The diamond drill., 1919-02-08

out OF Hour and meal. II TOOK lot
OF them 10 keep the axes going. So
/ filed two sacks with corn and two
with wheat and put them into the
box wagon. for the ground was bare,
and hitched up my horses and set out.
/ reached the mill safely and be-
fore the grain was ground the earth
and the sky above were white with
snow driving down in a cold, stiff
wind out OF the northwest. | loaded
my grlsts and covered them with a
blanket and hurried away. The snow
came so fast that Il almost blinded
me. There were times when / could
scarcely see the road or the horses.
The wind came colder and soon AZ
was hard work 10 hold the reins ana
keep my hands from freezing.
Suddenly the wheels began jumping
over rocks. The horses We're In the
ditch. / knew what was the matter,
for my eyes had been filling with snow
and had had To brush them often. or
course the team had suffered I'm like
manner. Before | could stop | heard
! the crack OF felly and a front wheel
dropped TO its hub. / checked the
horses and jumped out and went TO
their heads aud cleared their eyes. The
snow was up 10 my knees then.
How the thought OF that broken
wheel smote met IL was our only
heavy wagon, and we having TO pay
The mortgage What would my uncle
say? The query brought tears to my
eyes.
/ unhitched and led my horses up
Into the cover of the pines. How CRATE
ful II seemed, for the wind was slack
below hut bowling In the treetopsl l
knew that was four miles from home
and knew not how ! was 10 get there.
Chilled to the bone | gathered some
pitch pine and soon had fire going
with my flint and tinder. knew that
could mount one Of the horses and
, lead the other and reach home prob
ably. But there was the grist We
needed that; | knew that we should
have To go hungry without the grlst.
IL would get wet from above and be-
| low II | tried 10 carry II ON the back
of horse. | warmed myself by the
| fire and hitched my team near II so as
10 thaw the frost out of their forelocks
and eyebrows. felt In my coat pock.
cts and found handful of nails
everybody carried nails In one pocket
! I'm those days--and | remember that
my lncle's pockets were museum of
bolts and nuts and screws and wash
| ers.
! The idea occurred 10 me that ] would
make n kind OF sled which was called
a jumper.
So | got my AK out Of the wagon
and soon found couple Of small trees
with the right crook for the forward
end Of runner, and cut them and
hewed their bottoms as smoothly as
| could. Then | made notches In them
near the top OF their crooks and fitted
n stout stick into the notches and Sc
cured lt with nails driven by the ax-
head. Thus got hold for my evencr.
That done. | chopped and hewed an
arch To cross the middle of the run
ners and hold them apart and used
all my nails 10 secure and brace IL.
| got the two boards which were fas-
tened together and constituted my
wagon seat and laid them over the
arch and front brace. How TO make
them fast was my worst problem.
succeeded In splitting "A green stick
10 hold the bolt OF the evener just IN
der It's head while | heated it's lower
end In the fire and kept It's head cool
with snow. With this | burnt hole
In the end OF each board and fastened
them TO the front brace with withcs -
moosewood
II was late In the day and there was
no time for the slow process OF burn
ing more holes. So notched the other
ends of the boards and dashed theri "a
the rear brace with length OF my
reins. Then | retempered my bolt and
brought up the grlst and chain and
fastened the latter between the boarda
I'm the middle Of the front brace,
hltched my team To the chain and SCI
out again, sitting on the bags.
II was pitch dark and the horses
wading 10 their bellies and the snow
coming faster when we turned Into
Rattleroad. Soon | heard loud hal-
loo and knew that II was the voice of
Uncle Peabody. lie had started ont
20 meet me In the storm and Shep was
with him.
THANK God I've found vel" he
shouted. I'm blind and tired out and
I couldn't keep a lantern goIn TO save
me. Are We frozefn
'I'm all right. but these horses are
awful tired. Had to let 'em rest every
few minutes"
| told him about the wagon--and
how Il relieved me 10 hear him say:
AS lcng as you're all right. boy.
ain't goin' 60 worry bout the OIL wag.
on--not bit. Where'd ye SIT yer
jumpcr1"