Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-01-04

"ilello ll0w's thisT exclaimed
Potter, turning very red in the face
"Why, what"
"For instead Of the sheet of water
which he lad expected would meet hi,
eye, 10, and behold the swamp ilsel
had gradually risen till It was nearly
level with the land around II.
In vain Mr., Potter stormcd, and
regret TO say-sworc, There was NJ
lack Of water, but unfortunately II wa'
under the surface Of the swamp, instca(
of ovcraowing It.
The roots Of the moss and grass
could find no holding ground in the
soft Oozc beneath, so that the overflow
ing water itself deprived Of its usual
outlet by the dam, had raised the entire
mass with it.
"I'vc been swindlcd." shouted Mr..
Potter, in u tremendous rage, when he
saw that there seemed no possible
remedy except to cart away the entire
ten acres.
And his anger was IN no way appeas-
cd when Rob, shaking with suppressed
laughter, remarked pleasantly;
"A bargains bargain, whichever
way it may turn-eh, Mr.. Pottcr?"
But now Rob set his wits to work.
"Ilow much will you sell the swamp
lot back for-dam and all, Mr.. Pot
tori" he asked II few days aitcrward,
when the swamp itself had frozen over,
50 that it would bear up an ox-tcam.
"Sell?" growlcd Arad; "givc me
what ] paid your ma, and what the
dam COS. me an, it's your'n again.
The upshot Of the matter was, that,
after considerable hagglins, Rob bought
back the swamp, dam and all, for
twenty dollars, to the extreme astonish-
mcnt of Covert. who exclaimed loudly
at his folly.
"But then, the Barretts never had
no forethought," as Aunt Polly Race
kindly observed at the sewing society.
Now Square Pond-who had clear
ed up very stony field adjoining the
Barrett land-had an immense rock
heap as large as small barn, in one
corner of his land.
"Lct me have the use of your OK
team this winter, Square Pond" said
Rob, appearing before that gentleman,
with a glowing face, on sharp No
vember morning, sand I'll haul your
rock-heap away
"Blcss me, what is the boy up to-,
now?" calculated the square, looking
at him curiously over his spectaclcs.
But Rob kept his own counsel.
you'll see, sir, in due time," he
said, and Square Pond, with whom
Rob was a great favorite, finally con-
scnted.
Rob worked like trooper that win
ter. Early and late he hauled rocks,
and spread them in heaps over the ten
acre swamp-lot, and should be afraid
to tell you how many tons he deposited
there before the end of the winter.
And then, having taken down part
of the dam, he waited.
Spring came, and summer following
on its heels, outstripped it; then it was
autumn again, and now, with fear and
trembling, Rob built up his dam in the
latter part of October, and awaited re-
suits.
Well, his experiment proved COM
plete success. The weight of the rocks
distributed over the surface, kept the
entire mass in its place-to Rob and
his mothers joy, their neighbors aston
ishment, and Mr.. Potter's discomf-
| ture.
In December it began to freeze, so
through January, and then Rob had as
nice little pond of clear ice as there
was in Maine.
He sold the privilege outright for
that season, receiving the snug little
sum of-well, l hardly dare tell you
how much; but know it was consid-
cradle more than three thousand dol
lars, and it is going to be source of a
greater or less income every year, as
the demand for ice is continually in
creasing.
Mrs. Barrett is prouder than ever Of
Rob, who has given up all idea of go
ing to sea, and will enter the Mercan-
tile College in Portland this winter.
"But them" as Aunt Polly Race re-
marked to Square Pond, recently,
'them Barretts allus had plenty NV
brains, an was bound to git ahead in
the world"
7, f,,,, ,vools ono of tho ChicaUO