The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-04-14
of noisy banging on the door, and loud
voices calling him.


III. .
Now let's see what happened TO Ted's
mother. When she rode away to visit
her sick sister she hoped to get home
again before dark, though the distance
she had to travel was very long. BY
the time she had done what was needed
at her sisters the snow had begun to
fall, and so she hurried away on her
! homeward ride, But the wind blew in
her face, and the snow-drifts were so
deep that she had to travel very slowly.
Night came on, and the storm grew
worse. In little while she could not
tell where the road was, but still she
kept on. She was frightened about her
children, and in her anxiety she grew
nervous and confused. She had lost the
road, and was plunging about helplessly
in snow-drifts, not knowing where she
was or in what direction she was going.
AT last her horse became worn out, and
fell as he was trying to struggle over
some fallen trees covered with snow.
The poor animal was unable to rise
again, and the half-frozen, half-dead
woman went on on foot, toiling through
the great snow-banks, and staggering
with giddiness from cold and fright and
WEAKNESS. Hour after hour she kept
on, going all the time further away
from home; for she had entirely lost
her bearings. 1t was morning. before
the poor woman gave up. Then she
sank down in the snow, and knew no
more.
A farmer passing by that way in the
early morning to look after his cattle
saw her dress, from which the wind had
blown away the snow, and he quickly
dug her out and carried her to his house.
She had wandered twenty miles away
from her own home, and so neither the
farmer nor any member of his family
knew who she was. But they did what
they could for her, and got her to bed
as soon as they had rubbed her to life
like warmth again.
All that day and night she was out of
her head and lay in bed talking of her
children and moaning. On the next
day she came to herself, and as soon
as she found out where she was, and
how long she had been away from
home, she told the good people about
Ted and Baby being all alone in the
house. 1t was bad time to travel but
! the farmer with two other men set out
at once to save the little ones, and in
spite of her weak state, Ted's mother
went, too, in the farmers wagon. As
! they neared the house, after dark that
night, they found it buried in the snow
drift; but the farmer had brought SHOW
els with him for use if the road should
be blocked any where, and with these he
and his men began to dig. TWAS mid
night before they cleared passage to
the front door, and then they shouted
and banged upon the door until Ted
awoke.
There was no more sleep for Ted or
his mother that night. A great roaring
fire was built up, hot coffee was made
and drunk, and Ted had to tell his story
over and over again in answer to his
mothers questions.
81 burned up the summer kitchen,
mother" he said, "and l ruined the
big tongs, and s'pose I've made an
awful mess in the house; but / told you
I'd take care of the baby, and I've done
it,
"Never mind about the kitchen, or
the tongs, or the mess, my brave boy"
answered the mother, as she drew him
to her side and kissed him. "You and
the baby are safe, and that's enough
George Cary EggleSton, IN Harper's
Young People.