The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-08-12

uhCH WtTe Oub, anu nOU single tally
had been scored when Jim Harrington
went to the bat He was one of the
best members of the "Stars," and the
entire club took heart as they saw the
resolute look upon his face as he grasped
the heavy pine club and raised it over
his shoulder in waiting for the coming
ball.
"Jim won't missr' cried some Of his
more enthusiastic friends, eagerly.
He's sure to make one run, anyway.
There she goesr'
True enough, at that instant Harring-
ton Knocked, and the ball was seen fly
ing high through the air, fairly passing
the limits of the meadow, and falling
at last among the gnarled and matted
bushes that fringed the cranberry
swamp.
A great shout arose, half dozen
"Rockets" shot away in pursuit and
fixed back and forth among the tan
gled vines searching in hot hast for the
hidden ball, while Harrington, with
wonderful speed, ran from base to base
until he had reached the full limit, six
runs, when the cry of "lost ballp' in
terrupted everything, and all the play
ers, both Gins " and outs" joined in
the effort to find it.
But with no success. for, after twenty
minutes of tramping to and fro, the
Captain of the "Stars" cried "No gon'
and sorrowfully the two clubs gathered
again about the scorers stand.
"We ought to have brought another
ball." said one.
eyes, but it's too late to go for it
now" replied another
"Shall we call it drawP' said a
"Rocket."
"No, sir! For we would have beaten
you if the game had been played out"
returned Star"
1--WE must put the matter over for q
week." said Charlie NARROW, of the Wis
iting club, land you fellows come and
play it out with u.s."
mo" replied Ned Edwards,~ I" the
game is due here and must be played
out here; but if you'll come over and
finish it next Saturday I'll bring my
new football, and we'll have run with
that after this is decided
Both Rockets and Stars were pleased
with this suggestion, and it was unani-
imously agreed to; and soon thereafter,
shouldered their bats and turned up the
winding pathway homeward Just as the
far-away sun kissed the western hor-
ion. But Ned Edwards babe the 9th
ers "good-night" and plunged into the
cranberry swamp upon Decline for his
father S house, something more than a
mile away M
The air was cool and fresh; with
vivid colors the setting sun painted the
fleecy clouds that floated overhead
the twitter of the birds seeking shelter
for the night mingled with the drowsy
tinkle of distant cow bell, and the
faint but plaintive cry of a bewildered
lamb alone broke the stiffness of the
coming night. The shout OF the player
was stilled, the occasional bursts of
laughter from the distant home-roing
crowd did not reach the lowland of the
swamp, the croak of the frogs in the
great marsh sounded like the mystic
music OF some unseen chorus, and
watery echoes, faint and sweet, tloated
through the air. AS Ned advanced his
loneliness became more marked.
This did not trouble the boy, how
ever, for many mile had he tramped
alone and after nightfall, too; but there
came uncalled-for to his busy brain
just at this time of all others the rumor
which he had listened to the day before
at the village store, of panther's cry
which had been recently heard pro-
ceeding from some heavy timber at the
upper end of this very swamp. 1t was
an unpleasant thing to remember as the
shadows were falling and the distant
woods doomed black and somber; but
Ned laughed at his vague half fear,
even while his heart beat a little more
rapidly, and fastened forward whistling
cheerily.
The swamp was at this season of the
year nearly dry, except where the
water formed deep pools; and to avoid
these the boy was obliged to make
many turns and detours, choosing his
path with great care lest in the dim
light he should become entangled in
the morass and be forced to return as
he came. ..... --
Although the actual distance through
the swamp was considerably less than
a mile, yet the difficulty of passage was
so great that Ned was not hat way
across it when the twilight faded into
night, and the soft stars that peeped out
overhead where the only lamps by
which to guide his footsteps.
He had forgotten the panther story in
his worry about the path, and his only
anxiety now, as he moved slowly for
ward, was to escape the treacherous
vines that continually wound around
his feet, and avoid the water holes that
lay upon either hand M
he frogs chorus was quiet now, but
the night had other voices all its own;
the gentle whisper of passing breeze,