St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-01-25

lumber industry Of Maine. The News has
been a paper of mugwump leanings, but the
lumber on the free list has changed its an
gle of vision.
THE LAND WHICH HORNY HAND
BOUGHT.
Once on a time not long ago, not
very, very long ago, there lived an
honest workingman with a clear
head, big heart and Horny Hands.
And this honest workingman by
working early and toiling late had
saved a Few Dollars in Hard Cash
Wishing to build him house he of
the Horny Hand went to man
who owned rocky pasture near
the city and offered him $40 an acre
for the same; and the man grew
angry and said that land was
worth $4,000 an acre in house lots,
and he would not take a Cent Less.
But" said Horny Hand, "the
city assessors value this land It only
So per acre. You must be trying to
bluff me, or you would not raise the
city's ante $1995 the first time
round"
That's my business" replied the
Pasture Man; put up your money
or get out of the game
So Horny Hand paid $500 for
place to put his house and his clothes
line, and began to dig his cellar.
Moral This fable teaches that
the judgment of the city assessors is
not always reliable.
THE HOUSE WHICH HORNY HAND
BEGAN.
So in the Course OF Time Horny
Hand finished his cellar and began
to build his house, paying Boston
prices for his spruce and hemlock,
and Maine prices for his cement and
hardware And when his house was
almost done he was Stuck. because
he had no more money with which
to buy to finish. Then going to
millman, he said:
Il want job in your mill in order
that may finish my house"
What wages do you ask by the
day ?' enquired the millman.
Il am worth $25O a day." said
Horny Hand.
Not to me-" responded the mill
man; for can get men as good as
you in New Brunswick for $1.25
day. Take that or make room for
''P. L." and with big Laugh the
millman went out.
"By the Great Horn Spoon" cried
Horny Hand, 81 wish had bought
my lumber in New Brunswick" and
he wept Salt Tears.
Moral This shows that Tweedle
Dee is not played on the same string
that is used for Tweedle Dunn.
HORNY HANDS HOLE IN THE GROUND.
Finally, by digging CLAIMS and
harvesting hooppoles, Horny Hand
saved money enough to get his
house insured. Then he boarded up
the windows and doors and went
forth into the world as a book agent.
And while he was away there came
a change of tariff and a big fire in his
city. The tariff swept the duty from
lumber, and the fire swept his house
from the face of the earth.
Il have my policy left" said
Horny Hand. And that with Free
Lumber will build me bigger and a
! better house." and he ChuCkled to
| himself in Ghoulish Glee.
But the company refused to pay
! his insurance, because he was not
| living in his house at the time it was
| burned, and because, not having his
own life insured, he was an ire
sponsible man and not to be relied
upon. The agent of the company
gave him a lot of Printed Matter,
telling him how to proceed the next
time, and left him to his tears.
so all I have left, said Horny
Hand, lis a piece of land with a hole
in it, and he went and wept his
cellar full and called it well.
Moral Horny Hand could not
sell the water in his new well, and
so this fable has no moral.
HORNY HANDS SAD END.
With free lumber Horny Hand felt
sure of finding work. Drying his
tears, he struck out to find the mill
man; but when he reached there the
mill had shut down and the rnillmar
had gone into bankruptcy. Long
long did he hunt for his old friends
and companions, who in days gon,
BY worked with him at honest toll
but the houses they had occupied
were desolate. At last he found al
old, old man who had been tooth
less and blind for nearly so years
, and from him Horny Hand Learned
that the whole town had gone dow
to New Brunswick to get work il
) the mills.
But they come back soon sal
, the old man, and yon can see ther