Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-10-14


that when get time"
He meant when be felt like it, for he had
ample time then. All that was necessary was
to step into the wagon-hcuse, get an inch and
half augur, and bore a new hole 1t would
have taken him, perhaps, five minutes to have
performed the whole operation. He led the
colt into the next STALL and then went to the
/ house and sat down.
Ah-the old habit was not gone vet He
would fix the tie-hole when he had time!-
John Boggs hadn't quite reformed for all his
place looked so well outside.
An evening or two afterwards just as he
was sitting down to supper one Of his daugh-
tiers came in aud told him that the back barn
door had tumbIed down again.
Why l set log of wood mp against it
firmly only little while ago exclaimed John
Then guess some of the sheep must have
rubbed it down. said the girl.
John Bogss,' spoke the wife almost sternIy,
havn't you fixed that door yetE
L declare. I'll FIX that Tomorrow was
Johns response.
But why havn't you fixed it before p per.
sisted Matilda
'Why-I havn't had time
John, held down his head as be made this
remark.
'Havn't had time p repeated the dame, ,ele-
waiting her eye brows in real astonishment.-
John Bogg's, what do you mean?
Why-I did mean to fix it ; but whenever
Pve thought of it, il has been when was busy
about something else
All, John-et me tell you that kind of
work won't suit Aaron Rolf
Let Aaron Rolf mind his own business, re-
turned John warmly and he added with
bold l1ok into his wife's flce, there's other
folks, too that might do the same to advan-
tage.'
Matilda Boggs smiled, for she saw that her
husband was playing the brave-a thing which
he seldom did in her presence. Not that she
was the wearer OF garments unmentionable but
she was one of those straight, forward sound
senSed, stern vrtued women, who find it ab-
solutely Necessary to guide an easy husband
sometimes She had intended to ask her lord
to go out and fix the door after supper; but as
he was already chafed, she concluded to say no
more at present.
The facts about the barn door were these:
The lower hinge had been useless over two
weeks but had been made to work by beng
careful in opening and closing the door But
some three days had elapsed since the upper one
had become So loose that no dependence could
be placed upon T. John had noticed. and he
had said to himself: 1T must be fixed /; and he
had resolved to do it when he felt like H.
The next day came; and in the morning John
Boggs went out to the barn and passed through
into the yard. He set the back door up after
him, and braced the stout cord stick against it
to hold in lis place.
Il declare, that must be fixed I'll attend
to that right off
lie went out into the field and when he came
back he went over 10 a neighbor to see about
some help, and remained there till dinner time
Just as they were sitting down TO dinner A aron
Rolf drove up TO the door. One of the hired
men took his horse and he came 10, where he
was warmly welcomed by John and his good
wife.
In the afternoon the two men went out to the
timber land, and it was nearly dark when they
returned They had seen the whole lot. and
Mr. Rolf was much pleased with the proposed
plan in every way. As near as they could cal
culate it would take them, with themselves and
four other men, and six yoke Of cattle and four
horses, a hundred days Perhaps more. but
surely no less. Rolf found that his share of
the proceeds would amount to eight hundred
dollars. Then from this he must pay the two
men whom he was to bring, leaving him six
hundred dollars for his oxen, horses and him
self But as he was TO be at no expense at all
in feeding anybody or anything, he considered
the remuneration just fair
Il can nave more than that for hauling
goods for our new railroad company, said he;
but should have to be away from home all
the time and don't like it. / like this plan,
| can 30 home as often as / please, and feel
perfectly free to remain away q day If | wish
During the evening the work was all pan
ned and before they retired, Aaron Rolf had
made up his mind hat they should sign The arti-
cles of agreement. 1t was arranged that they
should 90 to the justices and have them legal
| IL drawn up John Boggs thought there was
no need of any such paper, but Me-. Rolf
thought differently. Said he -
We may forget, but written paper can't
forget
And upon that they retired for the night
In the morning Mr.. Rolf got up, aud went
out to snuff mp the fresh air. Having washed
and com ,ed his hair, he thought he would 20
down and look at his horse and perhaps give
him some water He saw one of the hired men
and asked him if he had watered the animal
| 1t had not been done So he went on to the
barn He found the stable where he had seen
! the man hitch his horse the night before-but
the horse was gone He went through to the
| back Of the harn, and found the door not open,
sut fat upon the ground He went on into
the yard-and there he found the bars down
| He hunted up the hired man.
Look We, my man, have YOU seen anything
Of my horse
! No SIR was the answer
Just come here
The man followed Rolf to the empty stall.
Did you hitch my horse there last night =
the visitor asked. pointing to where the hole
had been broken out.