Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-04-30
The Ok Team.


of polished steel. lothian lived al
most at the jumping-off place. A
rough cabin made of logs, with the
bark still left on, hole in the roof
for chimney, no windows, and a
door SO little, that even ten-year-old
lothian had to duck his head to get
through-this was his home.
For miles and miles around stretch
ed thick forests of pines. In the sum-
mer they waved their great green
branches, and rustled pleasantly, high
up in the soft, warm sunshine but,
in winter, they beat and lashed them
selves, groaning and moaning, for
then they knew their hour had come.
Out into the frosty mornings went
Jotham's father, his eyes flashing,
and keen-edged ak slung over his
| shoulder. He was lumberman, and
patiently, steadily stroke upon stroke,
he cut away at the sturdy roots of
the great trees, till they shivered and
trembled and went reeling headlong
upon the ground. This was his work
day in and day out, and all through
| the deep, pine forests, there were
| other lumbermen at work in the same
way, so that in the busy season, moth
ing was to be heard but the ringing
of steel and the crashing of falling
| trees.
The wolves heard the din, and
skulked all the day in their dens.
They knew better than to show them
selves. But at night they prowled
and howled around the cabins, and
woe to the man who ventured out
alone, after dark. Little lothian was
brave, but he buried his head under
his blanket when he heard their hoarse
cries, and he cuddled up closer to his
father and touched him. Then only
did he feel safe.
OF all the lumbermen, Jotham's ia
ther was the biggest, and burliest and
strongest. The muscles in his brawny
arms were like iron, and his flesh was
firm as marble.
"When will l grow big like you,
father?" lothian would ask, twenty
times a day for it fretted him very
much to be so little.
81 was good bit littler chap than
you," his father would make answer,
"and, all at once, | took start and
ran up in no time, just as | am now"
Then lothian was hopeful again,
and believed from the bottom of his
heart, that the time was coming when
he would take start and run up, like
his father.
At last the winter grew into spring,
and the trees that had been felled, with
just the branches Topped off, were
dragged in chains, by ox-teams, to
the nearest town. lothian liked that,
for his father teamed, and he sat
astride the trunks of the trees, wav-
ing long pine branch in his hand
and shouting, ''W'hush, w'ha. Gee
up, g'long,' with all his might. So,
little by little, for it was laborious
and painstaking task, the timber was
carried from the forest.
One day the ox-team stood ready
to start and lothian sat in his place,
with his pine branch; they were only
waiting for the driver. Pretty soon
he came along. His face had grown
frightfully pale and he shivered and
shook like an aspen leaf.
"Why, father !" cried Jotham, Jump
ing up and running to him, for he
was startled enough.
"I'm leetle sick, my boy, that's
all,' said Jotham's father. ''The
chills have kinder took me, | guess =
and his teeth chartered and chattered,
so he could hardly get the words
out.
lothian had never seen his father
sick before, and he didn't know what
to say or do.
s'I'll be over the worst in a minute
said the sick man. And he tried to
stand up, but he sank down again,
and put his hand to his side. eff
'twasn't for that pesky pain here,'
he said, 81 could stand it. That ERE
stick" (he meant the great pine tree)
''oughter be in town tonight"
''Now, father" (Jotham talked
like regular down-easter), "jest
look ahere. I'll drive them oxen. |
can do it jest as well as yeou."
He drew himself up, as ne could,
and his eyes shone brighter than ever.
s'Say, now, will you let me? Dew p
he urged again.
ssYou're sech a mite
"Mebbe / am little, but I'm tough
erin pine knot
ssIt's ten good mile, beside
'sBut [ know the road jest like
book Hain't / been over it enough
times?''
ssEf 'twasn't that there might come
a thaw in the night, and break up the
ice in the river, lothian, | wouldn't
let you CO."
'ssThen you're going to let me?''
eyes, n the quicker you start the
better"
lothian joyfully discarded his pine
branch, and, whip in hand, placed
himself at the head of the oxen. He
snapped the lash; the oxen pulled;
the heavy log quiyered and creaked.
Another snap, another pull; the log
moved and lothian was fairly started.
He fo+bor in cpito of tho charm