St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-16

| the DelghborhoOd, one of "Tom's" reg
ular patrons, had the misfortune to
lose barn by fire. Occurring late in
May, the farmer FASTENED to have
another erected, wherein to store his
nearly matured crops. On certain
Saturday the builder told the farmer
that if they could get from "Tom's"
saw-mill the needed lumber by Mon
day, at noon, they would be ready to
raise the building by the middle of the
coming week. The farmer immediate
ly mounted his horse and rode to the
sawmill. When he arrived there the
writer WAS at the aw-mill and heard
| their conversation, as follows:
Farmer-"My builder says that if
you can let us have our lumber by
noon on Monday we can raise our new
barn on Wednesday. Can you do it P''
TOm-"That is utterly impOssible." :"
Farmer How so 7"
Tom-.'Because could only get it
ready by saving on Sunday, which |
will not do. | don't work ON Sunday"
Farmer -"Well, suppose you do saw
on Sunday how will that hurt you ~
Tom--"I know that am wicked
cuss but cannot work on Sunday"
Farmer-"Not even where it is Il
work of necessity, consequently work
of mercy ?"
| TOm-''I will not run my saw-mill
OF Sunday for anybody"
Farmer-"YOu certainly are not too
pious to work on Sunday ?"
Tom-''No; am too wicked man
to pretend to be pious."
Farmer every well, then; if you
will not, through obstinacy, accommo-
date me in my emergency, you can let
it alone ; and warn you not to saw
another log for me. Such man is of
no good to Il neighborhOOd, and | will
use my influence to prevent your get
ting any more work here. If yOu
were Christian, and had cOnscien
tious scruples against working on the
Sabbath, could look over it-I could
excuse you; but yon are notoriously
the most blasphemOus wretch in this
community" and in towering rage,
the farmer hastily remOunted his horse
and rode away.
After the farmer left the saw-mill
ventured to ask "Tom" why he had
refused to saw the needed lumber
under the peculiar circumstances OF
the case ? To which he replied:
"You are perhaps old enough to re-
member the good old days when the
goods for our merchants were brought
home in wagons. Do you remember
having seen those old wagons-each
one representative in miniature of
Noah's arl-which used to line the
national turnpike road for miles on
miles in Il string p
replied that had frequently seen
them when boy. To which he said
every we'll, owned two of such
wagons. | drove one of the teams
myself, and hired IA man to drive the
other team. Between lis we had four
teen horses, six each in harness, and
each of us led one behind his wagon
All who could afford it had an extra
horse. We called Il trip from home tC
Baltimore, from there to Pittsburgh ol
Wheeling, from there to Baltimore
and then back home, 'rOunder.
. Every WAGNER who made Il 'rounder,
whether Il farmer or regular al
ways made his charges sufficiently higl
to cover the contingency of losing {
horse thereby. During a 'rounder
one horse was sure to give out, anC
sometimes several would break down
and occasionally horse would die fo
us.
''On one occasion, on Saturday
evening, being full of fun and frOlic,
was the leader of gang who made ;
raid upon the field of farmer nea
where we were stopping. We stole ;
large quantity of green corn, and tax
ing it to the tavern compelled th'
women to cook it for us. On Sunday
morning | was nearly dead with choler;
morbus. Not being able to do any
thing for me, the other teamster;
hitched up aud drove off, leaving m,
: and my hired man and my two team
| behind.
| "By Monday morning | had suf
ficiently recovered to follow after my
friends. My horses were so fresh, anC
in such good condition, that | drov,
/ much farther than usual that day. A
, they still walked off freely on Tues
!, day, drove as far us ! had done Ol
Monday. Showing no signs of fatigu
on Wednesday, drove that day t.
b, the regular stand and stopped with IN.
4 companions. For the remainder of th
: week travelled i'll their company.
;, said nothing, but | did wonderful
!. amount of thinking. | resolved to IT,
|, it again. Consequently, the next Sun
r day morning | feigned sickness, an
+ they went off without me. Again
!, tried it, and always with the same re
sult
e Every week, on Wednesday night
overlook my comrades and kept wit
| them till Sunday morning. con
e timed it till | had made a 'rounder
= and you must not laugh when | tel
" you, that after resting at home for IN
= accustomed three days, my twelv
# team horses were in such fine cond
II ton from having had their regula
: rest on Sunday, that | sold my two eS
h ira horses. | continued on the roa
= for five years thereafter, and neve
!, lost a horse by death, never lost a
i hours time on account of worn -OU
l. teams, for they did not wear out, an
G never bought another extra horse.
z "Then the railroad destroyed OF
II occupation and | sold off my team
g There being no saw-mill around her,
:, | bought this spot of land, had TIN
Y establishment erected, hired an exp,
e rienced workman, engaged in the ne
:. enterprise, and soon became master {
10 the business.
l. "Having had the experience | hay
e Just related to you, resolved that m
m saw mill should never run Sundays.
e. knew that it was not flesh, blood, an
20 bones that it did not require rest /;
st my horses did but thought that eve
'e the inanimate wheels, cOgs, and saw
ID might be the better for having ree
Of ular rest from constant motion migl
is be the better for cooling off. Beside
Of knew that both my man and myse
n required one days rest in seven.
l. .'The first Sunday after the sawmi
at was started, my hired man and | we
is loafing among the cedars over ther