Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-12
POWER or RAWHIDE ROPE
A Little Moisture and a Little Sun
Uproots Trees.

Uproots Trees.
Riggers were having trouble with a
SAFE suspended in midair in front OF
4 Park row building and il attracted
the attention Of the aristocracy fill.
ing the benches in City Hall Park.
,Dirigible Smith, having talked one
man OF his bench, started in on a
newcomer
They oughter have buckskin tack
lie for that said Dirisible, nodding in
the direction of the safe.
Hey, what? Buckskn? How's
THAR" asked the new one.
THE hot sun comm right after
rain so, If they'd had buckskin there
wouldn't be no trouble about histin'
that safe" continued Dirigible.
Il don't sayvy," said the transient
seeker after light and leading,
We'll, YOU would il you'd been
brought up with ME out in the Sin
nemahoning Valley, in Northern Penn
fslyvania." said Dirigible, as the knot
VI listeners increased.
There amt nothing like buCksk,n
for lifting weights, especially when
the meteorological conditions are
right" resumed Smith, pausing to let
'meteorolog soak into his listen
ers.
Gosh" said he with near-enthu-
siasm. I'm never forgit the way old
Jim Spafford cleared off his stump
lots with buckskin. Old jim was a
fCute old cuss as ever lived. He knew
all about the weather, and If he'd
lived till now he'd probably been
called either great scientist OK a
nature faker.
But he wasn't a faker. no Stree.
Old Jim was all right He knew how
to use his head. Deer was thick
around him, it bein' new country,
and he hunted good deal. Tanned
the hides and druy quite business
up bis I'd lot he said he d Int ell
none OF them new.fanSled $ amp pull
Tiers.
"'All | want is plenty of rain and
shot weather Gimme the right Kind
of weather and III show You how to
spull stumps scientific said old jim.
well. after his spring plantin the
weather sot in wet and hot by turns
and Jim got busy went up with
the Skeeles boys and Uncle Bill Rood
zone mornin' to see him operate, 1t
was jus. through rainin when We got
there, and Jim had the Queerest situp
II ever see. Had lot OF buckskin
ropes half hitched around a string Of
stumps and the ends OF the ropes was
hitched to big white oak tree near
the house.
I'VE thought he was plumb crazy,
He set down oil the stoop and cooked
hts eye at the weather In about an
hour the sun come out blisterin' hot.
Well, there was somethin' dom TO
worst Them buckskin ropes was
i soppin wet when Jim hitched them to
the stumps, but as soon as the sun
struck 'em. my sakes, how they did
, begin to shrink and draw! Purity
soon them dern stumps begin to
crack and heave, and one by one they
wuz pulled out by the shrinkin OF
/, them buckskin ropes. II was as easy
a. rolin' off log.
THAT same night ii rained more,
and old Jim repeated the operation.
He used them buckskin ropes every
time It raned. and hang me If he
didn't clear up threeacre stump lot
I In month.
after he got the stumps all out he
took 1t into his head that he didn't
want that old white oak tree In his
front yard, as the shade rotted the
Hshingles on the roof of the house. He
3was TOO lazy to cut it down. and be-
sides he wanted to show all Of US
\ that his buckskin method defied all
the laws Of natural science, and he
done II, by gum, ne zone IL!
For long time he was stuck for
something to hitch to, the old white
oak ben' the biggest tree anywhere
In sight. He tried one or two bitches
on other trees, but, pshaw. the old
white oak never budged. The other
threes were ripped out that wuz all.
We all thought we had the laugh on
old Jim, and that nettled him, for he
didn't like to be made fun Of
As"Probably Jim wuz good deal like
the boss OF that gang h'istin' that safe.
He didn't like to be beat out. One
night In August 1t rained good and
hard, and old Jim passed the word
around that he would move the old
white oak next morning II the sun
came out. Well, old Jim made good,
but he had to resort to certain by
draulic principles before he done 1t.
when we got down to Jims place
at 10 o'clock he had double buckskin
ropes runnin' from the old white oak
10 the well. the ends Of the ropes bein'
clear down to the bottom Of the well,
Well, sir, It worked like a charm The
sun came out good and hot, the usual
shrinking took place. and that old
white oak was yanked out by the
roots N. % minutes BY the clock. 1t