West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-01-30
CLEARING OFF TIMBER.
Work NJ Infinite Labor and ProdIgIaa
EApenae.


Expense.
A few weeks ago, wearied with my
editorial duties. lay my pen aside and
went on a visit 10 my uncle, who owns
farm ia a distant State. am partial
to rural life. Nothing would suit me
better than 10 own farm in the couil.
try, | hardly think q farm in the CITY
would do. The horse cars might run
over your COWS and the policemen break
into your corn-crib and steal your corn.
Wei, my uncle received me with ouen
arms. Said he: "Parmcnas. those
heavy editorials that you wrote me were
creating such profound sensation in
Europe are wearing YOU out. Better
look out my boy, and not strain your
brain too much-the top of your head
may fly of some day.
enjoyed myself very much at Uncle
Jlms. Nothing was too good for me
at least | thought so--and time slipped
away very pleasantly. As cold weather
approached the bracing air seemed 10
Till me with desir. To exercise my
muscles, so one morning / remark I'd TO
Uncle jim: Say, haven't YOU got some
timber YOU want cleared off this wintcro
III an excellent chopper, and TO SIZE the
chips fly and the giant oaks fall crash
ing TO the earth always fills one with
unbOundcd delight. (Once, while i'm the
army, ! hacked down few small ,edars
Tor ilrcwood) Uncle Jim Immediately
got me an axe and piloted me To the
worst looking timber | had ever seen.
Most OF tn trees were four feet i'm di-
ametcr, and the underground was rs
thick as the hair on dog. Besides.
there was an intricate network Of wild
grape vines woven in among tie trees.
Uncle Jim said: There, my boy, amuse
yourself and left me.
After an hours arduous toll ! made a
clearing around one of the largest oaks.
spit on my hands and sailed i'm. man
aged to get through the bark after
awhile. and then sat down and gaspcd
Tor breath. | know now why mans
RIBS are built so substantially; it's
to keep woodchoppcrN hearts from
jumping through their breasts and
bouncing of into the woods.
When night came | had ma ie "A hole
IN that tree about the size of the first
cut In cheese, and felt next morn
ing as If had been run over bv all the
artillery and cavalry in the United
States service.
was three days in telling that tree.
! cut all around the COMPOUNDED thinU
and then tried to push it down, but Il
stood there rs firm rs the proprietor of
a onc-pricc store. l went TO the house
and secretly got an old rip-saw, and
tried that on awhile, but no po.
Another hours supcrhuman effort with
the axe. however, made the stubborn
old fellow topplc and crack, and the
next instant he fell with a crash that
shook the earth from Maine to the Gulf
of Mexico. 1t fell across a new eirIt-
rail fence and killed cow that was
grazing on the other side killed her
Is dead n cove oyster. / then sat
down on "A stump and shed the first
solid tear had shed in sixteen years
To think that | should toll and sweat
and swear for three whole DAYS lust TO
knock fifty dollars out of my dear
Uncle Jim's pocket!
went sorr wfully to the house. and
when the old gentleman came in he
said: We'll, how are YOU getting
along?' Got that big tree down. i
replied. Z" which way did il fallP"
asked Uncle Tim "Downwards, " |
answered, land smashed four panels
OF fencing and gave an old spotted
COW such rap that her cud flew fifty
feet. There's nothing salable about
her now but her hide and horns; de-
duct the price OF those and charge the
rest to me.
Uncle Jim sank into chair, leaned
MS head upon his hands, groancd dis
mally and sighed Poor Spot
Aunt Susan covered her face with her
apron and Sobbed: Poor old Spotty,'
The children also set mp wall of
lamrn,atiOn. was forced to ro into
TN kitchen and take smoke of the
old mans tobacco to hide my emotion.
Presently he came in and said: Wen,
there's no use crying over spilled
milk Git was spilled milk in this in
s.nncc, sure enough you can 90
right ON and clean of that timber.
work the trunks up into cord-wood and
fence rails and the tops into lire-wood,
and We II say no more about it,
No, Uncle feclinglv replied.
" that would be too slight rcmunera-
ton; you must receive a more gener-
Gus reward. III send you my paper
for twenty-five years at two dollars
yeir The next morning ! came
home. There's a GOODNESS now existing
between Uncle Jim and me PayHle-
mas MIR, IN DcboH Free Press