The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1908-11-25
coVYRimrr ieoa ~ FRANK M.oWHrr

bly,. Mahalah Bennett sighed, land l
did use to enj'y Akin things an havin'
our friends come. Hey, no, hum! 1t
seems sometimes as II our friends had
gone with the turkeys"
"Oh. no. mother. They give us work.
an that's the best thing they could do
for us. But II they all forsook us we've
got one mother. as you just said"
$50 we have. dear heart, an whilst
we have we can't be thankful enough.
I'm thankful there's some folks sensi-
BILE enough to 'preciate good OIL fashion
ed yarn mttens," she remarked as she
looped blue yarn on a needle with her
finger. MILLER, down to the Holler.
says he en- sell all en- knit for q
month. an three pair week amt no
great stint"
The bracing air. tempered by un.
clouded sunlight, stirred the blood Of
the man and boy alike with healthful
vigor as they trudged across the fields
and entered the woods. Every brown.
outstretched twig. every tiny. close
wrapped bud. had its coping and cap
Of pearl cleaning in sunlight or blue In
shadow. and the ranks of corded wood
were rooted with 1t.
The new covering was already mark.
ed with the tracks Of scampering SOUR
rels. the broad pads Of hares. the
pronged print Of the partridgcs devi-
GUS course. the dainty seam of wood
mouse paths.
Birds gave audible proof that they
were astir and alert now. party of
jays screamed In discordant unison.
chickadees and nuthatches called and
piped, woodpecker hammered indus
triously for his hard earned breakfast
a partridge went booming away like
gray rocket with trail of snow cloud
sinking softly and silently behind his
noisy course. and red squirrel jeered
ut the two intruders.
The boys ears and eyes were alert
for all sounds and sights. Before he
delivered the first ak stroke upon the
boil Of great Eastwood his attention
was attracted by strange track that
ended at Its foot.
"Oh, father" he cried, what kind
Of a tracks this? 1t looks just like a
little boys bare foot"
why, key, It's coon. an he's
laid up for the winter In this here
tree. See, it's holler. An there's the
hole up there at he went In. Now.
we'll jest have his pelt nailed up on
the wood shed door. l shouldn't won.
der II 1t was pretty nigh prime, for its
had three RS to get 30 in. They say
furs good In ev'ry month that's got
an r In It, but It ain't-not IL Sep.
TENDER nor sca'sely In October an II
begins to git faded In April, some
kinds does. But now it's most Decem.
Der. an'-an' Wen Jest go for the fel-
ler seem at we're goin' to git down
half cord o. wood ut the same lick,
Look out sharp at the hole when the
tree comes down, for likes not he'll
cut an run. Wen fall 1t right In here
where It's all clear"
SO saying, he drove his ak to the
eye in the soft wood. while Isaac with
fective strokes on the other side.
When Jacob had driven his kerr lit
tie beyond the decayed center and
paved the ground about him with
broad chips almost as white as the
snow he heaved restful sigh and
went around to the other side.
Now, key, you jest stan of out
there an keep your eye on the hole
the minute the tree falls. an II he
offers to come out fore ! git there
whack him on the head
Jacob spat upon his hards and re.
sumed his chopping. expirating with
each blow a gasping "hah" that seemed
to double its force, and Isaac took his
post with eyes fixed on the trunk where
the first branches stretched abroad
Now the great tree shivered at every
stroke, then tottered on its Slapped
foundations and went down with an
accelerated sweep and a final crashing
boom.
In the succeeding moment Of silence
the raccoon. so suddenly awakened
from the comfortable winters nap into
which he had just fallen, protruded his
M H., h..