Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-04-14
How 10 Get rid OF a Rock,

Uncle Abe was Connecticut farmer
and in time q pretty good one. Ills
farm, ike great many other Connecti-
cut farms, was full of stones, and he de-
lighted to clean them off out of the way
to plough. He built great many rods
OF substantial stone wall, but be could
not Use up all the stone He had clear
ed one field Of all but one great boulder
about the size Of large haycock. He
wanted to get rid Of that. He would
have "blown it to finders, as he had
good many others, but it was within Gwo
yards Of the "best room windows, which
might 20 10 flinders at the same time.
so he attempted to haul it ont of its bed
one day. After trying bis own and his
neighbors' oxen, and breaking several
chains, Uriah grewswrathy, and declar-
ing he would give FIVE dollars to any
one who would put that pesky rock ont
Of sight"
"Wa'al, meow don't mind to take the
job, If you'll find spade and throw in
some dinner, and a mug Of cider along
in the afternoon a. le
This proposition was made. by a
stranger who had just then come up lie
was fair specirn en- of a working YEN
kee, and Uncle Uriah dropped the bro
ken chain and turned square around TO
look him in the face:
Yes; I'll give it, and the dinner and
cider, too, but won't pull my oxen
again at tina. stone, nowhow
Don't want you should, Tn TO put
the stone out Of sight, make all smooth
about here, so you can plough right
along. That's what I'm to do, amt
it2p
eyes thet is what / want don't
care how you do it, but if you fail,
don't pay You anything. Do you under.
stand? Very well, then, come into din
ner. w So 4fA - ~
This dcne, and large quid Of tobac
co adjusted, the Yankee threw off hi
coat and took up the spade. sAe gave
d look at the stone to see which way i
would tip theseasiest, and then commenc
ed digging hole on the lower side, larg'
and deep enough to bury the boulder
quite out of sight In three hours hi
got out and took a careful measure
ment, and then dug little more upor
the one side, Then he went to the wooC
pile and got stick of wood, which ht
placed firmly with one end in the bott on
of his hole, and the other braciue
against the rock Then he began under
mining, and worked until he saw the
brace begin to give, and found that th'
rock was resting upon bis brace.
Nov" said he, IL think / will tax,
that mug of cider"
Uriah, who had been watching, order
ed the cider with right good will III,
even offered TO add doughnuts anC
cheese.
While the Yankee was wiping ava,
the perspiration and drinking his cider
Uriah brought his oxen around and hitch
ed chain TO the wooden prop.
III did say that would not pull IN,
oxen again, and do not mean to, be
cause il needs only jerk.
Jerk it was and down went the boul
der, and with it shovel full of dirt, ant
another and another in quick succession
until it was oil smooth and level, AM
long before night the Yankee was read
TO resume his journey.
"There," said Uriah, as he hande,
him the five dollars, ''there is the hes
spent five dollars that ever spent upor
my farm. Won't you take another drinl
of cider2 You are entirely welcome.
have learned something ofyou."
Perhaps some persons who read thi
ay learn something-learn how to &c
rid of the boulders that may encumbe
the surface, and which are often BLASTED
andsbroken up, and hauled away, Just t.
get rid of them, at much greater ex
pense than it would require to bur
them where they lie, entirely out OF sight