Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-01-03
The New Years Log Rolling.


Uncle Billy Barker expressed the SEN
timent of the community in his terse
disclaimer that, SO far as he was con-
cerned, he didn't have use for no
Yankees. You put Yankee into any
range. and thar'n be bad blood right
away. They hain't content to leave
things be as they found 'em. but want
TO cram their free-school notions
down everybody's gullet."
During the six years that Verdant
valley had been settled there had never
been dissenting vote cast at the
polls. 1t was the boast of the district
that this was the banner township of
California But now the laurels were
about TO be wrested from them. How
ever. there the intruder was, with his
wife and daughter. and there he evil
IDENTIFY intended to stay. A comforta-
BILE house and substantial barn bore
witness to that. This particular Of
fender had sturdy way of minding
lhis own business which, with his uni
form affability of greeting. soon began
to tell in his favor. so that. notwith-
standing his denunciation. Uncle Billy
was the first to visit the stranger and
proffer his good services. For what
ever of prejudice and narrowneSs
might mark their minds, the class to
which he belonged had none of those
qualities in their hearts.
Now this diplomatic call of the elder
Barker had an important result. Win
throp (the stranger) wanted to employ
some one to help him clear away the
timber. and bargain was soon
reached. by which the pioneers son,
Jim Barker, fine stalwart fellow with
a bit of schooling and handsome face
Just the stock. withal, by which the
world is replenished-was engaged for
this work. Jim was not the least
averse to this arrangement, for-well,
he had reason of his own.
Those who saw the land adjacent to
the lagoon before civilization had
spoiled it will remember that il was
heavily wooded. Great oak trees lifted
their brawny arms and sought with
hundred leafy fingers to clutch the
delicious. impalpable air. Fir trees
scattered here and there in stately
pride. The madrnno. aristocrat Of the
forest. showed it saffron bark and its
olive leaves. The underground was
thick. The poison-ivy was gorgeous
with fatal beauty. The manzanita
tossed its ripened berries to the gre
garious quail. There was no small
work ahead in subduing the forces of
nature The field must be cleared and
ready for ploughing by the first rains.
Luckily the rains held of There were
few inconsequential showers in Nov
embes. and then for weeks the heavens
were almost skyless. one could see so
far into them
BY Christmas the underground was
cleared away. and about half the trees
felled. Jim, who seemed to have some
plan Of his own, suggested that these
be left where they had fallen; to be
trimmed and chopped afterward; so
that as fast as one tree went down,
another was attacked But the pro-
gress was slow. Christmas day Jim
went home. and called his father into
cousciI After hearing his report, the
old man replied:
We got TO give him log-rollin'
The Lord has held the rains off about
all he's goin' to. lie hain't goin' to
spoil the crops for the sake Of nu
Yankee. He's done enough already.
md we got to do the rest. Wen have
e on New Years. And. by-the-way,
Jim"-after q pause-'you take care
that logs is the only things that gets
'emseIves cut up over to the Yankees =
Jlm's only answer was a blush
But, to be sure. that was enough.
New Years morn, about half-past
i've. there was a prodigious dog-aght
at the pre-emptoF's front door. Now
the New Highlander had but one dog
and 1t stands to reason that one dos
isn't going 70 get up fight all by him
self: that Is. unless he Is uncommonl,
pugnacious. which this one was not
A glance through the window reveale'
not only three dogs, but two wagons
the horses already half unhitched from
tho traces. The occupants had alighte'
upon the ground. Up the road seyera
teams Of oxen were advancing. Tn
house was evidently being put into