Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-04-18
TERMS: $500 PER YEAR
THE AXE.
"A Word Of Caution TO the Inex,.,,
enced Wood-Chopper.

oeu u"ooa-ChOpper.
well remember my first axe, and NV
early experience with it. 1t WEIGHED
four and quarter pounds, being the
heaviest one could find at the time I
was fresh from school-fresh from a class
In natural philosophy, one of my favor.
ite studies.
knew all about inertia. and had
learned something of the force of gravity
and the laws of falling bodies: had
rightly guessed that choppIne wood might
be hard work, and determined that nv
knowledge of physics should help me
out.
would have heavy axe, a long
handle-would move slowly, and take
strokes that would count when thew fell
My axe handle was thirty-four inches in
length, the longest in the store. / had
hired tough little French Canadian.
weighing about one hundred and twenty
pounds. to help me at this work. When
he came he brought an axe, a mere toy.
called it. l think it weighed two and
a half pounds, with a handle onlv
twenty-six inches long. | told him I
had a fair sized job for him, ana thought
1t would paw him to buy a full grown axe.
He smiled and said he guessed his would
do. tried to explain to him the beau
ties of heavy axe, and the wonderful
advantage ola long handle. But it was
all in vain; was only was ing time; he
could not understand it.
Poor fellow ~ thought /, "he knows
nothing of the beautiful science of
physics. 1t is too bad that he should
thus waste his strength through igno-
rance, and be unwilling to listen to tie
voice of wisdom" ...
We went to the wood lot and began
work. L had decided that we would
work separately during the first day or
two, in order that | might show him
what he could do.
As l began to swing my axe I felt
proud OF It's ponderous blows that rang
lhrouSh the woods. and rather ptied the
poor fellow who was drumming away
with his little axe. taking about two
blows to my one.
Presently | had to stop and rest, and
then again, and still again. But joe, nv
man, kept pecking away quietly, steadily
and easily.
Every few minutes ! would stop 10
take breath but Joe seemed perfectly
able to do all necessary breathing with
out stopping his work fer the purpose.
when night came we piled up our
wood and measured it. JOe's pile meas
lred one and one half cords, mine only
-hree quarters of cord.
During the early part of the dav I had
planned giving Joe another lesson in y
he evening, to see if corld not make
him understand the elementary princi,
1les of wood cutting, and the philosoph-
cal requirements of an axe. 100 - ." i
But wien night came / decided that
'erhar.s it would be as well to t him
70 on in ignorance, and thereafter re-
NAMED silent on the subject.
The next day | felt lame, and STAYED
It home. Joe put up his cord and a half
IS usual. '''.
When l went to the woods again Joe u
nd wOrk ked together. Not many days,
'assed before found an excuse for buy
ng lighter axe ard a shorter handle.
md every axe and handle that ! have
onght since then has been lighter and
hCrter than its predecessor.
Whenever use an axe now | select 10
ne very much like Joe's. both in weight
nd length of handle. / can use this
'ithout getting all out o. breath, and
an hit twice in the same place. The
esult is | can do more and better work
nd save vast amount of strength.
or. Country Gentleman.