The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-02-23

rind on the saw"
Aunt Alice looked at it from diff
ferent point of view. She declared that
II wasn't strong enough for such work.
and that it was shame for Laura to
permit me to do it." At this Laura
looked so blank that / FASTENED to
assure her that I was quite strong
enough for the work; in fact, that it
would be only mild exercise for me,
such as l was accustomed to at col
lege and before.
Alex merely looked at me with
amusement when / told him, with an
air Of quizzical condensation. as it
were.
But Jane slapped me on the back and
whispered in my ear:
"Good for you! and stick to it, if it
breaks your back"
had not thought of my back before
| in the matter. Her remark worried me
| just a trife on that account. But
otherwise the speech was full Of en-
couragement and worthy of the sis
ter of my Laura.
The next morning went 10 work.
Alex and his wife came over and took
seats on the grass to watch me at my
work. The former brought his pipe
and the latter some fancy work. They
were prepared to stay all day. l felt
like asking them if they had brought
| their lunch with them, but soon found
that had no breath to waste on words.
Aunt Alice came over, had chair
brought, produced her knitting, and
told me how men used to saw wood
when she was young.
But there were others. The neigh
bors strolled over to see the sport, and
leaned on the front fence, while their
children took turns in parties of six
swinging on the gate.
1t takes but little to draw a crowd.
BY noon half of the town was watch
ing the strange sight of man saw
ing wood. They were an orderly crowd.
and stood there in breathless silence.
They did not attempt to guy me, as
expected they would. They seemed to
be merely dazed at the unusual sight.
AS time wore on, and they grew tired
OF standing, more and more of them
leaned upon the fence, until at last it
went down, carrying the gate and all
souls aboard with it. The wreck was
complete, but there was no loss of life,
Tor which l was thankful. 1t was my
fault, OF course, being the owner OF
the fence, that it was not strong enough
to support the weight of three human
beings to the linear foot, and if anyone
had been seriously hurt would have
been sued for damages.
IT you have never sawed wood, don't
try. 1t is the hardest professional
work in the world. AS an exercise il is
to be commended, but as work, it is
to be avoided, Stunned, cast off, given
to the poor. There is no muscle that it
does not tire, no bone that it does not
break. In half an hour was so weak
l could have dropped.
"Stick to it," whispered Jane.
Don't give it up" said Laura.
These two sisters were Spartans re-
incarnated-at least, for that day.
They did not know the torture to which
they were subjecting me. 1t was aw-
full.
IF could only do something else"
thought, as bent my tired back over
the saw and worked it with almost pal
sled arms, "just for little while every
now and then, believe 1 could pull
through the day."
looked appealingly at Alex. He
merely glanced back with sardonic
smile.
The Spartan sisters noticed my &C.
ton.
stick to it, whispered Jane, again
Don't give it up" repeated Laura.
1t was the author of the monograph
who saved my life that day. In some
way or other she knew and understood.
Perhaps she had learned to saw wood al
Vassar. At any rate, just as was abou,
to collapse, Cicely dropped a wash.
basin from her kitchen window with a
little shrek.
Don't go after it, Mr.. Wilson," she
cried, 'I'll run downstairs and get it,"
But she did not start to run. On the
contrary, she remained in the window
and winked most prodigiously. saw
The point, and started for the basin,
shouting:
"Never mind! I'll get it for you, and
bring it up-I know you're tired"
But Alex jumped up also.
Let me get it," he said, springine
toward the basin. I'm not as tired as
either OF you. I'll take it up to her,"
"Oh, no." answered; I'll do it. You
must be awfully tired from sitting on
the grass in that awkward position"
Not at all, he answered. 81 insist"
$50 do | insist" replied.
But you can't climb the stairs or
even work the elevator with that cramp
in your back, and that dull, tired, stiff
feeling in your arms and legs" he went
on.
Il am as fresh as daisy" l replied.
BY this time we were both graspine
the pan and struggling for the posses
sion OF it. He was bound to see his joke
through and make me stick at the
wood-sawinguntilI dropped from sheer
exhaustion. | was determined not 10
give him that opportunity to use it. He
stood with the weight of his oody rest
ing on one foot and the other advanced
carelessly. stepped in. caught the
ankle of the leg which supported him in
the crook Of my opposite foot, and, with
twist: threw him backward to the
ground.