The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-01-22

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PROBABLY the largest wood.sled ever
built in - country was one devised by
Squire John McClellsn-a great-nncie
Of Gen. George Is. Mcclellan. For 4
number OF years, it was one OF the local
curiositics OF the town Of Woodstock,
Conn, :he early home of the Mcclellan
family. The narrator's father, who saw
1t frequently when a boy, says it was
nigh thir,y.two feet In length by three
in breadth. The beams were of squared
cight-inch timber, with studs to match !;
and the ''shOcs," or runners, were over
foot in width. For drawing it, there
were two "tonsucs." or poles, in the
forward end. 1t was never used save
on one special occasion, when the team
consisted of fifteen yokcS Of oxen, The
story of its origin is - follows: III the
parish where Squire Mcclellan resided,
it was the custom, every winter, for such
Of the men as had wood.!ots to give the
parson cord of hickory wood ccch,
aud thus make mp TO him winter > sup.
ply of fuel. The Squire, in particular,
was always punctual in December with
his cord Of nicely-prepared hickory. In
that parish there was n man who had
the reputation Of being "snug,' mig
gardly, and apt to shirk his due share Of
the burden Of paying the minister. In.
deed, his remissness in this matter had
been 4 standing grievance in the place
tor many years.
One autumn there was q revival Of
religious interest in the place, and many
members Of the church We're stimulated
to earnest labor, and TO live more strict.
ly. Among these was the penurious
man above alluded to, whom we may
conveniently designate as Brother L..
Not little to the establishment of his
ncighbors, who had had ample expert.
ence of his misery dealing, he arose in
prayer.mce'ing one night, AMI exhorted
to liberal yiriay, not only to the parson,
but to all benevolent objects. Waxing
exceedingly earnest in language and
tone, he declared, among other things,
that he would that winter give the min.
lister q Toni Of moOd. "Yea, BRETHREN"
he exclaimed, s'the Lord has opened
my heart! Twill give him u load of
wood, and a big one: will give him
the biggest load you can draw from my
woods to his yard"
This unexpected .outburst from so
droushty source was the parish Won
der for week. Many thought that
Brother T. must be near his end.
"Truly," said Squire McClcll9 n--at the
deacons' meeting-'the Lord must have
opened Brother Us heart: but he
added, with characteristic Scotch
shrewdness, sit may close soon, and it
may never open again. Itbehooves us,
in the parsons interest, to avail our
selves of it. Let US build a sled that
will carry ten cords and do it at once.'
So thought the others. The monster
sled was privately but expeditiously
framed in a back yard, and early ono
snowy morning in December Brother
u was amazed to see drive to his
door apparently all the ex-teams in town.
drawing the gigantic sled, accompanied
by a shouting ,hrong of teamsters and
all the small boys in The parish.
The Squire was riding on the sled.
"Ne've come for the parsons load of
wood, Brother Up he cried out.
" You babe us haul the biggest load we
could, and I'm glad TO hear that vol,
have lately had fine lot Of hickory
chopped"
Brother l., however, seeing the
magnitude Of the sled, tried to exp!ai,,
and to dcmur; but in vain. The crowd
roared him into acquiescence, and with
wry face, he finally led the way across
the snowy fields to his freshly-corded
tiers of hickory in the lot.
1t is said that fully ten cords of wood
were loaded upon the big sled under the
Squire's supervision, and then. to the
tune of most vociterous gee-hawing,
the enormous load was successfully
sledded to the parsons door-yard.
The worthy minister, equally amazed,
but more agreeably so, issued forth to
learn the cause Of the uproar.
"Good people, good people," he
cried, rubbing his hands, "what mean.
eth this? Have the windows of heaven
openedl"
"Nay, nay, parson!" exclaimed the
Squire; "but the Lord has opened
Brother Us heart-and that SO
great a gift could have issued from so
small receptacle is one of the wonders
of saving grace. Question it not but take
It and keep ye warm"
The minister had roaring fires that
winter, but it was long before Brother
- recovered his equanimity.-