Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-07-25

selves had constructed light extra box
TO place atop the other, and then we drove
| up and down our estate Lou practicng
in che art of standing to drive, the while, |
through the woods and through the |
grubby residue which John couldu't |
plough, cutting our wagon-roads as we
went, often both jumping out to roll aside |
a log, rolling and blocking, until we had
conquered, and thoroughly picked up" |
the place, bringing back to the door load
after load of sticks and limbs, and chips
for summer wood
There were three acres of this unavail |
able residue While we were loading, we
often paused to contemplate it. 1t was
covered by a growth of white oak grubs
old stumps and knotty logs had been roll
ed down upon it, and it had been made
dumping ground for stones and mountain
Gus piles Of brush from former clearing.
Here, Dolly dear, is our knitting
work." Lou said one day.
just that il was for two years. When
no other work pressed we "logged" That
is, we cut down grubs-trimmng up the
tallest to mend fence with-and piled the
brush, old and new, around the logs, drag
ISiuR IllO oNuiup III " JllSo vi lWO anu
many n summer night have we tended our
big bOnfireS over there; twice have we had
the whole place on fire and the neighbor
hood out to save the fences and put out
the flames. In fact, our daily life, those
first years was so truly primitive, and
seemed such bit of delightful outIawry
from the conventional housewife of our
sex, that Louise often said, "We might rs
well be gypsies, Dolly, and live in the
hedge!"
Meantime other things were happening.
We had tried Il bit of the newspaper gar
dening; Louise and had agreed we would
try almost everything. Underneath II thin
coverlet of straw, and the shelter of some
loose cornstalks, down the sunny south
, side of the selected garden site. we had
} lettuce and peas and onions growing green
ly, right in the midst of snowstorms. 1t
= was n pretty sight, after light April
snow, to take peep in and see them smil-
) ing up at us with such IL live CHEEKY, un-
daunted look as if to say, 1--WE are very
comfortable, thank you, and us busy as we
} can ben' 1t made us CHEEKY. We were
r like two children. We hovered every day
about this first gardening, this premature
bit of summer which we had evoked as
y from fairy-land. 1t WAS such II Won
= derful thing to us as wondeaful as
g the telegraph, to ask II question of ma
b ture-a question wrapped up in a tiny
e brown seed, or II brown bulb, or a little
0 wthered wrinklcd bean, land be answer
4 ed thus.
= Another development in our affairs was
: not so encouraging. Pampas, upon ac-
quaintance, was proving to be an extreme
y conservative, who liked things to run on
E in the ok ruts. OF late we had been
i Weakened and lain trembling 10 hear him
= paving and knocking his stable in the
+ dead of night-our horse-what were we
Il we to do with him?
d 81 will whip him for that" said Louise
V at last.
c lie had never drawn anything save IL
!, light phaeton, or worn any but but the
= daintiest trapping, and he hated our har-
d ness and never would accept the bits with
= out protest; and of late he had shown
his contempt for our pretty wagon by n
Is series of short runs back and forth when
v ever he was put in the thills and now he
n was resorting to sudden jumps, and to
o standing straight upon his hind feet in his
il desperate struggles to free himself.
a "And will whip him for that" finally
l. said Lonise one day, after dismounting fol-
i. the seventh time from the load of wood
d which he had vanly tried by rearing and
e plunging to overurn. looked at his
lie ugly mouth champing the bits so reslively
ID and his unloving eye, and fancied little
le short Louise whipping him! | shouc
have laughed had not been so anxious.
Il One day when he wouldn't back she
1t kept her word.
IA She led him out into an open space, tolC
~ me to come along, and throwing off her
,r sun-bonnet, took the whip. Now back
hi Pampas! backw
ID Not step. Nothing but that fierce
N champng.
# if Back, say back" She tries to force
at him back with all her strength-and he
Va white, firm arm and shoulder hav'
oS strength. But Pampas champs ant
~ plants his feet, and then tries to make
7e little run at her, and cry out. She crush
,s es him back, the veins standing out on tn
IS little brown fist like cords.
n She is white enough now: Get int
q the wagon, Dolly, and pull on the lines !!
Of pull and cry: Back! back!' with al
nd my weak voice, 1t is an exciting femnln
n. shrick MS it sounds rs if | were afraid an
d. were about to break down and cry, whe
nd in reality l am rs brave and angry a
Louise.
ms She tells him once more. Then sh
nv forces the bits back, and she raises tn
he whip, and she brings it down upon hi
of breast fiercelv and fast, and cries, " Bacl
ew Pampasn' Pampas rears; that taint
a mustang blood shows itself now he raise
a her clear from the ground, but he ca
mt neither knock her down or shake hi
| Il off.
mo- The whip comes swift and iierc'
w Back! back there! backw And | am ;
sid angry rs she. don't care if we both {
get Killed, and pull and she criesto hin
to and all ut once he does back-runs bat
swift. and hard. She holds fast. Bra
TO yourself if you camp and then we brn
The up against the fence, and sit down su
,ne denly; and am thrown forward upon Il
rh- dashboard. He plunges, but little Ia
be holds him there. She can hold him. The
red after Il little, she lets him come forward,
md few steps mt time, breathing hard n,
ws stepping high. He stands and paws, a
looks, oh, how furious!
ne, Lou takes breath II moment. III
ave never'll do!' she says, and tells me to g
out. She springs in while | try to he
him as she did; he evidently thinks he
l. trample me down. "Now don't be frig
and ened. The harness is strong, and l
tied hold him; let 90 now"
and TRY to let go, and he gives a p luni
hen nearly knocking me over, and shoots
Or at the open gate, as Lou meant. Up t
was roal they go, Lou bareheaded, her gold
ut | fleece of hair floating straight behind h
was | can see her whipping him up the 10
had hill. He plunges kicks, breaks into |
Lnnt again, and the next minute they are out
rse, sight, and the Kromers all come out to
yeot gate to look. can hear them for lit
re- while over on the other road, the wae
for rafting and bounding once or twice,
nter then there is nothing more TO be heard
lade They are gone an hour | try to
= M dinner, but | cannot see, for tears.
our one of our plates fall and break. 1t
urse meat burn Iwring my hands and W
OBJ the floor. am just tying on my sun .
and net to 90 and see what | can lind, n
the suddenly l think hear wheels. l lur
, of the door. did hear wheels. And il
Louise comiug from the other "
and P,mpas is walking meekly. He is c1'
nest. ed with sweat and foam such "t
bich looking beast! Lou sits on the seat, ser
IL; ;A, n,,A lorcrn- nyal