Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-01-01
THE FATAL BOOTS.
Farmer Mitzell's Avariciousness
Proves His Ruin.

There is nothing 1ove1ier to be seen
than the fertile upland valleys with
their densely-wooded slopes, of the Blue
Ridge or South Mountain, as it traverses
Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania
The undulatory beauty of Interchange
ing hill and dale, the waving outlines
restful as cradle, form sharp contrast
with the rude and jagged rocks that
crown the surrounding frowning sum-
mits.
Here the monarch Nature loves to
dwell, an inaccessible Vathek, in the
most alluring palace of the senses, amid
the perpetual vision of the beautiful,
the trill of birds and the murmur of
streamlets, the delicate flavor of ber-
ries and fruits, the delicious perfume of
clover fields, and the Arcadian loves of
the simple mountaineer.
Hidden away in one of these nestli ng
hooks there lived two farmers, each on
his respective farm. These men were,
trious, but fortune had distributed her
faVers to them with unequal hand.
Reynold Mitzell owned the lions share,
or nearly the whole of the mountain
top, aid lived in comfortable, two
story brick house, which was sheltered
from the rude wintry winds in the pretty
dell where it stood near purling brook;
while a big red barn-the pride of Nit
zell's heartgave comfortable shelter to
well-fed stock. Then he had the cheer
full help of his fine, manly, sturdy son
Keynold, although he had lost good
wife, who very inconsiderately died just
at the busy, busy harvest time, when
she was needed from break of day till
candle-light.
In fact, Mitzell took this parting,
graceless act of hers so much to heart
that it is doubtful if he ever quite for
gave her.
He always, in abiding to the ill-timed
removal, would shake his head and
humble: "She mout have thanked il
was haydn week."
Poor thing, she should also have re.
membered that after harvest comes ap.
ple-butter, and after apple-butter
butchering, and after butchering, spin.
ming, and for all time, making, mending
ouO OahAAS' ~ OAVOA AoPPOAo o4o0 IL
woman is so hard-worked as the 4ic1
farmers wife. May be it was part Of
the ''grudge he had agin her," that he
laid her away in corner of the garden
close against the fence, and where, in
due course of time, she might have been
usefully spaded up again, had it not
been for the protecting hedge of roses
her son tearfully planted around the
grassy mound of earth.
Happy woman, after all, to molde1
away with a sweet-brier rather than q
ton of marble on her breast!
At best Mitzen was but plain farm
er, so wonder not that his soul failed tx
grasp symphonic harmonies when thu
stars sang together on the mountain
top, for does not nickel obscure thu
sun, at times, in that center of the
p universe-Wals street?
But John Hogan, the poor neighbor,
was of merry mind; compensation
kind Heaven often grants those who are
stinted as to worldly goods, although hi
did not have the pauper's blessing of {
houseful, but only q wife and daugh
ter, Emma. =.
A few acres of meadow, lot of BRAN
bles, blackberry patch, and no end o
lichen-coyered rocks made up his terri
tory. Then, for shelter, q log cabin IL
the woods, with three rooms, and shed
which gave ample space in winter t.
huddle and keep warm, for ''spot," tn