this time what it was to suffer
actual want, and they could but feel a
pang on seeing the fire lick UP what
would have been life-blood to so many.
The black population found it too much
to endure, and for once taking the in
itiative they set an example, followed
by all who had strength for the venture,
and so they hurried from all parts of
the town with wheelbarrows, bags and
baskets, and rushed as it seemed, into
the very heart of the flames. They
would come back laden With whatever
Foame nearest to hand, and perhaps some
angel Of the Odd watched over them,
for not a life was lost during their per-
ilous work. q ."
| eTobcy and his father had their share
! in all the excitement Uncle Jim
skipped around in his white trousers
I Ikea patriot on an electric machine, and
shouted, = Hooray for Van Dorm" loud
err than any body; and when the robbing
or saving of the foundry stores began
! he was in his element. He went halves
with q man in town who owned 90
cart, and together they worked like
Troians. ...f ,l .yt.
Tobey soon escaped from his fathers
! eye, spurTed on by his own ambition.
yHe knew that firearms were Stored
somewhere in the building, and he de-
| termined to fit himsel out in a way to
strike terror to the heart of every other
boy in the village, He ran up the
stairs, though the smoke curled about
him and little daggers of flame were
striking with wavering gmenaceyat the
steps. Running through a passage he
y'tried o'dashi into room where he fan
cied he should find what he sought, but
the door was locked. Daunted for an
instant, he looked about him wondering
what to do. AT this instant the thun-
derons explosion of the powder shook
the building with frightful violence.
Tobey fell, stunned, deafened and
frightened half to death. When he
picked himself up he saw that a win
dow leading into the locked room was
shattered into fragments, and, with a
spirit worthy of blue blood, he jumped
through. L-A'il ~ " ~
1t was the paymaster's room. q Some
one had evidently. left it in a hurry,
some one who had tried to save the
money just received for payday, as the
chests were open and their contents
; partly gone; some one who had re-
membered to lock the door as he fled.
Tobey was greatly disappointed.
What stupid thing to find nothing but
boxes filled with green pictures, and not
q sign anywhere. of pistol or bayonet.
The little boy had never handled any
/ money, never seen any | mipht almost