The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-01-23
YOUTHS DEPARTMENT.
WHAT JACK DID.

"It's all nonsense being afraid;
mother. The ice isn't going to break
up yet, and if it is, how can we let
these poor little things waltz"
The big boy bent tenderly over two
little girls who were tossing and moan
ing with fever.
The mother looked anxiously out OF
the window, feeling it cruelty hard to
make the choice of the two evils which
lay before her. Here were the two
children alternately shivering and
burning in all the miseries of ague,
with no medicine in their sore need.
On the other hand was the sending out
of Jack to encounter known and un-
known dangers, as her fears and fancies
declared, in order to bring it,
"If it should break while you are
gone, Jack, what would you doP"
"DoP Why, do the best l can, to be
sure. 1t wouldn't be half so bad as
you imagine, mother. I've got the
strength Of man and the pluck Of
well, of little woman" he looked
proudly down upon the mother who,
widowed, was struggling through
roughness and hardness in this half
wild prairie country for the sake of her
children. I'm sure don't know
where you'll find anything pluckier
than that. / shall borrow Mr.. SHOWS
old nag SO can go quickly. And I'm
going to take my gun and see if can't
bring home taste of something nice
for the darliDgs."
Another look at the suffering chill
dren led the mother to give unwilling
consent that Jack should start out at
daybreak next morning. And in the
gray light of the early dawn she
watched him as with CHEEKY shout
and a wave of the hand to her he ran
down the little slope on which the house
was built and showed his boat into the
shallow water.
The river was a mile distant but sue
cessive rains, besides filling every low
lying spot, had caused it to overflow
its banks. At this point it was now
free of ice, but far above, many trib-
utary was waiting to pour its crowding
contents upon the lower levels.
The water was not deep enough to
push boat with any ease, and part OF
his way was obstructed by coarse, high
grass, so that Jack had a good hours
tug before rounding clump of hazel
brush which lay between him and the
river. Had he been working less hard
he would surely have noticed crush
ing, grinding sound which grew louder
and louder as he approached.
"Thunder!" he said as he rested q
moment on his pole and gazed about
him. "You must have took notion
to start just about the time / did, but
you've got ahead of me-"
The first great cakes of running ice
were far below him. If he had come
half an hour earlier he would have re-
joiced in pushing out among them
and taking his chances of steering
his way, but this was not now to be
thought Of
'How can l go backp" he said, with
a sorrowful thought of the sick little
ones at home. Il believe could walk
over that ice. I'll try, anyway" A
large piece. extending for some dis
lance into the river, was floating by,
and without waiting for further consid-
Grafton he quickly tied his boat to a
tree and sprang upon it.
He ran over it and jumped from cake
to cake beyond. But as he neared the
middle of the stream where the current
was stronger, he began to realize that
his situation was perilous. 1t was easy
enough to spring from one quietly
floating surface to another, but in the
continually increasing pressure from
above they were now piling one upon
another, turning on edge, or turning
over and over in manner that made
every footstep difficult and dangerous.
But Jack had a cool head, and limbs
which swiftly and surely obeyed its
suggestions.
nm glad mother didn't see that, y
he said to himself as at last having
gained the further shore he leaned upon
a fallen tree to steady his dizzy brair
and recover breath.
"Where did you come fromp" sale
Farmer Snow, staring as Jack walked
into his stable-yard.
Jack pointed back at the river.
Don't mean to say you come across
that ere ice?"
eyes do. Can /. take old Racka
back to ride over to the doctors, Mr.
SnowP"
walked acrost that-'ere icel Well
If you bent the-the-n Farmer Snoy
shook his head in utter despair of ex
pressing himself further. "Can yo
take RackabackP Course you can
Amt got your gun wet, be YEP Nc
Veil, here's Rackaback and the oil
saddle. Crossed that ice! Well-I'I
be blamed if-little gals sick, ehp To
Dad. Take Bones, too, for company
Be off lively, now. Looks like tn
winds agoin to change. Come acros
that ice!-Well, l swOwr"
: Old Rackaback was not in favor
lively movements, but Jack in his am
iety to find something in the way
game did not object to a slow ridl
Reaching toward noon the little tow
about eight miles from Farmer Snow
he procured the medicine which
fastened securely in an inner poke