The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-12-27
THE NEW YEARS LOGROLLING

TIE NEW YEARS L0GR0LLING.
When Il became known in Yeriant Valley
that Yankee had settled ON The vacant quar-
ter Orcr by tie Lagoon, Uncle Billy Barker ex-
presseG the 81 entiI1ent Of the community in his
terse disclaimer tat SO far as he was concerned,
he dsdnt ltaYe nse for 40 NaBkees. Ron put
a Yankee lnto azy rance, and tharll be bad
blood fi5sht aTay. They hain't content 70 leave
things BE as they found EN-. bat Faiif to cram
their free-sehool, ab lishen notions down every
hodys GUILT"
During the six years that Tcr5ant Valley
had been settled there had never been dis
seuting vote east 81 tie polls t was the boast
Of the Gis.8iet tlsat this constituency was solid
1or Bieie1- SD ft2E this was the banner town
ship OF California. Bat NOW the laurels were
about to he ggresaed from them. However,
there tiie GtIRsler was, With his vie and
daughter and there he evidently intended to
stav A comfortable house and substantial
barn bore itaess 70 thai. Affer al. Yankees
are not 50 islack as theE are painted, and this
particular e5lnder had a sturdy way OF mind
inc his oHn business which. with his uniform
aEahaits ct EFaetinE sann began to tell in his
favor 81 tia;t Notwithstanding his denuncia-
fion I8cie Lily Wzs the lrst 70 visit the
slraneer ana prefer his good services. For
whatever ol pEs5ndlce and naErowness might
mark ffe.r i-iilGs tie class 10 which he be-
ioaged had l.oze Of those qualities IL their
hearts.
NoE ilIis Diplomatic call Of the elder Barker
had tEq Important results. u the FIST place.
Winthrop tie stranger, wanted 70 employ
E0Ene one 10 hep l3En Clear away the timber
and osrEain was soon reached, by which the
plooees7s ss3. Js1n Barker, EIe stalwart fel-
Iow Will bit O. schooling and a handsome
facc-5u ust the stock Eithal. bv which the world
il rellenshed-Fas engaged for this work.
Jim vas not the least averse to this arrange
ment for well be had rezsozs Of his own
The second result was that Uncle Billy, who
had Just EEaeue6 zearDing 10 spell cut words.
one letter IL 8 tilae. and who was dcsircns Of
Subscribing 20 paper which Noald keep him
ini0rTned as TO the stirring events then i'm
pending asked The adrice of the newcomer.
and NaS Eeco1izaended to take the Tribune. He
read the i;rst tiree numbers painfully and con-
scieatiolzly but after tllat 6resiey's philippics
were lost npon hls remote subscriber. who regu-
larry Pnt the paper unopened, into the IRE,
with the grim rfInafk,
Serves ine right for beia' sucb a du-n fool. !"
Tlrss who saw the land adjacent 10 the La
g0on before civilization had spoiled it viii re-
1nerahsr that Il was heavily wooded. Great
oak-trees lifted their bfawny arms and sought
with hundred leafy fingers 70 clutch the de-
liciOns Irsbie air. Firs were scattered here
and fhere in stately pride. The Ehaar0nG. aris-
tecrat 0s the forest. showed its saffron bark aud
Its olive leaves. The underground was thick.
The poIsen-IVy WIS gorgeous with q fatal
beaufy. Tic Enanzzaifa tossed is ripened ber-
ries 70 the rregafi0Hs quail There was no
work ahead IN Building the forces Of nature.
The fEld must be cleared and ready for plough
ing fy the frst rains. I.nckily tie rains held
or There rerc Few iDrDlseQueutial showers
IN Novea.ber. and .hen Cor weeks the heavens
were almost sksless, enc could see SO Ear into
them.
BY Caristsnas the underground was cleared
zway. and ai,out half the trees Elled. jim
who seemed t0 haEe some plan Of his own, sng-
resfed h4t these be loft where fhey had fallen,
70 be- fEiiaraed and chopped afserwaFd SO that
IS Iasl as one free welt Gown, another was at-
tackled. Eur lhe progress was slow Christmas
Gay j im went Eoiae, and called bis father into
council Afseg hearing his report the old man
replied:
We Fot a. give him a iog-Tollin' The Lord
has held tho g1isls OF ahaut sll He's gOin' 10
he hain't gon 70 spoil the crops Tor the sake
Of no 4anzce- Ees done enough already. and
we got to do the rest. We II have Il on New
Years. And. by-tbe-gay. Jisa"-aiter p2uss
--you take care that l5gs IS the only thing
that gifts eTrseiEes cut mp ovcr TO the Yankees
Jlgls only answer Was blush. But, to bs
euTe that was enough.
Aew Years morn, about half past Eve, ther,
was q predigious Geg-fieit at the pre-esntfori
one dog. and il stands 10 re2sGn that one do,
isn't going 10 get np a fight all by himself
that is unless he Ii uncOmm0niy pugnacious
which this one was not. glance through
the window revealed not only three dogs bu
TWO wagons. lhe hOrscs already half unhitches
from the traces. The occupants had alightet
upon the ground. Up the read several teams 0
oxen were advancing. The house wasevidentl.
DeiaE PVT into q state Of siege And IN a mo
nent the voice OF the senior Barker Gales
out:
. Youths bad better git up. You're goln
70 have some company"
By the tiEae the family were dressed and
hastg breakfast snstchcd the army Of att8cl
had taken possession Of everything Ever
moment brought new arriva. There was
Kaleidoscope d men, Roment, children, horses
apgs aud oxen. The great festivals Of MeEtcn
lie are camfmect.ngs. barbecues. and loe
Eo.lngs. Those who believe that the Amer
can blood Is running cut should strike a
average on tAe children present at one
these occasions. Polly Ninkle assumed ccm
mand Of the women aud ebiidren, by no othe
r1sllt that Y knew Of than that she incEt Deaii
rtalized AapoleGn's definition Of the create:
q her sex lt was soon evident that Ia
house Was TOO small 10 accommodate 50 nlanl
asso TIE hinkle contingent were led 10 II
eeinmodiOus ioit in the barn. Here from eac
wagon was brought sach an Hrrav OF da.ntis
and sweetmcats a. would have doubled up
less hardy race for the rest Of the year
table was impr0yised, the stove was removed
TIE loft, and by noon = smoking dinner was G
tie board
Meantime more than fifty men were at wor
IA the held. The November rain had carpete
the ground witb Wild flowers, but these We
undecided The lHpine hlooBpd in vain III
Raudy cschschoitzia lsnHted it's coiors a,
needed The tixnid nemophila crept closer
tie sod, and hid It's fnaidenly beauties fro
profanation But ali were alike unsoueA
There was mems work to be done Great tire
lay stipped and deloFmed. like f0rsos OF migbl
giants. One-half the force were chopping
Che trees yet standing Every few moncn
some monarch woHld renble, try 10 stead
himself for second, and then fall with
stsoundlng crash 70 the earth. A score Of 70