The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-08-01
Splitting a SRsg

suburbanite with mosquito Jumps OF
his wrists. That Is. I'd like 10 80 4
Benderby wasn't one Of EN-. See here
dislike TO knock. but did you evei
80 out on a fishing trip with Ben
derby?"
NO" answered the man in the GEN.
ter-creased straw. Have your
4 haven't replied the mosquito
bitten one. "and I don't intend 10.
But I know just about how he'd act.
II you want peace and concord and
amity and a good time generally
well, I'm not going to knock Ben
derby"
Il won't tell" said the man who
didn't care for appearances. But
must say that I've always liked Ben
derby pretty well. Tell it. Don't in
sinuate."
Il won't" said the man with the
Jumps. "As for telling, / don't care
who knows 1t. I've been sorry ever
since that / didn't tell Benderby what
/ thought of him at the time. You
know that I've got a fireplace in the
house. You've seen it. haven't your"
mo, but heard you say you were
going 20 have one built. But tell me
about Benderby. thought I'D please
you by inviting him. If you hadn't
introduced him to me-"
Il apologize for that. Well, I
bought a load Of old roots and snags
from a farmer out near us who had
'em piled up in his field. II struck
me they'd be the ideal thing for the
fireplace. There's something so trim
and uninteresting about the average
stick Of cordwood These were full
Of knots and bumps that were quite
picturesque. l didn't really have to
buy them. ! just paid for the haul
ing. | thought that splitting them up
into good-sized chunks would just be
pleasant exercise for me. II was, too.
! bought a good sharp ak and maui
and a couple OF iron wedges and
went at them.
Tough? Well. say; when you want
little work that is really work you
Just get a lot Of old roots. The first
afternoon worked at them was so
stiff and sore could hardly get
around at all the next day. and I got
my hands so bIistered and swelled
couldn't close 'em. But l toughened
up in a little while and began to get
along quite nicely. My wife used to
come out. and sit on the back porch
and watch me. where the chips
wouldn't strike her.
"Well. just plugged away morn
ings and evenings when 7 had a little
spare time. you know, and by the end
end Of a month or six weeks ! had
pile that Il would have done you heart
good TO see--all split up but one stump
at the time Benderby butted in. l
hadn't been able TO finish II up the
night before. Crosby and Smith were
over that evening and ! was telling
them what ! had been doing and we
all went out to look at the pile. the
whole bunch Of us. Smith remarked
that ia left this one root and I said
I'd whack that up right away. SO
! shed my coat, turned the old snag
over and went at II. I put In the
wedges FIRST and swung the old maui
on to them and blamed II they didn't
bounce out one after another. The
grain had run across. l tried another
place and struck another twist and
Jared my arm clear up TO the shoul-
der blade That made me mad and
went at II hard, but ! couldn't make
the wedges stick and I knew | was
up against a proposition that might
take a little time. The crowd moved
away. one by one, and sat on the stoop.
Il took the ak and scaled the out
side away TO get an idea Of the way
the grain ran and tried It again. That
time got the wedge In, but 1t stayed
in and didn't split. / put the other
in lower down and that drove pref
ty nigh up to the head and didn't
start a crack either. Then / sweat
around there for half an hour trying
to get the wedges out and the folks
guying me all the time. ! had to cut
those wedges out at last.
Il guess that had been working
for an hour or so. was dripping
with Precipitation and was pretty near
" played out when Benderby strolled
up. big and fat and cool and cheer
ful. He watched me for q moment
and then he said l wasn't going at
It right. Take the ak and Just bust
her open," he said.
II smiled. handed him the Ak and
Joined the group on the porch. /
needed some compensation and
thanked my stars which had delivered
him into my hands. He swung the
AZ aloft. brought It down with
grunt and-busted the snag wide open.
at was a fuke-a pure accident,
mind you. AS fat as he is am ten
times as muscular. know more
about splitting wood In minute than
he could learn in ten years and had
already split up about 80 Of the roots,
but II you had heard him brag and
blow and belittle what ia done and
well I haven't words for him, that's
all"
Perhaps we'd better find some way