Mexico weekly ledger., 1921-05-12
PETERS DISHPAN
By Adolf eRAvEs

1our miles away, on q very hiliy road
after a few bags Of grain and som,
groceries.
Peter had managed, at IL O'Clock
to feed the hens, milk the COWS ans
harness the horse. Mrs. Peter hae
boiled some culled potatoes and left
them in a big dishpan in the kitchen
for Peter to give the hens.
After Mrs. Peter had gone Mr.. Pete,
sat by the fire and warmed himself
and read for u while, and then went
to the barn with the potatoes. All
the bays and some Of the stanchions
had been made into henpens, for Mrs
Peter could care for hens, allowing
Mr.. Peter to have an easy life.
When Mr.. Peter reached the last
pen on the west side Of the barn
with the last Of the potatoes he
stepped IN a rotten door board. and
his left leg crashed through SO sud
denly he could not save himself. me
board sprang back. Peter weighed
around 250 pounds and had a very fat
leg. The board had sprung sideways.
being free of the framework on that
end, and when 1t sprang back Il cut
into the flesh on all sides good and
deep.
Peter soon discovered that pulling or
pushing only frightened the vise-like
grip on his leg. He could just rest his
toe on q rocS under the barn.
He could not sit on the floor with
out increasing the pain, so he finally
conceived the idea of sitting on the
dishpan after turning Ii upside down.
Finding himself helpless, he began
to study his problem as though there
were no possibility of deliyeranee ex-
cept through his own wits. Looking
about for some stray tool TO aid him
he discovered an old three-cornered
file in a box of rubbish. against the
wall, and also broke a piece OF the
bottom of a demolished g~raniteware
kettle beside him. With these he tried
for an hour to saw himself free. hui
with poor result.
At last he gave up this work and
settled himself on the dishpan. His
other leg was very much in the way
and it was impossible to get 1t into d
position. and the foot I'M
der the barn had gone to sleep"
To relieve his legs he reached an
old firkin, laid a piece of board on
1t, rested his arms on that, closed his
eyes and tried to doze the time away
until Mrs. Peters return. She could
not come over the steep hills for at
least two hours and Peter had lots
Of time to think.
He remembered the time Mrs. Peter
started down the cellar stairs 10 res
a kitten that had fallen through
a hole In the corner of the kitchen
door, and the unused stairs had given
way and she had fallen on her back
on the rocks at the bottom of the eel
ar. He also remembered that she had
fallen through the back hall fioor. inst
he had through the barn floor
several times-but had managed to
save herself.
Suddenly a terrible truth pierced
through his torture. The wind had
been blowing q gale through the
rough stone walls of the barn. He
had been shaking with cold, for he
lad intended to go directly back to
he house and had put on no outdoor
Nothing.
His leg-if not his whole body. |
would freeze.
He began desperately to saw with
he old file again and tried to tear off
'plinters of the board with his hands.
Soon the futillty of this was evident
again he sunk upon the dishpan.
If only he could be delivered
here would be no more rotten floor.
boards on the place. Was this a
Nightmare or was he losing his mind?
he thought Of the BOYS In
and tried to think he was bet
.er off than they. Then he saw his
swollen leg.
Soon 1t would be frozen-and soon
would be frozen on Mrs. Peters
iishpan. Then he remembered that
drs. Peter had to melt snow and ice
n that dishpan to get water all win
er for the house and hens.
Perhaps she would get another man
VINO would bring the water and mend
he floors. With great effort he got
Up and tried to move a little UP and
Town on his toe. He wriggled his
foot and stretched his arms and
ooked down toward the open barn
loor.
Surely-there was a little mar stand
ng there, facing the road, on the
'oint of departure.
It did not take Peter long to yell
Come hereH
When the man reached him Peter
lid not give him time to speak, but
aid, go into the kitchen and be-
lind the stove you will find a sawt"
The man 500 sawed Peter out of
he hole. 1t was all Peter could do
Q hobble down to the house.
The ma had come for q haircut but
'ostponed It for another day. Peter
as a good barber but was too lazy
0 work at his trade except to earn
little tobacco money by accommodate
ng the neighbors. He had turned
arrner. planning to work when he felt
Ike 1t.
But Peter considered his W safe
y and comfort 4 whole lot and did
lot forget his experience. SO he but
ONE new floors In the house and barn.
'ut Mrs. Peter never knew what In
need him to fix the water supply 80
/ would ruiz into the house.
II was a vision Of himseif--frozen
q the iishpani