The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-08-05
I turned over and went to sleep again
or at least / thoupht / did


Wall, he wiggled, and turned and
twisted, an he didn't move ter get up
fer about an hour, and when the sun
rose an shono inter the bedroom winder,
he got up an built the fire. An there
wasn't no kindlings nor a stick of
wood, an he had to skirmish in a lively
way and get some.
Arter the fire got to cracklin' in good
shape ] got up. l didn't hurry none, let
me tell you. l most died lynn abed so
long, but, sez 1 to myself, "ef make
the fire now, I'll probly hev to do it in
cold weather, an won't do it for any
man"
He was pretty sullen all day, but !
didn't take no notice of him, an he got
over it. The next day ne was ter begin
hayin' an he had six men to help him. ]
had ter do all the work, an take care OF
the milk an churnin', an it was no fool
of job. Come time to get dinner, an
there wasn't silver Of wood cut. | sent
Johnnie Che was then about seven years
old) out in the field to tell Caleb
wanted him.
He came in looking savage, and
wanted to know what it was | wanted.
Sez L
81 want some wood ter burn"
''Wall," he sez, ''there's a whole
woodpile out there. Help Yersef."
"An' not stick split" sez l. "You
will hev ter get bigger stove to burn
that"
"Wal, it amt such hard job to split
it" sez he. "Nancy used tew, often,
when l was bizzy."
"Did shel" sez l. $50 did Dan1."
He got the wood, an said, as he was
going out, that he didn't want to be
called in out of the moving field again
unless twas for victuals.
GAN right" sez I.
The next day twas the same thing;
not stick split. Thinks !, sold fel.
low, you amt got Nancy here. I'll larn
ye little something that p'raps ye don't
know So when it was dinner time
blowed the horn, au' in comes all seven
OF these men an sets down at the
table. Sich 'stonished lookin' faces as
they viewed the grub The biscuit and
and everything was washed clean and
put on raw. Not thing was cooked.
Caleb looked blacker'n thunder
cloud.
"What does this meant" sez he.
"Means what it means" sez l. ''You
said yest'day that you didn't want ter
be called in from the mowin' field unless
it was for victuals, and here they are"
"Nice shape, tew," sez he.
"Wall, can't cook 'thout wood" SCI
1, dryly like. y
With that all seven of 'em started for
the door, and they never left that pile
until it was ready for the stove.
never was bothered for wood again.
A few weeks after l wanted some
money purity bad. 1 wanted to send
Johnnie and Nellie back to school, an
was bound that they should have some
clothes fit to wear. l asked Caleb a
number OF times to let me hev some, but
he made all kinds of excuses.
didn't tell him what 1 wanted
of it, mind We. So one day along comes
a peddler buyin' butter'n eggs. had
considerable on hand that Caleb was in.
tending to carry into the city when he
had time. Sol sold every pound of but
tern eggs had in the house. got
nigh on to twenty-five dollars for 'em.
When Caleb come home told him ]
had sold the buttor'n eggs.
"Heow much did you glt9" SCI he.
told him.
"Where's the moneys" sez he.
'I've got it, sez l.
"Wall," sez he, "Nancy alters gives
me all the money that she took for her
butter and eggs"
"Did shel" sez l. "And SO did
Dan1.n
He got tired of holding Nancy up
afore my eyes, for l would offset her
with Danl every time. He found that
was powerful sot in my way, an he
thought he might as well let me have my
own way, and so he sez:
81 don't mean to be ugly, but l won't
be trod on by nobody"
When he wouldn't let me hav what
money wanted, I'd sell somethin' every
time. / sold two tons of hay one time,
when ] knew he only had enough to
winter his critters. So, on the whole,
he found that wasn't afraid of him, and
he behaved quite decent. l told him
not long ago that he was GROWN clever.
"Cleverl" sez he. II rather you'd
call me dog-goned fule than clever"
But notice he has improved, an lay
IL fer his trainin'