Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1921-08-26
CHAPTER Iv--contlnued.


s.
The logs for the new house were
ready two days after the cutting be-
cpn Martin Waddell and Samuel Hill
ssnt teams to haul them John Cam
eron and Peter Lukins had brought
the window sash and some clapboards
from Beardstown In small flatboat
Then came the day of the raising-a
clear, warm day early in September.
All the men from the village and the
near farms gathered to help make a
home for the newcomers. Samson
and Jack Kelso went out for a hunt
after the cutting and brought in a
fat buck and many grouse for the bee
dinner to which every woman of the
neighborhood made contribution of
cake or pie or cookies or doughnuts.
"What will be my part?" Samson
J had inquired Of Kelso.
Nothing but a jug of whisky and
i Kind word and a. house warming"
Kelso had answered.
They notched and bored the logs
and made pins to bind them and cut
those that were to go around the fire.
place and window spaces Strong,
willing and well-trained hands hewed
and fitted the logs together. Alexan-
der Ferguson lined the fireplace with
curious mortar made of clay in which
be mixed grass for binder. This NOR
tar he rolled into layers called ''cats,"
each eight inches long and three inches
thick, Then he laid them against the
logs and held them in place with
woven network of stocks. The first
s ilre-a slow one-baked the clay into
DC rigid stone-like sheath inside the
6 logs and presently the sticks we're
burned away. The women had cooked
the meats by an open fire and spread
the dinner on a table of rough boards
Resting on poles set in crotches. At
noon one Of them sounded a conch
SHELL Then with shouts of JOY the
lnen hurried to the fireside and for a
moment there was a great spluttering
over the wash basins. Before they
ste, every man except Abe and Sam
s con took pull at the juggling or
ahort"-to quote phrase of the time.
q It was a cheerful company that sat
down upon the grass around the table
with loaded plates. Their food had
81 It's extra seasoning of merry jests and
81 loud laughter. Sarah was little
shocked at the fortnight directness
90 their eating, no knives or forks or
napkins being needed in that process.
Having eaten, washed and packed
away their dishes the women went
II nome at two. Before they had gone
s Samson's ears caught a thunder of
81 horSes feet in the distance. Looking
- It's direction he saw cloud of dust
the road and band of horsemen
'loing toward them at full speed. Abe
same to him and said,
l see the boys from Clary's Grove
are coming. If they get mean, let me
leaI with EN-. It's my responsibility
wouldn't wonder If they had some
:" Oiiut's whisky with them"
Inc boys arrived in a cloud of
Oast and chorus of Indian whoops
snu discounted and hobbled their
-oISeS. They came toward the work
-, led by burly Jack Armstrong, a
,a'"aft hard-f&ced blacksmith of
.oVul twenty-five with broad. heavy
s.ou'oeFs, whose name has gone into
..'''y' hey had been drinking some
w. no one of them was in the least
OF his balance. They scuffied
- the jug for a moment In per-
sooa nature and then Abe and
"ad9ell provided them with the
ie'lnants of the dinner. They
rather noisy Soon they went
"" me roof to help with the rafters
~ ''e ciapbOarding. They worked
= lew minutes and suddenly they
= sefambling down for another
~ me Jug. They were out for a
ana Abe knew it and knew furth-
Ia' they had reached the limit
" discretion.
-o'S there are ladies here aud
7s,s syl to be careful" he said.
1s to the job till four O'Clock.
pe-. ven knock of for refresh
r-9r- o.hg jewellers gathered in a
IA. '.'' began to whisper together.
he, y, N'iIes that it became evident
H. ,'sg We're going to make trouble
H.. .-a left the children at Rut-
The care Of Ann. vent 70