Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-06-18
Samuel Sioven asa sugar-Maker.

Early in February, wien t.c dclici-
Gus sunny DAYS w,Ic enough To- tempt
a claw sucking bcor out OF his state o
liberation. Mr.. Sloyen electrified his
family, Ben included, with the amour
cement that he was going into he
maple sugar making business, and, as
soon Ms breakfast was over, he started
with the oldest of the tow heads to the
nearest ncighhor to grind his axe, pre-
parstory to digging ont sap troughs.--
He had a few trees on his own land
that is, land that would be his when
paid for and-his rcxt ncighbor had
more on the land adjoining, which OF
course, as the line had never been nun,
he could include is his camp until the
right 10 do So was disputed. Of course
he hadn't any anger or hil t. tap the
trees. whats the use ~ He would
"box" them with his axe; that is, cut IA
big notch to collect the SIP, and lead II
to the troughs through II eimlct hole
and hollow weed. 1t kept Zen SO lu
~ to keep the cows and pigs noscs
ont Of the troughs that he only had
time to hunt one coon in the DAYTIME
but even that Mr.. Sloven looked upon
M a clear gain, because, if he had not
been ont at the sugar camp, it would
not have been caught. BY borrowing
one kettle, and by carrying everything
out of the house that would hold sap.
and by using the rain water barrels, i'm
GLIDING the one used last Fall to scald
hogs, for sap holders, the sugar camp
Of Sloven and Company was at length
ready for operations. The Company"
that constituted the partnership consis'
ted Of Ben, the coon hunter, and the
three eldest of the tow-heads. Mrs.
Sloven in consequence of certain faml'
ly expectations, declined to enter into
camp duty. but engaged to sugar Off
in the dish kettle, which she reserved
for that and other purposes. This she
would have gladly done, bnt, somehow
or other, Samuel was peculiarly unfor'
tunate. His arduous labo,s never see.
med to result as other peoples did
He was the victim ofaccidents. The
"hrst run ran slowly, and turned sour
before Samuel thought their was enough
TO make it worth his while to begin up.
on. The Second run" ran so fast that
half was wasted before he could boil it.
and then, when it came to the point OF
concentration, Samuel was exhausted
with his unusually hard labor, and sit
ting before the camp fire upon bed of
dry leaves which the children had
gathered, leaning against log, tired
nature was overcome, and San uel slept.
1t wss 10 o'clock when he beesn to
dose was 5 o'clock when he began to
wake. He found the fire out, but he
had tho most satisfactory evidence that
Il did not 90 out until il had burnt up
the fuel, his "crotch and p lie" ,nclu.
dsd. His syrup was where the milk
was that . very old fable tells US once
toppled from the milk maids head,
SsmSsl waked up sad.-"I do belle.
w." said he, soliloquizingly. shat |
was born to i'll luck-it's alters iis 80 !;
dang Il. Now what'll the ole woman
say ! ! do wish l WAS dead,
This accident depressed Samuel's
spirits TO such degree that he de-
slassd he hadn't amite Of appetite for
HI hreakiAAt and he only ate Eve .I
~ Of frisd pork, four potatoes with
gravy, alias pork fat, three "dodgers,"
and siy snrs Of coffee. He then laid
down 70 take - snoose," and Of cou, Sc
lost that days run.
The next time he boiled down he {.
med hh work 20 q to have II come in
tbs day time. When il approached
The point Of concentration, he arrsu.
nd . slcw Gre, and congratulated him
aslf that ssll was right this time, aay.
how and 10 would astoniah the ola
ve0an. y tell you what Tia D~a"-
49, n ~ hobit a tAlkine "a ~
III ~ ik;st. y ~ -