Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-03-31
WHOLE NO. 1875.

ment should be well ground; and that there
should be no lack of materials 10 work upon,
assigned him an acre of the primitive forest,
thickly covered with oaks, beeches, and ma.
pies, 10 be cut down and wrought into fire
wood.
Condemn it . said Sam, as he reached the
thick and lofty wood, this is pretty bust
ness for gentleman But jumping Joseph.
it's good weeks work to cut down one of
these trees, to say nothing of chopping and
splitting it up. And then what the deuce has
the ingrediences in the axe helve to do with
the chopping, should like TO know. Bun
howsomever, as | said afore, that's nyther
here nor there it's so set down in the news
print, and there's no disputing what that says
Sam now pulled off bis gentleman's coat,
and fell too. He worked according 10 the re-
cipe with degree ofmoderation at first new
ertheless he was obliged TO slack away in Of
der TO recover his wind. He took special care,
however, not to LET go of his axe for minute,
lest the handle should cool, and thereby he
should loose the benefit of what he had alrea
dy done. Besides getting out of breath, his
hands began to get sore, and numerous bis
tiers were seen elevating the skin like puff
paste.
'Consarn it all p said Sam, as he sat down
rather take three bushels Of the btterest roots
and YARDS that ever grew. This work will
kill me, as sure as live. I may as well die
with the dispepsery, as 10 be cut off in the
prime of my days by chopping these infarnal
big trees. I'll give it up for a bad Job new
er can endure these bloody blisters besides
I'm so tired can scarce stand on my feet, let
alone pegging into the trees like rotten red
headed woodpecker Good bye to the chop
ping! | say
AS Sam said this, he shouldered his axe,
and was about quitting lie wood, when deep
voice came, as it were from hollow tree close
beside him, saying
Sam! Sam stir not an inch, If You do,
the devil will have you for certain. Work
two hours to-day, and tomorrow be here
bright and early
| what p exclaimed Sam, if the trees be-
| gin to talk, it's time to look about me-
With that he turned back and fell to chop
ping again. He continued until his hands
nearly wore out, and his strength so exhaus-
ted that he could not stand it any longer when
he again shouldered his axe, and without be-
ing farther molested by the voice of the tree,
dragged himself home. He slept soundIy that
night, not being troubled in the least with
dyspeptc dreams. His hands the next day
were terribly sore, and he was lame in nearly
every Joint; but his appetite was good, and he
was able to eat his meat without either pep
per or mustard.
He would fain. however, have declined 60
ing to the wood; but the deep voice was still
ringing in his ears, and the Devil seemed, in
his heated imagination, ready 10 catch him.
He once more, therefore, took his medicated
axe and repaired TO to the forest He contin-
ued longer than the day before, but so sore
were his hands, that every stroke he struck
gave him severe pain; and he was once OF
twice on the point of giving the matter up
when the same deep voice from the hollow
tree again warned him of the danger OF such a
course.
In short, Sam Crookshank repaired to the
wood daily-working longer and harder each
day than the day before, sleeping soundly at
night, and eating his meals with a constantly
increasing appetite. His hands by degrees
became hardened to this work, and his whole
frame so strengthened that he could labor from
morning till night without feeling half as
much fatigued as he endured the first day from
single hours work.
But what plague is the reason said he.
applying his nose to the axe helve, can't
smell the campfire and the murrer oozing
through, as the newspaper said I'm sure
I've het the axe-helve nearly red hot every
day for month, and yet can't perceive in
grediences come through at all. The pothe-
cary must cheated me in the articles
Full of this idea, ne went to scold the apo
thecary for putting him off with bad medicines,
when the latter threw his pestle at his head,
and called him a fool for his pains
But though Sam couldn't perceive by any
outward signs that the medicine had come
through the axe helve; yet, inasmuch as be
daily grew better by handling the instrument
he finally concluded that the virtue of the re-
medy had insensibly entered the pores OF his
hand, and without his knowing it difused it.
self over his whole system.
He did not, however, relax his endeavors
nor lay aside the medicated axe, until his acre
of woodland was completely chopped, and his
dyspepsia most thoroughly cured. He was o.
his gentlemanly pretensions, and is now one
of the most industrious young men IN The
neighborhood.
There is one thing, however, which seems
to him not little mysterious, and that is thu
voice from the hollow tree. But some of his
neighbors are thought to be wiser on that sub
ect than he and it is shrewdly suspected lha
Jack Whippletree, waggsh son of the far
; mer above mentioned, knows more about thu
voice than the one that heard it.
From the Newark Advertiser.
OT1 TIT