The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-07-22
"You may do as you please" l said.
"Do vo with me, Ben

=
ado 90 with me, Ben"
"No--look there" jerked q suck
er out of the water and laid him wrg-
Cling on the stones. mo trouble
about catching fish here,'f Il added,
rather spitefully, as l took him from the
hook.
George angrily got in the boat and
rowed away, shouting back to me;
"You may get home as you best
can"
Don't trouble yourself about me.
old cranky" | answered. / did not
mind at all being left, for l knew he
would come back for mewlen he cooled
down. l iished for an hour or SC. when
it occurred to me that it would be a
good joke to give him a little fright.
II would be quite satisfaction if /
could make him think for little while
that | had come to some harm through
his leaving me. N"Hl
! | told you the piers were boarded up
on the outside. Up near the top OF this
] one a board was gone, decaved away, as
l perceived when / got up to it. For
| formed the plan of climbing up to this
! opening and out upon the inclined
| plane to hide from George, for he could
! llOb SCC lllc lllCIC NDCil DC CdluC W. lOOh
! tor me. Then l would climb down
again when | had enjoyed his alarm
and perplexity at not finding me.
No sooner said than done. found it
rather difficult, for the timbers which
supported the planking were some dis
! lance apart, and very weak with age, L
perceived now that the real supports of
the bridge consisted of Strong timber
which had been setiup inside, the out
side being now mere useless shell as [
found TO my cost. For as | climbed
through the opening and reached the in
cline, hard work, for it shelyed over a
little, the whole thing began to crumble
under me -crashing down fifteen feet
below, where on one side lay those
Jagged stones, on the other the deep,
swift running water. With desperate
effort half leaped, half scrambled up
close to the outside wall of the bridge,
the .decayed wood giving way under
every step, till gained a narrow ledge
formed of the renewed timber Here [
was safe, but here found I must stay
until help came, for there was no sound
supports within my reach. li + .yioDo-
AS l sat on this narrow seat with
scarcely any rest for my feet, il began to
realize that twas in no pleasant posi-
ton, and looked anxiously about to see
what might be my chances of getting
out of the trap had got myself into.
Things were not promising. Less than
an eighth of a mile above me the great
dam stretched itself from shore to shore.
Its hollow roar was enough to prevent
my voice being heard far in any direc-
ton, and to this was added the ceaseless
din of the Touring mills, saw-mills and
paper mills at either end of it. | could
only wait for George to come, but hours
passed, during which my cries for help
were thrown back to me by the pitiless
noise. AS | grew cramped and ex-
hausted and dizzy it seemed to wrap
itself around me as if to bear me down
to the angry waters. ..aUl. s.-.
| never have been able to understand
how chung there so long. The after
noon wore away, and as the shadows
grew longer could dimly hear shout
ing and perceive more movement ON
shore. Then rays of light shone from
down the river-artilicial light, i knew.
! There certainly was unusual excitement
about the mills, and as twilight deep
ened | could justJs see boat put out
from one of them and come nearly to-
wards me, when it turned down stream.
| called and shouted, but was still an
heard. Then took ai9uick resolution,
born of the extremity of my position.
Gathering all my strength in one scream
and one leap, 1 sprang out over the
water in the direction Of the boat. My
forehead struck on one of the zinc
bound oars and the blood streamed over
my face as felt myself seized by friend
ly arms. Then a halloo went up from
my rescuers, which was carried from
boat to boat and from bank 10 bank. [
saw that the river was alive with those
who Were searching for me-it was their
lights | had seen. l.r III.
Didn't George go back for you,
unce?''
ayes, but had never thought of look
ing for me dboUe the - brid ge. After
hunting long for me in sore dismay, he
had spread the alarm. Poor fellow he
had suffered more than hadP'nuas
But he wasIthe most to blame"
81 don't. think so, / have always OBJ
served that when boys, or others either,
for that matter, get to quarreling there
is generally little to choose on either
side. "-ChicGgo Standard.
| iu- 't. A Ii'