The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-09-26

dDu WOulu give III inc uOSL aueCllOudl6
attention. But let one of the party ad.
vance a step, and it was the signal for
him to turn on them and drive them
back. No coaXing had the least effect;
and when one of the women, remem-
bering lunch of bread and meat in
her pocket, tried to win him with food,
| he scorned to look at it. Losing pa
tience, the ferryman provided himself
| with club and thought to try what
show of force could do. This merely
enraged the dog who was more than a
| match even for an armed man. Very
much in earnest, then, Paul's grand
father sent the boy to bring from the
boat his duck gun, declaring that the
dog must be shot tt
Away flew Paul, while the women
set up such lamentation because OF
the necessity of killing the dog that had
saved the baby from drowning, that the
ferryman made them 60 some distance
away, lest the dog, if only wounded.
should spring upon them indiscrim-
| inately, at time when he would have
all he could do to defend himself. But
the gun, too, was failure. 1t was
evident the dog understood gun. but
supposed that they intended to shoot
the child; for he protected its body SO
closely with his own, that to fire at one
would be to fire at both. Completely
batlled, the old man threw The weapon
on the ground. BOZ
"Holdl Grandpap' cried Paul, OF
his elbow. Il know what l can dor
And the swift feet were off toward the
ferry once more.
HE is going to try lasso on the
beast--the way he caught the pig that
broke out of the pen yesterday" said
grandfather to himself, and then he
shouted, but too late to be heard:
Don't take the rope that ties the boat,
Paul! Don't let the boat loose!'
The women, waiting in terror for the
report of the musket, saw Paul run
past, and thought of him no more until
three minutes later, when cry for help
attracted their attention, and Paul was
seen to fall headlong over the boats
stern into the deep water. AS he rose
to the surface he grasped the ruddeI
with one hand, but long before help
: could arrive, his hold slipped and he
Disappeared The old man, running as
fast as his stiff limbs could carry him,
reached the boat at the same time as
the women; but he was less frightened
than they.
"Why-that chap can swim-like a
} duck" were his words, as he caught
his breath. ''He drown ngp-I wouldn't
wouldn't have believed it!
He was frightened by the accident"
some one remarked, while the old man
r worked at a disadvantage in getting off
. the boat, as he kept his eyes turned on
r the water. r.' rFe.t ..I
There! away yonderi so far down
t OH" came the cries from the shore, as
: the women, shielding their eyes from
the sun with their hands, caught sight
of the lads head and shoulders above
a the surface. nearly opposite the point
: where the child had been landed. All
8 felt that he was drowning, but none
t dared say so to the fond old grand
g father. In the same breath Paul gave
t one last long, piercing cry. aud sank
: gradually amid the curling waves.
r /, That call had an instant effect. True
t to his life-saving instincts, the great dog
@ leaped into the river again, and swim
Q ming to the boy, drew him, heavier
q burden than the baby, slowly ashore ar
the spot where the baby had lain. But
: the baby lay there no longer; for its
v mother whom the shrek of distress
S had also aroused, had snatched it up,
o as the dog left it, and borne it away in
], Joy and triumph. And as soon as Paul
: was on land, he stood up and hailed the
v boat, swinging his arms and shouting:
l. "All right, Grandpa. Carry over the
/ womenfolks, and when IN ready pres
emily, I'll walk across"
|. He broke into a laugh that startled
the echoes, the merriest laugh, those
/ who heard it said, that ever fell on their
n ears.
d The young rascal" cried the grand
father, gayly, while tear of gratitude
v stole down his bronzed cheek, Ito
S brighten and foolus SOL" Y.........
/; ''But how fine Tor him to have fooled
the dog!" said the women.
f. The dog did not appear to take the
N loss of his former prize to heart, as he
e had now secured larger and better.
Ie In little while the boat was seen APP
IS preaching Paul stood up on his feet
re patting the rather astonished dog upon
es the head, and the pair trotted along
at shore to meet the ferTyman.
rs I'VE were just going to swim across
to for sport-can't we, Grandpa9" cried
N Paul.
so But his grandfather thought there
e. had been enough of that kind of spor
ID for one day, and so the boy and his
IN new playmate crossed in the boat.
lis Some hours later sportsman Zap
I'd peared at the ferry, inquiring for dog
he answering the description of the one
that now, hearing his masters voice
h. came rushing out of the ferryman's cot
to tage. Both were glad to meet again
he and the sportsman, when he had hearC
m the story, expressed his delight that hi