Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-09-07
PICK out the very smallest ar d most
slender cord sticks, A'''

lhls was a great mistake on Mr.
Mouser's part. He should have tackled
the difficult ones first, on the simple but
fruitful theory that custom would have
sweetened his toll with the balm If
greater ease.
MY! how the saw rented and the alb
ofev'ated sticks tumbled to the ground
Still Lizbeth, who was peepine with
laughter-brimming eyes, noticed that at
the third cord-stick work seemed to
slacken just little, but seven We're
finished, and Mr.. Mouser came in de-
claring he felt glorious.
The second day Mr.. Mouser remained
at table trife longer. -Four cord-sticks
in broken lengths licked the dust, how
ever.
Third day-Mr. Mouser took time to
glance over the Daily Ne,vs after din
ner. Record: Three cord sticks.
"Lizbeth, " said he, Il think I've been
cheated in the saw-jack. 1t is not put
together on as practical plan as I was
led to believe. 1t wiggles."
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, exclaiming:
"Mercy! how short the days are
Mrs. Mouser enjoyed the situation in
tensely, but said never word.
Fifth day-Mr. Mouser rose with a
sense of injustice resting upon him. All
day he was haunted by the outrageous
fate that made him the owner of saw
ing jack.
"My dear, We require more wood than
usual to-day and tomorrow, washing
and ironing days, you know" said Mrs.
Mouser as soon as he got home.
Il never saw anything like the way
you women manage to consume fuel!'
and Mr.. Mouser grabbed his hat and
strobe angrily toward the woodpile. A
few sticks fell before the savage manip'
ulation of the saw, while Mr.. Mouser's
snarling kept excellent time to the
wild motions of the sawyer.
With crash he sent the saw flying
over the woodpile. This was too much
His wife was brute to expect him tc
work like slave during the few mo-
ments he could call his own free from
business drudgery. But if he gave uI
he would never hear the last of it. Oh
if he could only get rid of that sawjack
A long time he pondered; at last q
smile of Joy illuminated his face. That
night, after his wife had retired, Mr.
Mouser slipped out and carried that
hated green object to the front gate
Presto, in the morning the corpus de
hcti would be gone. The highway wa.
full of robbers, who would steal any
thing and everything.
He would make big fuss about thu
loss, but take good care not to buy I
second sawjack.
He slept the sleep of the just unit
about o'clock in the morning. 1t wa
still dark, but his anxiety to assure him
self of the loss Of his trouble caused
him to sneak out and reconnoiter. Thu
saw jack was still there. Mr.. Mouse:
whispered-not prayer. ooh, we'll
there is time enough still between thi
hour and daylight for theft to be com
mitted," he muttered. 1t was the yoic
, of Mrs. Mouser that awakened him il
time for breakfast. He glanced out o
the window the first thing. oh, hoy
brightly the sun shone, and the sawiacl
cleaned up at him with all its verdan
beauty. No robber hand had carried
away. A fearful sigh escaped tn
t Mouser bosom.
"You must saw some wood for me be
. fore you go, DEAR" said his wife.
I "What, more wood?"
"Yes, dear; recollect you only sawe
> one stick last evening"" rejoined Mrs
: Nfouser, meekly, but a wicked CLEAR
of mischief played about her eyes an
v mouth.
Mr.. Mouser ignored her reply an
o fastened to town with vigor born c
8 awful fury, but way down in his soul
/ voice groaned, that sawingjack must GO
!; Where? whence? how?
I Mr.. Mouser was a man OF resources
Twelve o'clock, midnight. A burglar
+ ish darkness and silence brooded aroun
: as a man stole hence from his coucf
4 and grabbing his trousers, left coz
bedroom. A little later the only othe
: active creature about, feline prim
n donna, might have witnessed a SORT
i sight; solitary man marching tow
$ ward, clutching in his strong rigl
q hand beautifully painted green sawln
jack.
v Soon he returned. The saving JAG
s where was it?
i Mr.. NIouser rose that morning IN
$ most delightful frame of mind.
o "Lizbeth, my dear little Lizbeth,