Mexico Missouri message., 1903-05-07

Unlike most mothers, David's
motncr gave him the privilege of
the house aud he felt as much at
home playing in the parlor as in
the family room. His father
thought nothing mau could make
was too good for man to use, and
David enjoyed everything, for he
thought he was a partner in the
estate.
The family room was a restful
place. All gathered there to read,
talk, sing and play indoor games.
David always went to school when
there was one in session. At home
he had the New York Observer, a
religious Presbyterian paper, Wes-
tern Watchman, Baptist paper,
then published by VIM. Crowell in
st. Louis, the American Messen-
ger and Child's paper by Ameril
can tract society, Missouri States
man, edited by Vim. f. Switzler,
and Democratic paper published
i'll ColumOia-all OF which he read
more or less. He read Pilgrims
Progress, Joseph Livingston's
travels aud Kane's Artic ExplOra-
tIons aud other works in his faith
er's library. Many were the pre-
dictions that as David was such a
book-worm he would never amount
to anything.
Books of travel and adventure
were his delight. His father was
first an old line Whig, then when
that party split, know nothing"
or belonged TO the American party
whose main desire was to restrict
or exclude foreign immigration, not
quite so much as jefferson, who
wished the Atlantic Ocean a gulf
of fire to keep foreigners away, but
not to let our country be the
dumping ground of the paupers Of
Europe.
David felt bad when the Demo
crat paper showed the Growing
rooster with these words under it:
"CrOw, Shanghai, crow,
And let the Kuow-nothings
know
That Stewart was elected
just as we expected" for
Robert Stewart was elected gov
ernOr in 1858.
David's father had an old sOrrel
horse named Logan. By some ac-
cident he had lost one eye before
he was purchased. Davld's father
put him to splitting middles, or
running burrows between the rows
Of corn where it had been plOwed.
This was his first experience in
plOwlng. He was tired when
night came, for old Logan had
been rather contrary all day.
The next morning at the break
fast table, Thomas Rodes, the
hired help, said, David plowed
all night last night; l heard him
say, wee, Logan, get up there;
haw, now, go along: gee. whoa,
dog gone your old soul, won't you
stOp!" David's feathers fell, for
he was sure he did say those words
that day, but he was not so sure
about the night.
Having some stove wood to
bring about two hundred yards, he
and Jehu thought they could use
an old door that had been broken
off the hinges for a sled and as
they had no harness had to tie
rope to the door and fasten it to
Logau's tail, and all worked like
charm but, when they got started,
the horse, who was not used to
pulling by his tail, looked around,
gave a snort and away he ran,
scattering the wood aud soaring
the boys for fear he would break
his neck. 1t was so funny. The
boys were not punished, but were
told not to try to pull loads by
that way of hitehing, to use a col
lar and harness. Uncle Bob Tee
ter, a neighbor who was every
body's uncle, had seven or eight
roguish horses that would live off
of the neighborhood by jumping
into the corn and wheat fields. Af-
ter several weeks of worry one of
the hands said he could cure that
old black bell mare of coming into
our fields. In day or two the
mares aud colts were in The wheat
as usual The hands drove them
all into the lot, and, running the
leader into the stable, caught her.
They then got six clapbOards, aud