The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-24
The Idyl of Twin FIRES
By Walter Prhard Eaton Copyright 1914 5 BY Doubleday Page Co.
Next Week Brigade" by Parrish

Mike, as the painting horses paused
for breath, but she'll harrer
down good. Be the seed perta-
tiers come YETI"
Bert has gone for Them" said
II. Let me hold the plough once"
Mike, 1 fancied, winked at his
son Joe, who was a strong lad Of
100, with an amiable Irish grin.
SO everybody was regarding me as
a joke! Well, I was, even then,
as strong as Mike, and I'd held a
sweep, IL not a plough!
/ picked up the handles and
lifted the plough around, setting
the point to the new furrow. Joe
started the horses. The blade
wabbled, took a mad skid for the
surface, and the handles hit me a
blow in the ribs which knocked
my breath out. Mike grinned.
| set my teeth and the plough
hsare, and again Joe started the
horses. Putting forth all my
strength, I held the plough under
the sod this time, but the furrow
l ploughed started nerrily away
from the straight line. The sod
came over the point like a comber
over a boats bow, and the horses
stopped with a jerk, while the
point went down and again the
handles smote me in the ribs.
bIt atntt on a1u a. IAAIra - aosd
Mike.
"I'll do it If haven't a rib left"
said / grimly.
And l did It, My first full fur
row looked like the track of a
snake under the influence of
liquor, but | reversed the plough
and came back fairly straight. I
was beginning to get the hang Of
lit.
My next furrow was respectable
but not deep. But on the second
return trip | ploughed her deep,
and that without exerting nearly
so much beef as on the first try.
There" said l, triumphantly,
"you plough all the rest as deep
as that"
"Begobs, ye'ze all right" cried
Mike.
went back again down the
slope with all the Joy of q small
boy who had suddenly made an
older boy recognize his import
ance.
Bert came driving up with his
wagon. We opened up the wood
sheds and storehouses behind the
kitchen, slowed In the fertilizers,
the various seeds, the farm i'm
plements, and so on.
Next we got my books and fur
niture into the shed, and, tired
and dirty, we drove on up the
road for dinner.
That afternoon | went back to
my orchard, got out my shiny and
sharp, new double-edged pruning
saw, and sawed till both arms
ached.
I obeyed the first rule of the
government Bulletin on Pruning,
to saw close to the trunk, SO the
bark can cover the scar. | obeyed
the rule to let light into the tops.
One old tree, split by winter
strom, | decided to chop down en-
tirely. About half-past three, as
l supposed II to be, | went for an
AK, and heard Mike calling the
cows. l looked at my watch. 1t
was 5 O'Clock!
My arms ached. My ribs, where
the plough handles had hit, were
sore. l was sleepily. deliciously
tired. 1 had done real days
work. / was rather proud of it,
too, proud that | could stand so
much physical toll. After all, 1t
is human-to glory in your mus
Giles.
Good night" / called to Mike,
as | started for home.
Good night, sor." he sang
cheerily back.
| took a bath, rubbing my ribs
and aching shoulders very tender
ly, ate my supper hungrily. and
settled down to my manuscripts.
In ten minutes l was nodding.
Good heaven!" said l, "Tll
have to get up in the morning
and work"
So | babe Mrs. Temple wake
me when she got up at 8.
WELL" reflected, as | tum-
bled into bed, you can't have
everything and a country estate,
too Fancy me getting up at D
o'clock"
CHApTER ILL