Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-02-13
MIR. M0USER'S SAWBUCK.

occupied charming cottage I'm The
suburbs of large city in the .sFather.
land" His business connections were o,
such a nature that he was usually q,
leisure after O'Clock in the afternoon.
Mr.. Mouser prited himself on being a
man of originality and brains. Mr.,
Monser also liked a little joke, at other
peoples expense.
Il was autumn. Mr.. Mouser had lust
laid In goodly supply of winter fuel.
Wood was chiefly nsed for this purpose In
the land OF Mr.. Mouser's birth.
Sitting by the window OF his cozy liy.
Ing room, enjoying a royal smoke iron,
the long stemmed porcelain pipe, Mr..
Mouser watched the wood sawyer PLYING
his trade, made easy by long habit oi
handling wool and saw As Mr.. Mouser
gazed and pondered an idea crept into his
hend- IL was grasped-as ideas quickly
became captive there
Lizbeth.h said lie to his wife. at In
singular l never Thought of IL before-I
generally think of such things-bnt Il
strikes me that could saw that wood
myself
"Graciousi what nm ideap'
"a bright one, isn't III A big saving.
tool just see with what ease IL Is done
the man cuts through the sticks as IL he
were slicing bread and butter; besides, /
require more exercise; my health is not
what 1t has been.''
why, dear, do you feel ills',
"N-no, but a man needs 10 exert him.
self IL he does not wish to run down In
muscular power. My habits are too con
fining; a sense OF this fact has been grow
ing on me lately. But have solved the
I difficulty while watching that man play
on his sawjack.n
A merry twinkle OF the eyes and a
laudable endeavor 10 maintain a serious
expression would have convinced the be-
holder that Lizbeth also had ideas, but
like properly respectful wife she kept
them TO herself until called for
''Do you think, LZbeth, that n little
gentle muscular activity Is what need to
stimulate appetizer
.You might paint the house or do some
less tiresoine work than woodsawing," !"
replied Mrs. Mouser.
"Oh, you underrate my capacities, my
dear And saving wood Ii not such hard
work. Come and see how simply IL Is
done, yet how every muscle is brought
into play. am enchanted with my idea,
and shall carry IT out The man can
finish this Job. but it shall he the last
ever pay for.a
Mr.. Mouser meant business He at
once ordered the very best kind OF a saw
jack made. He purchased splendid saw.
with sharp teeth and light frame. He
prnnced about. happy as a scooiboy, with
dahs Of yellow and green paint spattered
all over his person. until finally the saw
frame suited him in its bright yellow coat.
The saw jack he painted lovely light
green.
Daily he promennded impatiently
around the sheds where the wood was
stored, and grumhled because the fuel
lasted so unusually long. Al intervals he
added another coat of green paint to the
highly decorated saving Jack ts'sawbuckn
IL In called sometimesl, and babe all his
acquaintances and friends come and in
spect his patent calsfhenic toys. until
every one for miles around became famiI-
lar with Mr.. Mouser's green saving jack
AT last the longed for day arrived. A
big load OF fine hickory had been piled np
I'm close proximity TO the tools OF decima-
tinn.
Mr.. Mouser was all excitement. He
passed by his amused wife with important
disdain. and scarcely gave himself time
10 devour his dinner, he was so eager to
be at work.
tAs
his wife wished 10 replenish his cup.
Rising. he hastened TO handle his pets
with an ardor that cansetl Lizbeth 10
smile knowingly as she watched him pick
ont the very smallest and most slender
cord sticks.
This was great mistake on Mr..
Monser's part. lie should have tackled
the difficult ones first, on the simple bus
fruitful theory TINT custom would have
sweetened his toll with the balm of
greater ease.
MYl how the saw rented and the alb
bresiaied sticks tumbled to the groundi
stll Lizheth, who was peeping with
laughter brimming eyes, noticed that at
the third cord stick work seemed to
slaoken just little, but seven were
finished, and Mr.. Mouser came In, de-
elaring he felt glorious.
The second day Mr.. Mouser remained
at table tritle longer. Four cord sticks
In broken lengths licked the dust, how
ever.
Third day-Mr. Monser took time to
glance over The Daily News after dinner.
Record: Three cord sticks.
.'Lizbeth,n said he, II think I've been
cheated in the saw jack. II Is not put To-
gether on - practical plan as was led
to believe. 1t wriggles y
Fourth day--Mr Muuser toyed over HIS
dinner extensively. He smoked his pine
aud read the paper. lie glanced over his
monthly magazine until dark, and then
started up, exclRiming:
.sMercyi how short the days arer.
Mrs. Mouser enjoyed the situation In
fensely, but said never word.
Fifth day--Mr. Mouser rose with a
sense OF injustice resting upon hini. All
day he WAS haunted by the outrageous fate
that made him the owner Of q saving
jaek.
my dear, we require more wood than
usual today and Tomorrow, washing and
ironing days. ynu know said Mrs.
Mouser as snon m he got home.
II never saw anything like the way ron
women manage TO consume fuels', and
Mr.. Mouser grabbed his hat and strobe
angrily toward the woodpile. A few sticks
fell before the savage manipulation OF the
saw, while Mr. Monser's snarling kept
excellent time to the wild motions Of the
sawyer.
With a crash he sent the saw flying
over the woodpiIa. This was too much.
His wife was a brute to expect him to
work like a slave during the few mo-
ments be could cal his own free from
business drudgery. But IL he gays up he