The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-08-02


dozen of his workmen. whom he pro
Vided with stout ropes, and they all
proceeded to the place, where, sure
enough. they found Ncri clear m all
before him with his lance. Angelo
came behind his nephew. seized him,
threw him down and, despite his re-
monstrances, tied him to a litter, and,
with cloak thrown over his body, car
ried him to his house, where Lis weep
ing mother was waiting to receive him.
He was carried to the best room, which
was darkened, and. bound as he was,
laid upon bed. When alone in the
dark, Neri, upon thinking it over, made
up his mind that Scheggia was paying
off old scores, and became mad with
vexation He grew hungry, and shout
ed to his mother to bring him meat and
drink, but deaf ear was turned upon
his cries. Next morning, when his UNI
Gle entered the room with two physi-
clans, he was living as meek rs lamb,
and quietly told his visitors of his wager
with Scheggia, and if they would 60 to
the Golden Spur they would find two
crowns awaiting him, which the propri-
etor was holding as stakeholder. Act
ing upon this suggestion, the uncle
found this to be true, and learning that
Scheggia and his friends had been re-
calling themselves with a supper over
the joke, regretted the part he had been
forced to take in the affair, and poor
| Neri was at once released.
A UNSUITABLE JOKE.
Once in while a practical joke is
iustifable as when double header was
placed under the chair of a persistent
book gent who would not take no for
an answer. Another instance was
where an English officer determined to
explore that forbidden land, Chinese
Tibet He slipped across the frontier
one dark night, only to be taken by the
guard early the next morning. They
did not make prisoner OF him, but po-
litely informed him if he was resolved
to 90 they would accompany him to
keep off any robbers. They journeyed
along pleasantly for some time, and at
last came to rope bridge-one in
which the passenger is placed in bas-
ket suspended to a rope and pulled to
either side by double rope attached to
the basket. To show the Englishman
that the basket was safe, one of the
Tartars went over first. The English
man then entered the bridge basket,
and when it reached the middle it came
to sudden stop. "Pullp' he shouted,
but the Tartars only shook their heads,
and, seated on either bank, complacent-
ly smoked their pipes. The louder he
cried "Pulll'' the faster they smoked.
After having been kept there all day,
nearly frozen to death, they agreed tC
pull him back on condition that he
would recross the frontier and never at
tempt to enter Chinese Thibet.
AN ASS OR HERMIT.
From these jokes. which have some
thing of suffering in them, it is pleasant
er to turn to another and harmless sor
of practical joke, which, while it amuse!
causes no pain. A good one is selected
of Turpin, mad wag of q wit, wht
garb of a hermit. In this dress, accom-
panied by another equally mad wit, h,
entered an inn yard, where he found al
ass tied to the door. Taking of tn,
animals harness he turned the ANNA
loose and slipped himself into the har
ness, and there stood awaiting the ar
rival of the owner. The owner, on hi
return was, of course, astonished to flint
his ass gone and hermit standing Their
in his harness instead. Still more wa
he astonished when he heard the her
NIT thank God for his return into hu
man shape. ''At length" he eX
claimed, ''my sins are forgiven me an,
the time of my penance is expired.
sinned and was changed into an ASS
: but Heaven is mercifil and its ange
,, does not endure forever" Saying thi
| Turpin threw down his harness an
walked away. 1t was not long after be
fore the ass was caught and sent to tn
, market to he sold, when who shout
> espy it but it's former owner. Ate
staring at the animal for some time h
said: "What! has the wretch SHINE
again, and has he again been turne
Q into an assp For the love of Coo
+ friends, have nothing to say to that an
i nal. He has deceived me once, but
Q am not to be caught again; for, loo
5 you, whoever buys him will some da
a find him turn into hermit as | did
:. BECKFoRD's JOKE.
i William Beckford. the author
: Vathek, which Lord Byron pronounce
u the finest piece of prose imagery eve
: written, once perpetrated quite cap
. tai joke. A couple of young gentleme
were very anxious to see the interior
Q Forthill, Beckford's celebrated res
g dence. Not knowing the proprieto
:, they scaled the walls, and had only al
: vanced a few steps when they met hin
o who, instead of ordering them off, r.
ceived them with the greatest courtes,
# and after showing them the SPLENDID
@ of his residence set them down to
) splendid repast. When it came time
: go, as night arrived, he ordered Sc
: want to show them to the exact sp,
: where they were found and leave then
o Now, as Forthill was laid out in patl
) which extended for twenty miles ar
% never crossed each other, and was