102 Building the Wagon. 



constant source of contempt to the ancient invalid. 

 However, he consoles himself with the reflection that 

 most of the men emploj'ed with the ' elevator ' will 

 ultimatel}' go to a very unpleasant place, since they 

 are continuously swearing at the horse that works it, 

 to make him go round the faster. 



After an old cart or wagon has done its work 

 and is broken up, the wooden axletree, which is very 

 solid, is frequently used for the top bar of a stile. 

 It answers very well, and, being of seasoned wood 

 that has received a good many coats of red paint, 

 will last a long time. The Ufe of a wagon is not 

 unlike that of a ship. On the cradle it is the pride 

 of the craftsman who builds it, and who is careful 

 to reproduce the exact ' lines ' which he learned from 

 his master as an apprentice, and which have been 

 handed down these hundred 3'ears and more. The 

 builders of the Chinese junks are said never to saw 

 a piece of timber into the shape required, nor to 

 bend it by softening the fibres by hot steam, but 

 alwaj's use a beam that has grown crooked naturally. 

 This plan gives great strength, but it must take 

 years to accumulate the necessary curved trees. 

 The wagon-builder, in like manner, has a whole 

 yardful of timber selected for much the same reason 

 — because it naturally curves in the way he desires, 

 or is specially fitted for his purpose. 



For, like a ship, the true old-fashioned wagon is 

 full of curves, and there is scarcely a straight piece 

 of wood about it. Nothing is angular or square ; 

 and each piece of timber, too, is carved in some 

 degree, bevelled at the edges, the sharp outline re- 

 lieved in one way or another, and the whole structure 



