Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-25


leaned on the fence. intentIy o5serv ana
the soldiers movements.
Well. now, Blosberg.n he sa;a
length. !" did think you had better -, al
tiian 'nat Don't you know a sod ,.;Is
never grow on that hard grounds y
must spade II all up first, and breatr -
art up nne and soft b the depth az !.
least four inches, or the grass can al a.
take root In it. Don't waste your 49,
and sod by putting grass on ton ~ s s,,ias
| baked brick-fioor as that '1eh
And Mr. Blosberg laid aside the cob -
took up the spade and labored under M sIa
Templeton's directions until the cro,,,-;
was all properly prepared for the sod and
then Mr.. Iempleton, telling him tha, sad
| couldn't die on that ground now r. ~
tried to kill II, went his way. and M
Blosberg picked up that precious 500
third time and prepared to put il in ;ts
place. Before he had it fairly poised owes
the spot, however. his hands were arrested
by terrific shout, and, looking an. he
saw MAJOR badgers shaking his cane al
| him over the fence.
| . BlosDerg, you insufferabe donkev -
roared the Major, don't you know IL,
you'll lose every blade of grass Won coz
carry if you put Your sod on that Dr.,
grouncs There you've gone and cut II -
4 thin that all the roots of The grass are ON,
and bleeding, and you must soak tba,
| ground with water until it is a perfact
pulp, SO that the roots will sink right into
| it, and draw nutrition from the mos,
earth. Wet her down, Blosberg. If von
want to see your labor result in anv.
| thing"
| So Mr.. Blosberg put the sod aside again
and went and pumped water and carried
it around in buckets until his back acbed
/ like soft corn, and when he had finale
| transformed the front yard into moras:
| the Major was satisfied, and assuring NJ
| Blosberg that his sod would grow bea1f.
| fully now, even if he laid it on upsiio
down, marched away, and Mr. Blosberp
made fourth effort to put the first sod n
| its place. He got it down and was goinv
back after another when old Mrs Tweedle.
berg checked him in his wild career
Lawk, Mr.. Blosberg, We mustn't 20
off an leave that sod lying that way. You
must take the spade and beat it down
hard, till it is all fat and level, and close
to the groundSgerywhere You must
pound it hard, or the weeds will all start
| up under it and crowd out the grass
Mr. Blosberg went back, and STOPPING
over the sod hit it resounding thwack
with his spade that SHOT great gouts and
splotches of mud all over the parlor win.
dows and halfway to the top of the house.
and some of it came flying into his face
and on his Clothes while miscellaneous
shower made it dangerous even for his
adviser, who, with feeble shrek of dis
appreciation, went hastily away, digging
raw mud out Of her ears. Mr.. Blosberg
didn't know how long to keep on pound
| ;pn ap1 ba lidnJt coo Mra
go away, so he stood with his spade
poised in the air and mis- eyes shut tight,
waiting tor instructions. And as he
waited he was surprised to hear a new
voice accost him. 1t was the voice of Mr..
| Thistlepod, the old agriculturist of whom
Mr.. Blosberg bought his apples and but.
| ter.
Hello, Mr.. Blosbergp' he shouted, in
tones which indicated that he either be.
lieved Mr. Blosberg to be stone deaf, or
1000 miles away.
Mr.. Blosberg winked violently to get
the soil out of his eyes and turned in the
direction of the noise to say, Good even.
Soddin', hey?" asked Mr.. Thistlepod
Trying to, SIR" replied Mr.. Blosberg,
rather cautiously.
"'Spec it III grow, hey?"
Mr.. Blosberg, having learned by very
recent experience how liable his plans
were TO be overthrown, was still non com
initial and replied that she hoped So"
wal, IL We hope so, We mustn't 20 to
poundin' yer sod to pieces with that spade.
Ye don't want to ram it down so dad
hinged tight and hard there can't no air
git at the roots. Ye must shake that sod
up little so as to loosen it, and then jest
press it down with yer foot ontwil it jest
teches the ground nicely all round Sod's
too thin, anyhow"
So Mr.. Blosberg thrust his hands into
the nasty mud under his darling, much
abused sod, and spread his fingers wide
apart to keep it from breaking to pieces
as he raised it. and finally got it loosened
up and pressed down to Mr.. Thisteped's
satisfaction, who then told him that he
didn't believe he could make that sod
grow anyway, and drove away. Then Mr..
Blosberg stepped back to look at that sod,
feeling confident that he had got through
with il, when young Mr.. Simpson came
along.
Hello, Bios, old boy; watchu doin'?"
Mr. Blosberg timorously answered that
he was sodding little. Then Mr.. Simp-
son pressed his lips very tightly together
to repress smile, and let his cheeks swell
and bulge out TO the size OF toy balloons
with suppressed merriment, and finally
burst into snort OF derisive laughter that
made the windows rattle in the houses on
the other side of the street. and he went
on, leaving Mr.. Blosberg somewhat net
tied and little discouraged. He stood,
with his fingers spread wide apart, hold
ing his arms out like wings, and wonder
ing whether he had better go get another
sod or go wash his hands, when "A police.
man came by, and paused. "Soddin' 2"
he asked, sententiously. Yes, sir,
little" replied Mr.. Blosberg, respect
fully.
"Where'd you get your sod ~ inquired
the representative of public order.
Mr.. Blosbcrg dolefully indicated the
little base parallelogrom in the scanty
patch of verdure as his base of supplies.
you're the man I've been lookin' for"
replied public order, You come along
with me-"
And Mr.. Blosberg went along and the
Police Judge fined him $11 ,95, and when
Mr.. Blosberg got home he found that
COW had got into his yard during his alb.
sence and stepped on that precious sod
five times and mt her foot clear th rough