The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-07-07
by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

~ ~D 31&N~ - -
Copyright by American Press Asso- -
citation. 1911. -
There is no more dainty bit Of seen
cry, to my thinking, than n Of those
little patched up, ~tumbledown, moss
covered water mills Of the olden time.
They are always situated at the lower
end Of a pond, nesting under trees
and half buried in shrubbery. They
| speak Of a past when farmers were
used to carrying a sack or two Of
grain to mill on horseback before them
to have It ground. Now the grain II
grown on bigger farms in bigger bulk.
and the individual farmers product IL
lost in a great cereal river that flows
to mills driven by steam and with
stacks towering hundreds Of feet high.
Progress Ia there. but the little water
mill Of the past Is only useful to fur
nish themes for the artist.
I am one Of these knights Of the
brush myself. One day, coming upon
such a simple scene as I have mem
toned. l opened my three legged stool,
set up my easel and began to work in
my colors. have the picture I made
Of the mill. and no money would in
duce me to part with it. There is a
story connected with IT. told me while
I was painting, which. appealing to
my fancy. rendered my work especial
" successful. The picture and the
story 60. together.
While l was at work q man under q
faded straw hat and suspenders un-
covered by coat or waistcoat came up
behind me and looked at my work.
He was a middle aged countryman,
with those burrows in his face that
seem to be transferred there from his
eyes being constantly fixed on burrows
made by his pillow. He seemed to take
a deep interest in my picture.
There's somep'n wanted on that
little space beside the Wheel" he said.
whats that?" l asked. ~
"A boy and a girl"
"What boy and girl?"
"Somep'n happened there onct. I
kin tell y about 1t IL y want to hear
it."
go ahead"
"It's about myself and the girl. l
was nigh on to seventeen, and Janey
was fifteen. Children haven't got any
sense, and Janey wasn't much past
bein' a child. We had been playin'
together when we was at an age to
play, and now we was a little older
we kept on playin' together. Anyway.
Janey was q wild little thing and up
to all sorts of pranks.p What I was
dom about this time I'm speakin' Of
was tryin' to keep her from tumblin'
of the peak of the barn roof, or fallin'
down through a hole in the haymow
floor, or gittin' drowned In the pond.
Zone day we was over there where
a dirt road led down to the mill. It's
all grown over with grass now, but
you can see where it was. At that
time the mill was run whenever there
was any grain to grind, and when
there wasn't the water was turned
of the sluice. That day 1t was turned
Oh.
1.-THE first thing I knew Janey she
climbed out on to the wheel. Her
weight was just enough to turn It and
let her down slow. While she was
sinkin' she looked at me and laughed.
It was a purity enough laugh. but
somehow didn't like to see her goin'
down into that hole. cause there
wasn't any way for her to git out. It
was walled in. except ear the top.
where an opening had been left to let
the water out. OF course when Janey
got to the bottom the wheel stopped
turnin'.
.Then l asked Janey to stand on 1t
and let me turn It and her back ag'in,
but she got OF and dared me to come
down. can see her eyes now just
they looked then with q lot Of dew
ntry in EN-
'There was two simpletons instead
Of one. l got on to the wheel. and It
turned quicker with my weight than
with hers. l Joined her at the bottom,
and abe was amustn' herself In all
sorts Of ways. dancin' and Irunnin'
around the wheel and hollerin' to hear
how queer It sounded down there.
Two or three times ]. tried to 81. her
to let me take her out. 1t wouldn't
an easy matter in any event. The
only way 1t could be done was for US
to balance each other by climbin' on
opposite sides Of the wheel. But II
the water should be turned on we
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