Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-03-06

oAS vi IN AIA
lead the other and reach home prob
ably. But there was the grist. We
needed that; l knew that we should
have to go hungry without the grist.
1t would get wet from above and be-
low if tried to carry it on the back
OF a horse. l warmed myself by the
fire and hitched my team near it so as
to thaw the frost out Of their forelocks
and eyebrows. I felt in my coat pock-
cts and found q handful of nails
everybody carried nails in one pocket
in those days-and I remember that
my uncle's pockets were a museum of
bolts and nuts and screws and wash
ers.
The idea occurred to me that I would
make a kind of sled which was called
a Jumper.
So I got my ak out Of the wagon
and soon found a couple of small trees
with the right crook for the forward
end OF a runner and cut them and
heWed their bottoms as smoothly as
l could. Then I made notches in them
near the top of their crooks and fitted
a stout stick into the notches and Sc
cured it with nails driven by the AK
head. Thus I got a hold for my evener.
That done, 1 chopped and hewed an
arch to cross the middle Of the run
ners and hold them apart and used
all my nails to secure and brace it.
l 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. 1
succeeded in splitting a green stick
to hold the bolt Of the evener just I'M
der it's head while I heated it's lower
end in the fire and kept it's head cool
with o With this I burnt a hole
in the end Of each board and fastened
them to the front brace with withes of
mooSeWOOd.
1t was late in the day and there was
no time for the slow process of burn
ing more holes, so l notched the other
ends of the boards and dashed them to
the rear brace with a length of my
reins. Then | retempered my bolt and
brought up the grist and chain and
fastened the latter between the boards
in the middle of the front brace,
hitched my team to the chain and set
out again, sitting on the bags.
1t was pitch dark and the horses
wading to their bellies and the snow
coming faster when we turned into
Rattleroad. Soon 1 heard a loud hal
loo and knew that it was the voice Of
Uncle Peabody. He had started out
to meet me in the storm and Shcp was
with him.
"Thank God I've found ye!" he
shouted. "Im blind and tired ont and
I couldn't keep a lantern goin' to save
me. Are We froze?'
"Tm all right, but these horses are
awful tired. Had to let 'em rest every
few minutes"
I told him about the wagon-and
bow it relieved me to hear him say:
"As long as you're all right, boy, l
amt goin' to worry bout the ol' wag-
on-not a bit. Where'd We git yer
jumper?"
made it with the Ak and some
nails" I answered.
After we got to the barn door ut last
he went to the house and lighted hi:
lantern and came back with 1t wrapped
in n blanket and Aunt. Deel anu will
him.
How proud it made me to hear hin
say:
"Deel, ou1 boy is a man now-madt
THIS jumper all lone by himself an
las got through all right"
She came and held the lantern III
to my face and looked at my hands
"N7ell, my stars, Bart" she ex
claimed in a moment. II thought "
wouii freeze up solid-ayes-pool
hOy!'
We carried the grist in and Aun'
Deel made some pudding. How goot
it was to feel the warmth of the fire
and of the hearts Of those who LOVED
me! How I enjoyed the pudding ant
milk and bread and butter!
Il guess you've gone through thu
second peril that OF Kate spoke Of
said Aunt Deel as l went upstairs.
Uncle Peabody went out to look a
the horses.
When I awOke in the morning I OBJ
served that Uncle Peabody's bed hat
not been slept in. I hurried down ant
heard that our off horse had died ii
the night of collie. Aunt Deel was cry
ing. AS he saw me Uncle Peabod!
began to dance a jig in the middle
of the floor.
Balance yer p%artners!" he shouted
"You an l amt goin' to be discouraged
if all the bosses die-be we, Bart"
Never" I answered.
THAT'S the talk! If necessary vel
hitch Purvis up with t'other boss an
git our haulin' DONE"
He and Purvis roared with laughter
and the strength of the current sweep
me along with them.
"We're the luckiest folks In the
world, anyway" Uncle Peabody wen'
on. "Bart's alive an there's three fee
o. snow on the level an more comm
NM %tso oolIor,,, CrooNIopd1