The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-01-13


tons in the way of managing is; which
Jim did. and after a few turns Of the
wheel, during which he felt as if he or
his fairy steed, or both, had taken
win IS, the big wheel logan TO wa5hle
unreasona " and Jim to incline wildly
iirst to one side and then the other.
Then the little wheel grew skittish, and
as It rose ohstreperously ehind Jim
went down before, amid shouts of good
humored laughter.
But it was hushed all of a sudden,
for there came a loud and terrible
sound which struck fear TO every heart
"a stunning report, then quick rend-
ing-tearing crashing And as Jim
gathered himself up, dazed, deafened
and bewildered cries of alarm and suf-
| fering arose on the one moment of
dread silence which had followed the
shock. IL was some little time before
those who gathered frantically around
COULD understand that a steam-boiler
had exploded with awful violence, deal
| ing destruction and death among the
assembled multitHdes, but it was only
breathing time before wall of
anguish went up from stricken ones
whose own had been smitten down at
| their very sides. fff .EF.
JIM was blinded by quick coming
tears as he bent over the apparently
hfeless form of his just now Joyous
companion. A dark line of blood slow
" trickled from under his hair, and
Jim turned half faint as he saw blood
gathering under him on the grass. He
was about TO raise a cry for help when.
q tall man knelt down by the bov with
o white face and trembling hands.
Tearing open his coat he applied his
ear to his chest. a '-..
Il am physician" said another
man, hurrying up, and together they
made a hasty examination OF injuries
which were found to be serious but not
probably fatal.
"What shall do?" said Harvey's
father, looking about him in distressed
perplexity. ~ ought to take him to
the hotel at once-and then again, |
ought to be seeing after more OF these
poor souls-and the mischief my wares
have worked"
'If you will trust him with me,n
said the physician, Il will 60 and take
care of him. See, there are already
more doctors than pat ents here"
Harvey opened his eyes.
90 L IL ~, ldJncIs DOuJ NC duA-
ious-Pll soon be all right"
Mr.. Glenn asked Jim to run for n
hack which stood a little distant from
them. But as he pointed to the
wounded boy with few eager words
the driver stood stolidly and shook his
head
"No--I can't have my carriage
spoiled with that sort O. work.
| l,,it 50.
afford it,"
Jim hurried to another driver with much
the same result.
I'm here with aparty-can't do any
moved their vehicles to another part of
the grounds to avoid being called on to
assist in the removal of wounded and
dead.
"rve got light wagon" said JIM
going back to the doctor, almost choked
with anger. MAY bring that?'
"Yes-quick."
The seats were torn out with little
ceremony. Straw was placed in the bed
of the wagon, upon which Harvey was
tenderly laid. Then the horses were
led round to where other sufferers lay
Again Jim's heart grew ok at sight of
torn, bleeding bodies and anxious
friends trying to improvise comforts and
bring some relief, and he turned his half
dizzy head the other way as they passed
building in which he knew were lying
those suddenly called out of the sun
shine and the summer air and the bust
ness and the pleasure.
"Come back" whispered Mr.. Glenn
as Jim took his slow way to the town.
There's hardly one of these heather
drivers will bear hand"
Jim came back and carried two more
injured men, unknown by any one
there, so far as he could learn. Then
again for others whose mourning friends
followed in carriage. At night, over
excited by the sad scenes through which
he had given such ready, self-forgetting
aid, he went to his bed, feeling as if he
never could close his eyes again. But
sweet sleep watches in klndliness on the
steps of such, and the country boy S
rest was unbroken by dreams of the
days tragedy. When he awoke the
sun was beaming as benignly as if it
had not last shone on hearts Swallowed
while time should last on what it had
then witnessed.
He first went to the hotel at which he
had left Harvey, and was cheered by
hearing fair accounts of his condition
and that his mother had come to him.
Then he turned his attention to his
wagon, spattered and dripped with the
= marks OF his fearful loads of the day be-
fore. 1t took him hours to wash it, re-
quiring such an amount of energetic
scrubbing that he soon perceived that a