The Dermott news., 1919-03-27
CHAPTER Vl-Continued.

One day in December of that year, had my first trial In tho full reSpon. sbiity of mans work. 1 was allowed 60 load aHd harness and hitch lip and go to the Hill without assistance. Ny uncle and FurviS, our hired man. were busy with the chopping and We were ont of flour and meal. l. took Lot of them to keep the axes going. So ] filled two sacks with =eern and two with wheat and put them into the box wagon, for the ground was bare. and hitehea up my horses and set out.
 reached the mill safely aud be fore the sHam was ground the earth and the sly above were white With snow driving down in q cold, stiff wind aHt af the northwest | laaslea my crists and covered them with blanket and hurried away. Tn" stow came so fast that II almost blinded me. There We're times when l could scarcely see the road or the horses. The wind came colder and soon Il was hard work to hold the reins and keep my hands from freezing.
 Suddenly the wheels began jumping over rocks Thr horses were in the ditch. knew what Was thc natter. for my eyes hnd been filling with snow and had had to brush them often. of course the team had suffered in q Ike manner Before l could stop l heard the crack ef Ccry and front wheel dropped fn its hub. l checked fhe horses and jumped out and went te their heads and cleared their eyes. Tie snow was up to my knees thru.
 How the thought of that broken wheel smote me- 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.
 unhitehcd and led my horses ID into the cover of the pines. llew srate- ful Y seemed. for the wind wns slack below but bowling in the trectorS l knew that was four miles from home and knew hot how l waS to get there. Chilled te the bone, l gathered solIe pitch pine and soon had q fire going WILL AA4 A=tAlA &tlfA AliAAit.t- HlA' " lAtsAt I could mount one of the horses and lead the ether and reach home prob ably Bu. there was the gr.-t Ne needed tH#as knew ta&t vc ~haHla have tn Eu hungry without tho grist. lt would got Wet from above and be- low if tried to carry il on the back of horse. l warmed myself by tAe ure and h4teaed thy team near it a#.ts 10 thnw the frost out of their ioreiasA,z Nnd eyebrows. felt n my coat Fae.<s cts aHd feHHd d handful of uae- everybody carried naiis in one pocket n those days-and l remember ttat my uucte.s pockets were q muSeum at bolts and nuts and screws aud Wasa- CTS.
 The idea occurred te emethat would make kiH4 of sled which Was eaIasl a jumper.
 So I Eot my ax out ef the wagon and soon toaud couple ot small trees with the rlght crook for the forward end of q runner, and cut them and hewed their bottoms as smoothly as could. Then made uotcheS in them near the top of their crooks and fitted stout stick into the notchcs and se- cured 1t with nails driven by the ax- head. Thus got hold for my evener, That done. chopped and h,~ed an arch to cross the middle of the run ners and hold them apart and used all my nails to secure and brace 1t. 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 ehem fast was my worst problem. succeeded in splitting green stick 10 hold the bolt of the eyeaer just un- der It's head while l heated its lower end in the fire and kept It's head cool with snow. With this l burnt hute in the end of each board Uui fastened them to the front brace with withes of moosewood
 II was late in the day and there was no time for the slow process of burn ing more ho.es, so l uotched the other ends of the boards and laShed them to the rear brace with length ot my reins. Then l rctempered 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.
 It was pitch dark and the horses wsdang to their bellies and the snow coming faster when we turned into