The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-04-01
SQUIRE McCLELLAN'S SLED.
How the Newly Converted Miser wal
Overreached.

How the Newly Converted Miser was
Overreached.
Probably the largest wood sled ever
built in county, says au exchange,
was one devised by Squire John
Mcclellan.
For numbe o. years it was one oil
the local curiositics of the town OF
Woodstock, Conn, the early home OF
the Mcclellan family. The narrator's
father, who saw 1t frequently when a
boy, says it was nigh thirty-i wo feet in
length by three in breadth. The beams
were of squared eight-inch timber.
with studs To match. and the "shoes"
or runners were over a foot in width.
For drawing 1t there were two
tongues" or poles, in the forward
end.
1t was never used save on one special
occasion, when the team consisted OF
fifteen Jokes OF oxen
The story OF It's origin ia as follows
In the parish where Squire Mcclellan
resided IL was the custom every winter
for such OF the men who had wood lots
TO give the parsOn a cord of hickory
wood each, and thus make up TO him a
winters supply OF fuel. The squire,
IN particular, Was always punctcal In
Decem Der with his cord of nicely-pre-
pared hickory.
In that parish there was a man who
had the reputation OF being +" snug, 4"
niggardly and apt to shirk his due share
Of the burden OF paying the minister.
Indeed, his remissness in this matter
mad been = standing grievance In the
place for many years.
One autumn there was a revival OF
religious interest In the place and many
members of the church were stimulated
to earnest labor. and 10 live more
strictly. Among these was the penu-
rious man above alluded to. whom we
may conveniently designate as Brother
T.
Not little to the astOnishment of his
neighbors. who had had ample expert
ence OF his miserly dealings, he arose
in prayer meeting one night and
exhorted to liberal giyings. not only to
the parscn, but to all bene VIOLENT OBJ
jects. Waxing exceedingly earnest in
language and tone. he declared, among
other things. that he would that winter
give the minister load Of wood; "Yea,
brethren" he exclaimed, 1.-The Lord
has opened my hearth will give him
a load Of wool, and a big one. will
give him the big gest load you can draw
from my woods TO his yard !"
This unexpected outburst from 90
drouthy a source was the parish won
der for a week. Many thought that
Truly" said Squire Mcclellan At
the aeacons' meeting. "the Lord must
have opened Brother rs heart; but, =
be added, with characteristic Scotch
shrewdness, sit may soon close and
may never open again. 1t behooves NJ,
in tho parson's intereat, 70 avail our
selves of L.. Let u build o sled that will
carry ten cords-and do u ~ once. -
So thought the others. The monster
sled was privately but expeditiOusly
framed in a back yard. and early one
snowy morning In December, Brother q
was amazed TO see drive to his door ap-
parently all the OK teams In town, draw
ing the titanic sled, accompanied by q
shouting. thrUng of tsamsters, and all
the small boys In the parish. -s
The squire was riding on the sled.
We've come TOR the parsons load OF
wood, Brother Z-r he called out.
You base US haul tho biggest load
we could. and am glad to hear that
you have lately had line lot Of hickory
Brother e, however, seeing the mag
nitude OF the sled, tried to explain and
TO demur. but In vain. The crowd roared
him into acquiesccnce, and with wry
face he finally led the way across the
snowy fields to his freshly corded tiers
OF hickory In the lot. 81
1t is said that fully ten cords Of wood
were loaded upon the big sled. under the
squire's supervision, and then, 70 the
tune Of most vociferous gee-hawing,
the enormous load was successfully sled
ded to the parsons doorway
The worthy minister, equally amaned,
bat more agreeably 30, issued forth 70
learn the cause OF the uproar.
Good people. good people, he cried,
rubbing his hands, what meaneth
t thisr :, !, Have the windows Of heaven
may, nay. parson r. exclaimed the
squire; but the Lord has iopaned
Brother rs heart. and that 40 treat
a gift could have issued from SO small q
receptacle 10 one of the wonders oi
saving grace. Question not. but take 1t,
and keep ye warm"
The minister had roaring fires thai
winter. but 1t was long before Brother
Z--- recovered his equanimity.