Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-07-06
Old Pete.

ssMr. Lawkins," said the internal
revenue collector, addressing me,
s'you will at once proceed to the
northern part of the state, and see
why certain people in the upper part
of Acton county think that they
should make living by cutting cedar
timber that belongs to the govern
ment.''
eyes, sir,' / replied.
81 don't think that you will have
any trouble with the men. They are
undoubtedly thieves, but otherwise
| they are harmless. Perhaps they do
not know that they are infringing on
the rights of the government. Take
your time, Mr.. Lawkins. You have
been faithfully engaged during the
entire winter and spring, and now
the summer has come, rest will do
you good"
| thanked the colonel. That was
much worn by excessive work, any
one could see. / had been in the
revenue service during several years,
and had done more work than any of
my co-laborers, but this was the first
that any one had even limited that
''lay off, was due me.
Boarding a steamboat at DeVall's
Bluff, proceeded up White river, the
most attractive stream of navigable
water have ever found. The water
is so clear that it seems to be but a
little more dense than the atmosphere
itself. A chip floating on the surface
looked as though it was being waited
through the air. Grass and graceful
trees grew on each side, down to the
clearly cut edges of the stream, while
here and there islands arose, like
great ships with green sails. |
thought to myself that 1 did not care
how long the journey continued.
"Goin' fur, cap'n?" asked man
approaching me as sat on the lower
deck. He was a grizzly little old
fellow, with smile oozy with tobac-
co s'juice.'' He wore blue flannel
shirt, a woolen hat, which repeated
pulls had rendered bell shaped.
ssDon't exactly know how far l am
going" 1 replied.
"Air you out airter land?"
"No."
| "Cattle?"
| "No."
"Marketin', mebbe?"
"No."
"Don't want to buy nothin', ]
reckon?''
"Your idea is about correct"
"Whar do you live?''
''Oh, most any place.
4
'sNot thinkin' about buildin' fenc-
esq"
| looked at him and wondered il
he were crazy. He smiled in his oozy
way, but bore no facial evidence OF
insanity.
"Tell you why l asked" he con
tinued: "Ef you want to build fenc
es, plank fences, l ken furnish yor
with the finest lot of cedar posts yor
ever seen."
"How many have your"
s'Just oceans O them. The wood:
up my way is full o them"
tDo you own the land?"
, "No, oh, no. Don't nobody owr
it."
''It must belong to the government
them
eyes, | reckon it does, but th,
government don't want no posts"
elbow far do you live from here p
"Wall, l reckon its nigh onto .
hundred and seventy-fve miles,
"What is your name?"
. "Plummer. Old Pete, they CALI
. me-"
$ s'Mr. Plummer, 1 am an overwork
ed man, and"
"Overworked!'' p he laughingly ex
: claimed. "W'y podner, you ain
> been doin' no work. You amt sun
burnt, an don't reckon you've go
. any Jumps in your hands,
D I explained that my work had beel
mainly done in an office.
SIN the shade all the time, wan
you?"
8 "Of course"
a ssWall, that want no work. Lem
n me tell you. Eff l didn't halter d.
nothin' but set in the shade I would
not think I'd been doin' work a tall.
ST shall not argue the question
Mr.. Plummer, however we'll / ma,
know what work is. Mr.. Plummer
), l would like to 60 home with you ant
e stay until 1 am rested. Of course
e expect to pay you."
"Pay me nothin'. You air welcom
to come to my house, but dinged
you can pay cent. amt that sor
. O. man, let me tell you. Don't pu
i on no style up thar, but live at home
d world without eend."
Here he pulled down his hat an
n strobe up and down the deck. toll
+ him my name, but did not explain
that / was revenue officer. | ha
. found the very man 1 wanted.
Mr.. Plummer lived but short dis
. tance from the river. His house,
:, rude structure, was made of ceda
o. logs. He said that his wife and chill
;, years ago had been drowned in a
v overflow. Since then he had live'