Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-03-15
Old Times.

Ed. Register-A few days ago had
occasion to call in several of our town
manufactures where everything in the
shape of wood and iron are made into
all kinds of things such as men or
women need to lessen the burden of
toll, and as | saw how each branch of
business was carried on with all kinds
of machinery, could but look back to
my childhood days and see the differ
ence between then and now. I well
remember in those days first went to
school at the old red schoolhouse on the
corner. AT recess and noon we boys
would go down to the shops by the
pond and see how the men made axe S
and scythes, and other tools for the
farmers. In those days most every
thing was made by hand. If man
wanted new axe, he went TO the
nearest blacksmith shop and had 1t
made. Every blacksmith was taught
to make everything that was made of
iron and steel. Ifyou took your horse
to be shod the smith made the shoe
and all the nails to fasten the shoe on
with. Machine shoes and nails had
not been thought of. Our old black
smith would keep two or three nail
he would be making nail out of an
other rod, while the boy that was learn
ing the trade would work the bellows.
TIL ose men did not stand around idle
four rods in the fire; it kept them busy
and not let the irons burn. That is
how the old saying, HE has too many
irons in the fire,n originated.
Then, too, if man had all axe that
was all worn out and nothing left of it
but the eye, he would take the eye to
the shop and get the smith to make an
axe to the eye. Now, when the axe
was finished. SO far as the smith was
concerned, it was taken all rough from
the hammer, with the edge of the axe
about as thick as ten-penny nail, to
the grindstone. How it makes my back
ache now at this distant day to think
of those hard jobs turning grindstone
for half day at a time. 1t used to
seem to me as though we never would
get the axe to an edge, and how tanta-
lizing: when you thought the job was
almost done, the man who held the axe
to the stone would take it off and look
at the edge and touch his finger to it
carefully. What hopes would fill your
ing. A little more. my boy. Yes,
little meant about another hours turn
ing to put the finishing touches on, and
when at last it is finished, you are
coolly told you could do some other job
now.
Well do 1 remember one winter l did
not go to school. My mother had been
sick, and as we could not hire girl in
that country in those days, I had to
stay at home and help about the house
work. / was about fourteen at that
time. My father used to hire man
who lived up on the mountains to chop
cord wood for him most every winter.
One cold day after all the children had
gone to school, that man came TO our
house and brought new axe right
from the shop, just as it came from the
hammer. When he came in with that
axe just felt as though / would be
glad if something would happen so I
would not have to tui n that old grind
stone; but l saw there was no help for
it. After he had drank a few glasses
of hot cider, mixed with red pepper
pods, he said, "Sonny, guess you will
halter turn the grindstone for spell"
Well, / felt sick. Father had a very
large grindstone that stood under one
of those great pear trees and all the
neighbors came there to grind on it,
and he always had to furnish cider for
the neighbors 10 drink and boy to
turn. Well took hold of the crank
and just laid right down to it and l
turned and turned, and everytime that
stone went around it would give one of
the most dismal squeaks ever heard.
At last looked at the man and said,