The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-11-18


wrecked wagon. "Is any one hurtedP''
as Dear called her to help.
Pm afraid-rm afraid there's some
one under the planks,'' gasped Dear.
trying single handed TO lift The load.
Here, CURL, that's no way to warruk,
TAX the top one first. Mike, yo law
sowl, get along wild yer lanthernr' and
her voice went down the hillside like
the blast of a trumpet starting even the
slow Mike into run.
"There, hould that" said she, hand
ing the lantern to Dear, and with Bid
dy's stout arms at one end and Mikes
at the other, the planks were flung over
into the road. Dear held her breath.
and before the planks were all off they
could see that man lay there stretched
in the bed of the gutter. The planks
were over him like a roof, or the cover
of box, and, when the last one was off,
Dear saw her fathers face, still and
white, but she could not utter a sound.
"Howly Mother, help usr' calculated
Biddy. "Take his feet, Mike, and help
get him out of the wather He'll be
crowned intirely if he sno kilt already"
For as he lay damming up the narrow
channel, the choked water had risen
and spread around him in an ever-rising
pool
As they took him up and laid him
down in the road the motion seemed to
rouse him to life, for Biddy, STOPPING
over him with the lantern saw his ewes
suddenly open. He looked about him
in bewildered way, and then clutched
at the reins that were still in his hands,
l. l.
he slowly raised himself on his elbow,
and seeing the planks scattered about
him muttered: "Why! she's got away"
"Are we much hurled, sur?" asked
Biddy, concernedly, taking his arm as
if she would help him to his feet.
Il don't know, I'm cold" said he,
slowly.
An we'll We might be, lynn in all
that wather," and she told him how
they had found him lying in the gutter
with the planks over him, but not on
him, and the water around him.
is that you, Dearp and has the horse
gone home?" asked he after moment,
seeing the little, shaking figure beside
him.
"Yes, papa and all at once the
convulsive sobs leaped beyond her con-
troll, and she fell on her knees, quite
unable to say or do anything but sob.
The sight and the sound of her sobs
did more than anything else to restore
her father to himself. With Biddy's
help he slowly rose from the ground,
and, after standing moment, he said
steadily: 81 believe l am all right, only
cold and little confused. The fall
must have stunned me, and but for your
help, my good woman, l should have
been dead man soon.
at was yer little CURL tould us. We
shouldn't have known"
He held his hand to Dear, and she
caught it and held it under her chin,
still unable to speak.
'.Do we think we could walk, sur?
Ye've no right to be standin' here wild
yer wet clothes.'
Thus admonished they began to move.
Biddy and Mike and the ''lanthern"
went with them to the top of the hill.
By that time Harvey Gates had obtained
full possession of himself, and he babe
Biddy goodnight, telling her he would
see her on the morrow.
Nov, Dear" said he, run home
and tell your mother, quietly, that the
wagon broke down, but that l am all
right, and will be in directly"
1t was not until near noon the next
day, when Dear broke into an rrepress-
ible fit of sobbing, that her mother knew
how near death had been to them that
night. She turned very white, and after
a moment said: Children, we have
great reason to be thankful today"
A little later Harvey Gates came in.
He had been down with Luke to get
the planks out of the road and to see
Biddy Mccoy. He told pitiful story
of the poverty in the little shanty
"There will be no Thanksgiving supper
there to-day" he said. Mrs Gates
WINGED little. She was a thrifty
woman, and it was not easy for her to
understand the blessedness of giving.
"And such baby, such little mite of
baby! continued Harvey Gates, as if
speaking to himself.
"A baby?" repeated Mrs. Gates,
pausing on her way to the oven; "did
you say Biddy had a babyP"
Yes, and the poor little thing looks
half starved.n
Mamma" said Dear, eagerly,
"why can't we have them all up here
to Thanksgiving support We've got
enough for them"
Harvey Gates glanced at his wife.
After a moments hesitation she said:
Eyes, they can come, | suppose, if
there amt more n forty or fifty of em;"
and she opened the oven door and
basted the turkey with energy. liar
vey," she called, as she heard him
going toward the door, "tell Bddy to
bring the baby; and here, you take that
thick shawl in the entry to wrap it up
warm"
And so the McCoy's had the orandest