Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-08-19
The Lazy Boys Load.

Young Covllc is bringing in wood.
! Watch him. The wood lies by the saw.
buck. There are two good armtus of it,
but he is going to bring it all in at once.
That is the better way, as it saves one trip
He is getting it upon his shoulder with
great difficulty. The pile rises rapidly. 1t
is all up but few sticks, and he has to
steady himself with great effort while feel
ing around for them Each. piece comes
harder than its predecessor. The bottom
sticks are apparently cutting into the flesh
of his arm, and one at the top is pressing
most painfully against his check. He is
sitting upon his launches in disagreed
bic position, the increasing weight making
his knee. joints ache. The dizzy pile is
held in place only by the sevcrest effort Of
both brain and muscle The slightest
ground. He realizes it. All the color in
his body is in his face, and the cords there
of are drawn to the utmost tension His
last stick Slowly his right hand circles
around, feeling carefully for it, His eyes
are bright, but they are ranged over the
load on his arm, and the very nearest APP
proach they can make 10 the scene is the
around with the right hand A moisture
is beginning to well up in the bright orbs,
making the distant horizon indistinct The
muscles nearest the mouth are commencing
TO slacken, and the under lip slightly
trcmblcs. II is noticeable that the right
hand is losing its caution and growing Il
tribe impulsive. It's circles are sharper
and less in symmetry He has gone over
all the ground in reach. He bends appre-
hensively forward for more territory
there IS q WAIVER, then another, a sudden
plunge for recovery--and over goes the
pile, and boy with passion-distorted face
is blndly kicking the inoilcnsivc sticks.
Then the back-door opens, and he sudden
ly stops and glares morosely at the wreck.
William Henry eXclaims shrill
voice, " are you going to be all night
bringing in that wood?n
60 in the house, he mutterS under
his breath.
Whats that you say to me, young
MANI"
g | said I'm comm s quick's | could"
he hastily but frankly explains A." Do
you 'spose can help it, cause the wood
tips over when get it piled up?"
What do you try to carry so much for,
tntH Shc properly asks. on DrlnT
along part Of that wood, and 90 after the
rest, pretty quick, or I'll send your father
out to you" and the door slams again.
Does he take in part of it? Never. His
heart may be wrung, and the tears flow
like rain, but he will carry all that wood
in at once if it takes five years. 1t was
mere caprice then, but ii is principle now
He goes over the same performance again,
and he repeats it until he masters every
stick, and rises, Keeling, to his Saet Then
he stumblcs painfully up the path, his
breath coming quick and strong, his eyes
bulging, and his knees almost screaming
out with the ache they are enduring. He
can't see the stoop and hardly anything of
the house but the roof He staggers up
the steps and kicks violently against the
door 1t is opened by his impatient and
thoroughly disguised mother, but the exer-
ton has fatally disturbed the poise of the
pile. One stick comes laundering to the
floor, then another, and another He
makes desperate effort to rtech the
wood box with the rest of the load but
piece after piece come crashing down,
arousing the whole family and nearly
driving his mother insane He reaches
the box. He may nol have onc-half the
load ON his arm, but he brought it all in
at onCc-thank Heaven - DmbWy Ndcs