The Portland daily press., 1873-12-13
Digging the Well.
BY AUGUSTA LARNED.

Andrew Human, known to his neighbors as
Handy Andy, had grown fOrehanded by an
infa!lbe recipe-hard work, economy and
the habit of doing everything himself There
was no man in town who hired as few days
work as Handy Andy. He was born with
continuance, that first, best gift to the New
Highlander, and could build barn, or paper
room, or cook meal or whtewash ceiling,
or solder tin-ware as deity as if he had serv-
ed an apprenticeship to each and all these
useful trades.
There was no manner of tool Handy Andy
did not possess in his shop, which was part
and parcel of the old cider-mill; or if he had
it not in his collection, he could make the
thing ITSELF or substitute, from his unfailing
store OF gumption.
Handy Andys name was perfectly justified
by the facts He had a very queer pair of
hands, hairy, brown and wrinkled, and it was
marvellous the fine work they could do, even
to putting new stick to the family umbrella,
or mending crochet-neede. He had even
made a little coffin for one OF his own children,
MOTTO save expense, but from feeling that he
could not let Indifferent hands touch the
wood that was to enclose his curly-pated boy,
who had clambered SO often over his knees,
and clasped his neck with a pair of chubby
arms. He shut himself in the old shop, and
tears fell down on the well-seasoned boards as
he planned and fashioned the casket. .l5..
But with all Andys contriving there was
no well on the place. A shoemaker's family
says the adage goes poorly shod, and handy
man will sometimes tolarate very ,unhandy
things on his premises for long course Of
years. Andy had got used to seeing his wo-
men folks bring water from the spring some
distance off at the foot of the hill, and gather
their washing-fuid in large hoghead placed
at the corner o. the house.
For years Mrs. Human had talked about
having a well dug, and had expended much
breath and eloquence on the subject in vain,
while Andy in his spare hours, tinkered away
at something to amuse the children or please
his own fancy. Andy had promised many
times that he would do the job when farm
work was slack, but the time never came ow-
ing, perhaps, to a deeply-grounded prejudice
in his mind that what was good enough for
his mother would serve his wife. and a very
stubborn faith in the powers of endurance
possessed by women folks generally.
But his daughter Polly had grown to be a
tall, straight, comely girl, with fine gray eyes,
in which the thoughts lay like agates in
clear brook. Polly had developed a talent for
managing her father Mrs. Hinman did not
possess. That excellent woman had harped
SO long on a few Imoldered strings that Andy
found the harping an accompaniment to his
thoughts he would have missed had it ceased
altogether.
Polly had said in her heart, s'There shall be
well dug this SIMMER" She could recall
almost as far back as memory went, tuggng
buckets of water up the hill, and splashing
her ankles all the way and the exercise was
noue the less distasteful now that she could
carry with steady hand.
One day Polly presented herself before her
father, who sat on the porch all empowered
in trumpet creeper and bitter-sweet. He
was fitting helve to new ak, and little
pile OF snow-white shavIngs lay heaped
against the rocker of his chair. Just over
Pofly's shoulder appeared the lorid face and
curly locks of young neighbor.
Here is Jonas Strong, father" said the
girl. she has been locating oi-wes down
in Pennsylvania, and thinks he could show
ms where to dig for water near the house."
$50, JONAS" remarked Farmer Human,
sighting along the ACHIEVE at the same time,
you've struck ile."
"No, SIR" said Jonas, s'but I've helped
other people to do it. It's gift"
"Gift," repeated Andy, whiting away; 81
don't believe in gifts, except the gift of
tongues, and the women monopOlze that.
Now, If it was continuance or invention
that would lead people to discover what's hid
in the bowels of the 'arth-" .seaf
"This is what he does it WITH" interrupted
Polly, and she drew the dvining. rod a crotch
eted stick of the common witch-haZel from
the folds of her dress. "Come and see how
Jonas goes to work. You can't understand
the thing, father, until you watch the pro-
cess"
''Shop spluttered Andy, "you can't make
be believe in any such witch-work. Pm too
old bird to be lined in that way"
Mrs. Hinman had listened to this confab
through the Stats of the buttery window.
She lett the yellow butter she was working
over into yellow balls, and came out on to
the porch.
do humor Jonas, father" said She
whats the damage, anyhow? IF he's play,
ing off track on us, there won't be no bones
broke lfs-'4 o. 1893
Andy was himself curious to see the young
man operate, so aided and abetted by his bet
ter halt, he left the ax-helve and the pile of
shavings.
"Come now, young man." he grunted,
''let's have taste of ponr conjuring, but
tell you aforehand l don't believe word
ont"
Jonas exchanged furtive smile with Pol
ly, and selling the crotched stick by both
its prongs, walked slowly out into the grassy
yard. and stopped under great pear tree.
This is the place." stamping the ground
with his foot. ''The witch-hazeI Dough turn
ed in my hand. will put down a stake here
and any time you choose to dig thind you
will strike vein Of good water.'
"Sho, nonsense" spluttered Andy; 81
could do that trick myself. It's all moon
shine, and just to prove that it is, will begin
digging there bright and early tomorrow
morning."
Every well, sir" said Jonas, 'sand if YOU
don't strike water in the course of day or
two, VIII agree to pay you for your trouble.'
"Of course you wouldn't take pay" said
Polly, quickly.
"Of course would" returned Andy land
I'll take the conceit out of him into the bar
GAIN"
San right, sir" said Jonas, nettled by the
elder mans derision- eff I make mistake
now, it will be the first time. Lam ready to
stand tor my agreements" and he nodded
to Polly, and turned on his heel and walked
away.
The next morning was one in Thousand
cool, clear, crystalline, with sky of un-
equaled depth and splendor, and little
breezes idly running their fingers through
the grass and leaves, and touching all the
harmonies of the world
Handy Andy had choice collection of the
worst old clothes ever seen. 1t was one of
Mrs Andy's standing grievances that father
would get on some OLD dud when she wished
him to appear respectable. He never parted
voluntarily with any of his habiliments.
oomeumes, when he was absent on jour-
ney, Mrs. Human gave away few she
noped ne would not miss, and burnt up others
1h"" ~ WV pNu W DeSCOW III charity, car
rying them out to the purifying and sacrifi-
cial fame with pair of tongs.
Now the lord and master presented him
self in pair of trousers he had used to paint
in, and which were plentifully streaked and
spotted with divers eolors. OF pleasant
morning Andy liked to begin work bright
and early, and it secretly did him good to
hear Polly go singing round the house to
smell the coffee bubbling on the kitchen fire
and mingling its fragrance with lilacs and
seringas, and to hear the hens cackling in a
business like way out in the barn. Now as
Polly tripped down the orchard path to the
spring, she took sly peeps at a picture of the
KIN klnd ! known as tin-type, which Jonas Strong
though her heart was fountain of melody.
which overfowed her lips.
Mell-disgng seemed to come by nature to
Handy before noon he was ND to his head
and had rugged a pulley and bucket and Mar,
fTQ rot 10 Tl1a mt