New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-12-08

Jay, DECEMBER 8, 1880.
"you are not to damage the trees, or
fires. -
"Of course not" consented Wallace,
without looking back.
"He talks that way just to carry out
the JOKE" thought Uncle Bent. "He
don't act like it, though. See here!"
he again called out, II suppose You
know there's only one way Of moving
this rockp''
"You suggested lifting" said Wal
lace, smiling over his shoulder.
ut will take quantity of powder, and
good many days. work." said the old
man, anxious to get at the boys real in
tenti0ns.
IL haven't any money to buy pow
der, or to hire men; so shall have to
try other MEANS" Wallace replied.
"Do you mean it?' cried his uncle,
growing astonished.
I am going to try" said Wallace.
But what-how-h0w are you going
to manager"
II can't say until I have studied into
the matter little.' And again WAL
lace walked on toward the woods.
Uncle Bent also went off, irritated
and puzzled. He was really inclined to
set the boy down for a fool; and he was
confirmed in this opinion, on coming
out again after dinner, and finding what
Wallace had been doing.
He had got another boy to help him ;
a tall, gawky fellow, whom Uncle Bent
recognized as Simple Jack-one of those
weak-minded youths who are to be found
in almost any village. He was dragging
brush from the land and placing it in
piles near the bowlder.
"Go'n' to have some fun" he said,
when the old man asked him what he
was about.
"What sort Of funP" Uncle Bent in
CURED.
"Go'n'to make a big fire, an burn
up the rock,'' replied Simple Jack.
"Burn up the rock!" growled the
old man, with angry impatience. ''That
nephew of mine is certainly fool, and
he has taken another fool into COM
pany!"
He walked off toward the woods,
where he saw Wallace disentangling the
brush-heaps.
The boy looked up from his work,
wiped his brow under his old hat-brim,
and turned a red and sweaty face toward
his uncle.
$50! you're going to burn up the
bowlder, are you?" cried the old man,
with somewhat savage sarcasm. "That's
a bright ideep''
II didn't say I was going to burn it
up" Wallace replied, embarrassed and
nettled.
"Simple Jack says sou
"Simple Jack isn't the boss of this
job"
Wallace gave pull at large branch
and then added in rather dry, drawl-
ing tone, ''But won't dispute what he
says. I've been thinking about that
bowlder a good deal, uncle. can't tell
yet what I'm going to do, for I'm not
sure my experiment will succeed"
swell, mabby you know what you're
about; but l doubt it," And with a
scowl and puzzled expression, the old
man went off to his mill.
He thought good deal that afternoon
about powders, his brothers poor wild.
ow and his nephew Wallace, Simple
Jack and the problem of using fire 10
remove rocks. He finally became SO
worked up by his thoughts that he left
his business at an unusually early hour
and went home.
His mind was not at all relieved to
find that the boys had actually built q
raging fire of brush against broad side
of the rock.
Nor, I must say, was Wallace at all
pleased to see his uncle approaching.
The critical moment in his experiment
had arrived; and, although he felt rea-
sonably certain of success, the old man s
presence made him nervous.
But then, he reflected, it would be
pleasant to have him there to witness
his triumph.
Wallace was adding bits of dry brush
to the fire Immediately beside the rock,
while Simple Jack was bringing water
from Uncle Bent's well and filling tubs.
"What's the water for?' the old man
demanded of the tall, awkward youth.
To put out the rock when it burns
too fast,' replied Simple Jack, Juggling
his pals. "Goin' to have great fun! -
So you're rely trying the fire!''
cried Uncle Bent, approaching the scene
OF the experiment. IL don't see that the
bowlder has burnt up much yeti"
"No. not yet. 1t is getting pretty
hot, though, and we have plenty more
brush, you see," replied Wallace.
cit will be some time before you need
the water if it is to put the rock out
when it burns too fast, as Jack says,''
observed the sarcastic old man.
"Jack don't get things quite right,
though I've tried to explain them to
him." replied Wallace. "We shall
need the water pretty soon, think.
That will do, Jack! Now stand by that
tub, and do just as tell you."
There was a tub on each side of the
fire, which was now rapidly dying away
Instead of replenishing the fire, Wallace
hauled what was left Of it quickly away
from the rock with an iron rake.
snow dash on!" he cried; and set the
example of throwing water from one Of
the tubs upon the heated face of the
porous rock.
Jack hurled water from the other tub
It was cold water from the we'll. As il
struck the bowlder, it Kissed and steamed
furiously.
Uncle Bent stepped back, to avoid
getting spattered. He had hardly sta
toned himself at safe distance wher
he was startled by succession of SHARP
reports. Crack-crack- crack-crack!
II van!" he cried; "the bowlder i.
flying to pieces!" -~.s
Crack crack-again. Then, after {
little while, the reports grew dull, anG
ceased. But, in the meanwhile, flake.
and masses of the rock had broken away
and fallen; some light fragments flying
across the fire, and lighting at his feet.
"Stop now!'' cried Wallace. "Sav.
the water, and put on the brush again!'
He showed what was left of the fir{