St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-10-20
THE OLD MARKET WAGON

THE OLD MARKET WAGON
And How It Finally Gave Place
to a New Carriage.
Each year Mrs. Bradley had said:
civilian. we must have a new car
riage." Each year Mr.. Bradley had
answered: Il guess we'd better try to
make the old wagon do leetle longer.
Marthy." And there it usually ended.
The wagon in question was a rather
clumsy, high vehicle, but strongly
built The sides we're paneled and
bound with iron. They had once been
painted green, but were now faded to
= greenish gray. The wheels were
stout and painte red. The seat had
. high open back. and there was far
ing dashboard which showed signs Of
having once been black.
1t had been their mainstay as = We
hicle ever since they were married,
twenty-three years before. Then it
was bright and shining and new. Will
liam had courted Martha in it. When
the townspeople had seen them riding
ont with the new team they said
among themselves: There's a prom
Using cou pie. They will make q good
match and, likes not, do we'll"
This prophecy had been fulfilled, for
William Bradley owned his farm
Clear" and gossip reported q snug
bank account
In the meantime they had both be-
gun to grow old. They had no chill
dren now. The last, their little Dor
othy. 1--WE months old. had been carried
silently away In that very wagon.
OF late years the wagon had been in
the habit of giving out now and then.
One by one new wheels, new springs,
now boards and new bolts had replaced
old ones; still, to all appearances, it
was the same old wagon. 1t retained
its individuality like the famous jack
knife that had SO many new blades and
new handles
! The wagon served alike ''for mill and
for meetin'." On week days 1t carried
butter, eggs, farm produce and gro
eerieA On Sundays it carried Mr.. and
Mrs. Bradley to church. The we'll
known rattle was 4 signal to belated
churchgoers who were just getting
ready to hasten their toilet.
Each year Martha had found it
harder work to climb up into che aged
vehicle. 1t had never been IN easy
task. The act of getting into that
wagon was q complex one. The men
usually climbed over the wheel, the
easiest II not the safest method. But
Hike the majority Of the gentler sex.
Mrs. Bradley preferred to risk her life
In the orthodox way, and 50 went by
way of the steps.
It was q back-straining process
Clutching at the dashboard with one
hand, the seat with the other, one foot
was carefully lifted to the high step
which depended from the middle Of
the wagons side. Having reached
this halfway stage, the body oscil-
lated on one foot while the other foot
was swung madly in the air, endeavor-
ing to find the other step which was
higher up on the wagon side. When
found, the owner executed a kind of
oblique hop, and then, il all went
well, q little more oscillating landed
the person in the wagon. During all
this there were minor dangers likely
TO be incurred, such rs stepping upon
the skirts. and tripping. Lucky was
the person who understood philosophy
well enough to prevent the farther end
of the seat from fitting up into the air
1T some stage of his maneuvers- Mrs.
was so well versed upon this
point that she always waited until her
had seated himself upon the
other end of the seat before she at
tempted the feat.
Whenever = stranger. uninitiated,
was struggling and getting red in the
face he was sympathizingly informed
that it "hed always ben . hard wagon
10 git into"
The steps looked very innocent, and
that was the worst Of it. The feminine
portion Sf the town had become wise |
BY experience, and when some stray
female was overtaken and offered . |
tide In the hospitable-looking wagon,
she usually preferred to walk.
Mrs. Bradley was = quiet and uncom-
planning woman, but full of energy. In |
the hard working days. when they
we're clearing" the farm. she learned |
70 subdue her pride. But of late. with |
more prosperous times, her old spirit |
began to reassert itself. A struggle
with William resulted in = new CARPET |
Ind some new curtains for the sitting
'oom. Another struggle brought forth |
new bonnet and cloak for herself |
md new suit for him. And now she |
,sd fully determined to have a new
:arriage in which to ride to church.
She knew that the struggle would be
Ireat and possibly Of long duration.
But she had bent her back and strained
her nerves long enough clamberinr
nto the old market wagon. while her
'ocrer neighbors rode by in their com
ortable carriages.
civilian. you've got 70 git 4 car.
iage- 1t most breaks my back every
lime l git into the wagon. and can't
tand it much longer"
''Oh, wen hev one some time: don't
on worry. can't git it jist now. for
m savin', callatin' to buy that colt of
This was the first that she had heard
( his intention to buy the colt.
civilian. We don't need that colt.
Amt safe. Hen run away and
reak your neck. You're gittin' to be
% old = man to 60 hreakin' colts.
'ou'd better put your money into .
arysaGe."
But William bought the colt, and
[rs- Bradley still rode to church in
be rattling market wagon. The neigh
ogs said it was shame. Mrs Brad