The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1870-12-08
THE OLD SAw-MILL.

folks. 1t stands now just where it stood
years ago-over the knoll, little dis
tance from my childhood's home. The
way to it was down a broad, straight
road, bordered with rocks and raspberry
bushes. OF the other and popular route
l will tell you by and by.
| The old saw-mill itself-how l should
like to sketch it as it appeared to my
childish view! Such smooth pine
floor as there was at one end, and such
facinating cracks, through which little
eyes could peer down into the deep wa.
ter Of the flume.
There was a big beam, too; and it was
! very nice and convenient, for I could
reach 1t on my tip toe, and it was SUBJ
servient to all the purposes of a shelf
1t was hundred per cent. better than a
real one! A broken piece of decorated
f; china stood upon it for several years. l
used to play that it was a money box,
and count the nails that it contained
with the utmost care. There was u hook
driven In this be an; and when "Uncle
Willard's" blue coat did not l:ng upon
it, my sunbonnet generally found place
there.
How often my eyes have grown in
credibly large while watching the move
ments of the wonderful saw, with its
two great arms! Up aud down, up aud
down-very slowly at first, while it was
fixing its sharp teeth into the end OF the
log; then little faster, faster still; until
in was flying swiftly and easily through
the hard wood, which seemed to run of
its own accord for the sake of being
split.
Oh! what charming rides l used to
have on the log carriage, at the risk of
having my brains knocked out by the
mill roof, which sloped at one end to an
acute angie with the floor; or of losing
my balance and falling through t o
umbers, a hundred feet or more, into ;ex
abyss of water below. And, whene O.
hoped Oft, it was so delightfully."- meth.
the back door that never could esarG
skipping out upon the ragged ed
OF the mill-dam, to see how long.
could stand there without getting dzs
My mamma was an invalid. S
could not: bear anxiety or fear withc
serious injury. She was very natura, ~,
opposed to my visiting the mill, unl,s O,
when under the care of some older mcea
Der of the family, ind passed q law
that effect. This law, although it mia
very heavily upon me, 1 should prot u
bly, never have transgressed but for nfE
Cousin Frank, a darling little rascal of
about my own age, who spent week
with us.
Come across lots" he said, with that
persuasive eloquence SO natural to boys.
So we crept through the bars, and the
orchard, and the clover fieia around the
big rock, and under the ash tree, and.
lastly, over the stone wall, which was
surmounted by a rail fence 1t was my
first lesson in disobedience, and so del
icateIy sweet that repeated it daily.
The mill was not one of my fathers
possessions; but belonged to good
hearted neighbor, whom we called 'Un
Gle Willard" and who, so far from be-
ing avcrse to my clandestine visits, rath-
er encouraged me in what he called "a
pretty way of. deceiving." He usually
lifted me across the rolling logs in the
yard, when he thought it was time for
me to run home. Sometimes when he
was particularly good humored, he
would hop me over the fence, too; the
strength of his great, brawny arms ex-
citing in me profound admiration.
1 don't think thought I was doing
exactly right, nevertheless. / believe
my conscience pricked pretty badly. l
remember one night, as l was saying
my prayers, a bunch came in my throat
and we'll nigh choked me. When /
arose from my knees, threw my arms
around my mammals neck, and askeosh
"When you say God is everywheith
does that mean that he is in the placth
around herev' tn
"Yes, darling" .bl
"In the orchard, and on the big roc ha
and away down by the little bridge, aiur
-and-and-in the saw-mill?" an
"Yes he sees you at all times"
said no more, but kissed her arm
crept into my little bed. 'Oh, des!a.
then God knows all about it! wonder
II he will do anything to me? I've been
awful naughty, and shouldn't blame
him If he did! I'spect he Furnishes with
fire, and l shall be all singed up!' And
soliloquising thus, I fell asleep and
dreamed had new play house, with
a saw mill in the back yard, and that my
dolls were all getting ready to 60 to the
moon on water-wheel.
The next day L receiveda visit from
little Sophy Stone. We had great fun
playing tea; and dressing the dolls in
their best clothes, and changing Violet's
name to Esther, because the latter was q