Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-05-26
MR.. MOUSER'S SAWBUCK.

Mr.. Mouser and his merry little Wit
occupied . charming cottage In tn
suburbs Of large city in the Father
Land" His business connections were O
such . nature that he was usually o
leisure after o'clock In the afternoon.
Mr. Mouser prided himself on being
man Of originality and brains. Mr.
Mouser also liked little joke, at othsl
peoples expense.
II was autumn. Mr.. Mouser had jus,
laid In . goodly supply OF winter fuel
Wood was chiefly used for this purpose In
the land Of Mr.. Mcuser's birth.
Sitting BY the window Of his coxy liv
ing room, enjoying a royal smoke from
the long stemmed porcelain pipe, Mr..
Mouser watched the wood sawyer plying
his trade, made easy by long habit OF
handling wood and saw. Az Mr.. Mouser
gazed and pondered IN idea crspt into his
head. 1t Yves grasped-as ideas quickly
became captive there"
'Lizbeth," said be to his wife, st Ia
singular never thought Of 1t before-I
generally think OF such things-but IL
strikes me that I could saw that wood
myself"
uIuCxUuBl WIEN Al luo8f'
"A bright one. isn't its A big saving,
too! Just see with what ease It Is done
the man cuts through the sticks az II he
were slieing bread and butter: besides,
require more exercise; my health Is not
what 1t has been"
why, dear, do you feel HIP
"N-no, but man needs to exert him
self IL he does not wish to run down in
Aw hah tkn
filming; sense Of this fact has been grow
ing on me lately. But have solved the
difficulty while watching that man play
on his sawjack."
A merry twinkle of the eyes and a
laudable endeavor to maintain serious
expression would have convinced the be-
holder that LAzbeth also had ideas, but
like q properly respectful wife she kept
them to herself until called for.
''Do you think. Lizbsth, that O little
gentle muscular activity 10 what need to
stimulate appetizer
"You might paint the house or do some
less tiresome work than woodsawing,"
replied Mrs. Mouser.
''Oh, you undsrrate my capacities, my
dear. And saving wood 10 not such hard
work. Come and see how simply It Is
done. Jet how every muscle il brought
inl2 plax. Lem spchaptsd- with mr. idsA
ever pay for"
Mr.. Mouser meant business. He ct
once ordered the very best kind Of saw
jack made. He purchased . splendid saw,
with sharp teeth and q light frame. He
praneed about, happy as SOCIOLOGY, with
dabs Of yellow and green paint spattered
all over his person, until finally the saw
frame suited him in its bright yellow cost.
The sawjsek he painted lovely light
green.
Daily he promenaded impatiently
around the sheds where the wood was
stored, and grumbled because the fuel
lasted SO unusually long. Atintervals he
added another coat Of green paint to the
highly decorated saving jack c'sawbuck"
1t Is called sometimes), and babe all his
acquaintance and friends come and In
spect his patent calisthenie toys. until
every one for miles around became famtl-
lar with Mr.. Mouser's green saving jack.
At last the longed fox day arrived. A
big load of fine hickory had been piled up
in close proximity to the tools Of dscima-
ton.
Mr.. Mouser was all sxcftament. He
passed by his amused wife with important
disdain, and scarcely gave himself time
to devouY his dinner, he was 10 eager to
be Ut work.
Nothing more, thanks" he replied, as
his wife wished 70 yspienish his cup.
Rising, he hsstened TO handle his pets
with an ardor that caused LAxbeth 70
smile knowingly an she watched him pick
out the very smallest and most slender
cord sticks.
This was O great mistake on Mr..
Mouser's part. He should have tackled
the difficult ones first, on the simple but
fruitful thsory that custom would have
sweetened his toll with the balm Of
greater ease s.-s
Myi how the saw rented and the abb
breviatsd sticks tumhled TO the groundi
Still Iixbeth, who was pesping with
laughter brimming eyes, noticed that ut
the third cord stisk work seemed 70
slacken Just little, but seven were
finished, and Mr.. Moussr came In, de.
elaring he felt glorious.
The second day Mr.. Moussr remained
at table txifle longer. Four cord sticks
in broken lengths licked the dust, how
ever.
Third day-Mr. Mouser took time to
glance over The Daily News altar dinner.
Record: Three cord sticks.
'sLdxbeth, y said he, 81 think I've been
cheated in the saw Jack. II II not put To-
gether on a. practical plan as I was led
to believe. It wriggies."
Fourth day--Mr. Mouser toyed over his
dinner extensively. He smoked his pipe
and read the paper. He glanced over his
monthly magazine until dark, and then
started up, sxclaiming:
''Mercyi now short the days arer.
Mrs. Mouser enjoyed the situation in
tensely, but said never word.
Fifth day--Mr. Mouser rose with .
sense Of injustice resting upon him. All
day he was haunted by the outrageous fate
that made him the owner Of . saving
jack.
sMy dear, we require more wood than
usual today and tomorrow, washing and
ironing days. you know" said Mrs.
Mousex a. soon ~ he got home.
81 never saw anything like the way y0u
women manage to consume fuelr' and
Mr.. Nouser grabbed his hat and strobe
angrfly toward the woodpils. A few sticks
fell before the savage manipulation Of the
saw, while MY. Mouser's snarling kept
excellent time to the wild motions OF the
sawyer.
With o crash be sent the saw flying
over the woodpile. This was too much.
His wife was brute to expect him 70
work Hike slave during the few mo-
ments he could caH his own free from
bushes dSudgery. But II he gave up he
would rsvex hear the Last Of Il Oh,
he could only get rid Of that sawjsek-
A long Huae be pondersd, at last q smil
Of Joy Illuminated his face. That night
after his wife had retired, Mr.. Mousse
slipped out aud carried that hated grses
object to the front gate Presto, In tn
morning the corpus deficit would be gone
The highway was full Of robbers, VIII
would steal anything and everything.
He would make big fuss about tn
: loss, but taxa good care not 70 buy |
second saviack