Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

VOLUME XI. BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1885 NUMBER 2. A Mule’s Obstinacy. 4 And How It Led to a marriage—A Storr Wortli Heading. About two miles from my house, on my Dakota wheat farm,stands one tall, lonely tree. It is the only object in sight that breaks the low horizon, autl for many along mile, nortb,soutb r east or west, no other tree can be found. It standH just on the bank o 1 Smoky liver, which goes curling and winding across the country westwnrd, and close beside it stands Chris Tron- son’s log house, built of logs brought down the river in«the spring time from the North. One da v, early Iu ,f spring,, I had been to the next t«..u to get an iron bolt made ut the blacksmith’s, to re place one that had been broken, aDd was riding home. My mule was lop- iug at a good rate nlong the road which follows the river. And as we reached Chris’s log house, which had just been newly whitewashed outside, I saw Chris sitting cajmly on the door step, while Lotto, his wife, was lift ing the heavy harness, and throwing it ou to “Yuck,” their old white mule. “Chris must be either sick or very lazy,” I said to myself,a“to sit and let his wife harness the mules.” I did not know much about Chris then, lint giving him the benefit of the doubt, 1 shouted: “Sick, Chris?” Chris shook his head in'what* I thought was a rather sheepish way, aud Lotta looked over her shoulder and laughed. In the hurry of the day’s work, this occurrence slipped from mind. But sometime afterward, when I happened to pnss their place aguio, I saw Lotta out in the fields driving mules, which were fustenod to the seeder. This in itself would not have beou surprising for the Norwegian women in the Ter ritory, with their vigorous frames aud robust lieultb, often work with their husbands at the out-door labor. But I saw great, robust Chris him self paring potatoes outside ttie door. And just as I rose into view from be low the river bank, he caught up bis pan and slipped into the bouse. “No doubt be is a lazy, good-for- nothing fellow,” I said to myself, “who lias a thrifty, energetic wife. Aud so he sits down and does her light work, while she is sowing the wheat. It might not have been a bad resplt if be could be harnessed up with one of mules for a day, and made to work under the whip.” After that I saw Chris himself a£ work in the field several times. But one evening, a week or two later, I passed there again. The mules were fastened outside the straw barn. The ground had been very wet for two or throe days past, and of course the mules’ legs were fairly coated with sticky mud, which had partially dried out. Lotta was hard o.ver the old white mufe, scrubbing and brushing and brushing and currying, as if her l*f„ depended on tier success. And there, on an ovei turned barrel, sat Chris, numb at bis ease, calmly smok ing Ins pipe, and looking complacent ly on. I remember 1 d what I had said to myself before about his lazi ness, and now I added — “I will just stop for a few minute*, aud see if tile presence of a stl’.ihg-r won’t shame the fellow into taking off his coat amt, going n> win k in Ins wife’s place.” So I tied my mule to a ling at tile corner of the house, ami walked er to where Chris‘was silling. H-- k- td np and smiled, and s lid •liiod' evening,” with the same sheepish ex pression I tiad noticed before. Anil Lotta paused for it moment and stood up, her face glowing with exertion, and laughed—I thought she would have done better to give hen husband a good shaking, aud said it was very warm. Then she went to work agnin, to get through, so she said, before dark. But to do my best, I could not lead the conversation to any ex planation of the strange state of af fairs, and Chris showed no disposi tion to take liold of the work himself. When it was dark, Lotta led the two mules to their stalls, and then at last Chris condescended to rise and fasten the barn door. I was sure by Chrs’ mnnner and expression, when tbo subject was broached, that either he or she was ontrageously lazy, or there was some odd explanation of bis wife’s doing so much of his bard work, wbilo he sat idle. So I took pains, ns I met one neighbor and an other here and there about town, to make inquiries obout Chris. And with one accord they all gave the same answers. “Had Chris Tronsen a good repu tation ?” "Yes, very gcod.” “Was ho industrious and study ?'* “As hard working, and steady as any innn in town.” “Did he treat his wife kindly ?" “There conld be no doubt of ifc He was as kind-hearted as bo was a hard working man. “Then why ?” I would nsk myself, “was his wife always plowing, or rub bing down mules, while he looked on and did .nothing?”. This nil happened in the spring and snmmer. But it was only about a week ngo now that I drove to Chris one mild evening, to get some bags that T had lent him to uBe in carry ing bis grain to the elevator. The year’s work was over. The wheat was ent, threshed and sold. The barn been buried anew in the mountain of fresh wheat straw,- which filled the dooryard with its pleasant, fragrant smell. The mules were tethered and browsing near by Lotta and Chris were sitting to gether on the doorstep, talking over the year’s work, no doubt* while the hud was setting in the great black clouds, from behind which slrenmed out a fire of crimson and gold. After Chris had got the bags aud thrown them into my light wagon* he and Lotta asked me into their little parlor, the walls of which were sim ply the inner side of the Iors, fitted, close and hewed smooth. There was a gay-colored carpet ou the floor, and oil the whole the room was quite cheery and comfortable, and we sat down in the twilight without a lamp. After we had talked for sometime about the crops aud prices, and the best of banking up houses in winter, in. which Chris was greatly iuterestedi I said to Lotta: "Jlnt you have worked almost ns hard us C!in» i! is year. Yon must fie glad the summer is over.” Chris sliif'cd uneasily in his sent. Lotta laughed. ! “So now I shall tell why it was so,' | Curia,” she said, looking at Chris. .He only nodded in siiei.ee. He | appearelltly did not anticipate much i pleasure from the recital. “But no,’’, said Lotta, “you shall . tell those first part, and I shall tell ; those Iasi part, lh*I is how we shall i.lo." Chris appeared slill more linens', and laughed nervously, blit after a i moment’s hesitation, he plunged into 1 bis explanation of what I had until' n wondered ah “Yuli list onerly been lif here two year ?" lie usked. i “That is all,” I said. “Well, so this is all happen one yeiir, longer ago ns that,” he said. Those time I lif alone in sod shanty, and Ruya and Oscar—those was the two mules, the last one be named for kieg of Sweden and Norway, because he is so good—they lif in other shan ty. I baf only twenty acres broke then, and ready.for sow seed. Very few neighbors then—only Mr. Ivrndt Qnalley and Mr. Peterson near here. So then Mr. Jannsen, father of Lotta, he come to lif very near—only four miles nwuy. And sometimes I see Lotta on Sunday at a meeting to Mr. Qualley’s house, and sometimes I go Mr. Jansen’s house to borrow some thing. Then I go there nearly every day to borrow something, and Mr. Jansen say: “Mr. Tronson, yon lose great time to borrow something,” but I likes to ride so far to borrow something.” “Almost every time it wan Lotta what brought those things what I came to borrow, and she tells me to come often. She say they always very glad to borrow me anythings.” “Now I can see,” I said, smiling, “why Lotta did not tell this part of the story.” “Ob, no,” said Lotta, “it is not any reason at all. Chris ho knows why he did come so often to seo my fa ther, better as I do.” “Well,” said Chris, “those days I wusvery bashful, and I neber dure to stay with Lotta. I always talk only with Mr. Jansen. Mr. Jansen i3 a very good moo,” he added, in explan ation, bnt I’d rather tnlk to Lotta. But I was always afraid, so I make believe I go every day to visit Mr. Jausen, and borrow something. And Mr. Jansen he think Iwaahis very gbo3“ - friend. So -he'nlay'Otje <f«y, “Chris, I neber had nnyono to care so ranch for me beforo, like you does and como tbery day to talx with me.” So when I sees Lotta I neber knows what to say, and so I neber knows what to say, amt so I borrow knife, or nails, or shovel, and go right away. So ono day after I go away, I say to myself, ‘Next time I shall go and I shall say, “I lntf not come to see Mr. Jansen, I baf come to borrow somethings. I have come to see Lotta, and shall talk with Lotta.’” Bnt when next time conies I cannot dare say so. And I talks with Mr. Jansen all the time. So by-aud-by I wants ask Lottn to be married to me, and come and lif here after the new bouse is built. But I conld not dare to talk to her about that. Well, then, so I had saved money for a long time to build a house. But, Oscar—-those mules named for the King of Sweden and Norway—he die; those good old poor Oscar. And so I mast go and take those money, and bny new-mule, so I bny while Ysck.’' An expression of actual misery set tled on his face at this mention of bis wh.te Jack, nod it took him n mo ment to recover eqaniinity. “Those dreadful mules!'’ he ex claimed, in continuation, "lie cal and eut and eat. He eat his oats, he eni his bay, he eat his*struw bed all night. But he would not lov to work. Ife lov to put his ears up straight, and stand ou bis front legs, or lie down and roll after those har ness is on. Sometimes he lie right down in furrow and b’-eafe harness. And tire pour out of his eyes. He are a dreadful mule. So I whip him some—not too much, I very kind," he added, at a reproachful loos from I, itta—“and starve him—only atm-ve „ iiule bit, to make him feel sorry for being cross. Bnt all no good. He jump and bite slid kick, and some times be will not do some works at all. So I conld not tell what I shall do. One day I is workiug in the field near the house, with both mules, and he stops and put np his old white ears. Then. lie throw bis hack heels dean np in the air. Then hg just go ing to He down, but I whip.him—only a little, verry easy. So be did not lie down. He orly stand stfil. He stand still half an hour. First I try to pnll him, but be stick bis hoofs in dirt and pall back. Then I try to coax him, bnt those fire come out of his eyes, and he B.iort and stand still. When I been got all discourged, I saw Lotta going down those road on ox-team with little brother. These oxfs stop, npd I go to road to see Lottn. So Lotta‘laugh and say— “Good morning, Mr. Tronson. Why do you and the mule standstill all times in the field ?” “Then Isay, ‘Idouot know; you must ask Yack.' Then Lotta say, ‘Docs those mule willing to work ?' So I say, ‘Those white mule, he will not work, be will stand still. I baf pnll him, I haf push him, and be will not go.’ So then Lotta say, ‘Well, I think if I shall ask him to go, he will go. Mules nnd dogs and cats love me all times.’ “And’I say, “Well, I think be will too.’ “So sho get off ox-team, and wo go ont to where Yuck stand. Then she put ho face on .Yack’s old white face, and she rob bis nose and talks to him little whiles, nnd makes him be lieve he are very handsome and very kind. . So then she say— “ ‘Now, Ynok,.let mo see you plow some furrow so nice.” “So I takes reins, and Yack start and work better as he had nefer work beforehand she wall*along and talk to him. So by-nnd-by she baf to go away, aud after she go away we feels very lonesome, but Yack keep on and work hard all day. And that night I gif him more outs and big soft bed. But be eut it all up, efery scrap. Well be work very well for few days, and then he got bad some more. So ef ery time lie get bad I drive him over to see Lotta. He always willing to no. And he be so ugly, ond bite nnd stamp his feet, and wrinkle bis nose. But after Lotta talks with him little while, and tell him he very handsome ami how be must be good and work bar 1 , he get so gentle, and run home very fast, und be so good. But be likes to go and see LottA too often.— Sometimes he will go efery day. If be cannot go to baf Lotta pat him ami talk to him, lie will not work.— So when harvest time been come, I are very busy, I'cannot go to see Lotta efery duy- Ii were impossible. I tell Yuck so, but it didn’t do some good, at ull. Ho ouly bite and wrinkle Uis nose and look ugly, and some fire come out of bia eyes. . And while be are ugly, those wheat must be cut, or it get spoiled. It are those whole year’s work. It most not be lost. It min in* io sit sti)I in harvest, and not cut my wheat. But Yack wonld nut work. He'hale me, and most el- eryhmlt. So one evening we went over to see Lotta nhont it. She came nut in road lo see Yack, and rub his nose, and pat him and tell hliu to work. And so I Ml her just how it till was. I toll! her how Yack be ug ly all times aud would not work, be cause he hate me. But if .she talk to him and pat him, tnen be work. I tell her all about wheat, bow it must be cut, I tell ber I didn’t know wbat to do about it—and then I stop. “So then she say she don’t know ; wbat to do abont it. So then I get ! very bold and say: | “ Lotta, I long time want to nsk yon to get married with me, bnt I too afraid yon would laugh at me. Bnt will yon not come? r >' ‘IPerhaps, Chris, by and by.’ “ ‘l'baf want yon to come for efer so long,’ I said, ‘and bow can I wait now ? Yack bate me. He will not , work for me. I shall lose my wheat, for I can get no. one to help me—they are all busy. So then I shall have no mbney to build house, and we cannot get married at all.’ “Lottn poke the little stone with her foot some more for long time, and look nt ground. After Awhile she say in very low voice: “‘My father been say that Pastor Hoffman Bhall be at our house to see him to-morrow.’. "That wns all she say. Then after a minute she turn nnd run in bonse. So I talk some more with Mr. Jann- sen, and tell him I want to borrow one thing more to keep always. He very much surprised. He say he al ways thonght I come to see him, ell thoso times.' And next day—” “So if I do not tell the test,” said Lotta, from her corner, “I shall tell nothing. So we been got married the next day, when Pastor Hofsen came, and I came to here and feed Yack, and mb him down abd lead him when be aro cross, uDd be did work bard and saved ail those wheat. He lof mo very much, bnt when be are very- cross, he will not- work if Chris stay near him at all. Those times I drive him. I likes to drive Yack and plow. I plenty stroog.— Chris, he don’t like it, bat be can’t help bissef. Nobody will buy Yack, and we cannot bny some other male yet. Bat Yack are getting old. He haf lost two teeth this snmmer. So I hope when be is old be will not be so ngly, bnt will get binder like some old peoples, nnd then he wilt love me and love Chris too.” I confess I do not shnroLotta’s faith in Yack’s reformation. Bnt I thought the explanation of her work ing in the field now und then,,while, Chris’sat idle, was a very good one. Fifty years ago the average weight of beef cattle was 800 yonnds, bnt now it is 1,400 pounds. This increase is due, Bays the Live Stock Indicator to the introduction of thoroughbred stock, careful breeding and better feeding. Another Cancer. Abont three years ago there ap peared on my right brest several hard lumps which gave me almost intolatra- ble paiu. They continued to grow, und finally developed iuto wbat the doctors called cancer of the breast.— In a abort time I found ray health gone and ray constitution a totaj wreck. From n robust woman I was reduced to a helpless invalid. Sever al of the best., physicians in Atlanta treated me for caned- without improv ing my condition >,. the .< i»t, and fi nally agreeing tfiv j. count do nothing more for me. The cancer by tbis time was eating out my very lite, and for five months 1 was a helpless, bed ridden creature. About one year ago at the suRgertion pf a friend I com menced the use of Sw'ft’s Specific.— The first influence of the medicine whs to increase the dint-barge, but nf- ter a month or morn I began to im prove, and this womUrful medicine Inis lirongnt back uiy health again. I now no all toy own house-work, I am perfectly free from pain, and feel like a new person altogether. I cannot feel too gntefnl lor iIiih wonderful recovery, for I am aarietieif if It flint not been for Swill's Specific I wool I have been iu my gra"« to-day. I most cheerfully recommend it to alt those who are suffering with tbis fear ful disease. Mbs. Jans Clkuons. Atlanta, Ga., April 1C, 1885. Treatise on blood aud skin diseases mailed free. Thk Swtrr Specuic C.»., Drawer 3, Atlanta, Gn.