Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-03-19
Mr.. MOuSer's SaWbuck.

nections were of such a nature that
he was usually at leisure after four
o'clock in the afternoon.
Mr. Mouser prided himself on be-
ing a man of originality and brains.
Mr.. Mouser also liked little joke at
other peoples expense.
1t was autumn. Mr.. Mouser had
just laid in a goodly supply of win
ter fuel. Wood was chiefly used for
this purpose in the land of Mr..
Mouser's birth.
Sitting by the window of his cosy
living-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. AS Mr.. Mouser gazed and
pondered an idea crept into his head.
1t was grasped-as ideas quickly be-
came captive there"
"Lizbeth," said he to his wife, ''it
is singular that l never thought of it
before-I generally think of such
things-but it strikes me that [ could
saw that wood myself"
''Gracions what an idea -
GA bright one, isn't it? A big
saving, too Just see with what ease
it is done-the man cuts through the
stick as easily as if it was bread and
butter; besides, require more exer-
else; my health is not what it has
been"
"Why, dear, do you feel i'll p
"N-no, but a man needs to exert
himself if he does not wish to run
down in muscular power. My hab-
it's are too confining; a sense of this
fact has been growing on me lately.
But have solved the difficulty while
watching that man play on his saw
jack"
A merry twinkle of the eyes and a
| laudable endeavor to maintain Sc
rious expression would have convinc-
ed the beholder that Lizbeth also had
ideas-but like a properly respectful
wife she kept them to herself until
called for.
s'Do you not think, Lizbeth, that
little gentle muscular activity is
what | need to stimulate appetite"
"You might paint the house or do
some less tiresome work than wood
saving" replied Mrs. Mouser.
"Oh, you underrate my capacities,
my dear. And saving wood is not
such hard work. Come and see how
simply it is done, yet how every mus
Gle is brought into play. l am en-
chanted with my idea, and shall car
rv it out. The man can finish this
job, but it shall be the last ever pay
for. What think you of it, wife?''
"Well," laughed the lady demure-
Iy, 81 think we shall be obliged to
live on cold victuals and wear blan-
kets to keep from freezing. But Sc
riously, dear, you had better consid-
er what hard labor you are planning
for yourself. If were you | would
experiment on a few cord-sticks and
assure myself that it is as easy as it
looks"
"That's just like a woman!' re-
torted Mouser, disdainfully. "She
never does anything heroically; she
is totally incompetent in matters of
physical calculation. Now | can see
just as we'll as if L had stood over the
mans saw-jack for an hour the
amount of force required to drive
saw through a stick of cord-wood.
And declare to you here and now
that | am going to do the next load
myself. 1t is play-nothing but play"
Lizbeth laughed so tautalizingly
that Mr.. Mouser turned upon her in
a furry of indignation, saying:
"You seem to have your doubts,
madam !"
"Seeing is believing, sir -
"Well, you shall see. You ought
to know by this time that l am a man
with mind of my own, and when |
say am going to do thing do it.
Please bear this in your shallow men
tality, Mrs. Mouser, that I, your
husband, am determined to never
more pay one dollar for wood-saw-
yer's hire
81 am afraid I shall have to do a
little of the woodsawing myself,
then,' gravely murmured Mrs. Nous
er.
Mr.. Mouser meant business. He
at once ordered the very best kind of
sawing-ja jack made. He purchased
a splendid saw, with sharp teeth and
light frame. He pranced about as
happy as a school-boy, with dabs of
yellow and green paint scattered all
over his person, until finally the saw
frame suited him in its bright yellow
coat. The saw-jack he painted a
lovely light green.
Daily he promenaded impatiently
around the sheds where the wood was
stored and grumbled because the fuel
lasted so unusually long. At inter-
walls ne added another coat of green
paint to the highly-decorated saving
jack (sssaw-buck" it is called some-
times), and babe all his Acquaintance
es and friends come and inspect his
patent calisthenic toys, until every
one for miles around became famil-
lar with Mr.. Mouser's green saving
iaolx