The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1874-08-07
Moral SuasiOn in OK Driving.

Moral SuasiOn I'm Ok Driving.
Inever hat any trouble driving oxen.
though know o man who'd as soon try
TO drive lions as to pick up whip and
undertake to "haw Buck" and "gce
Bright"
Always commence right with oxen.
They don't appear tender.h hearted, and
dcat seem TO the causal observer to be
longing Cor sympathy, but oxen have
feelings which must be consulted. If
you want to yoke up your oxen, take
the yoke on your shoulder aud gently
approach the starboard OK. If he moves
away. throwing his heels in the air, turn
about and approach the other, for In the
long run it doesn't make cents worth
Of difference which OK is yoked up first,
though there are men who always pull
on the left boo; first, and would persist
in il If the house was on fire.
II the larboard OK iuns away, don't
throw the yoke AT him. and jump up aud
down and howl. You can't throw
yoke over twcnty rods at most, and the
chances are you wouldn't hit him.
Take the yoke on your back again, and
saunter across the pasture toward the
first OK. Approach him as lyon didn't
care cent whether you got the yoke OH
him or not. Let your face wear q smile,
and whistle some careless air. If he
Slows disposition 10 run away, don't
go 10 bowling:
whoa therc--hold on---1'll kill you
--blns, your cyes--aold on!
Keep OPP your indifferent demeanor,
and in aboai one hour and half You
can pu, your hand on tho OK. Rub his
back, and speak encouraging words 10
him, and Let him see that you are his true
friend. In little time you can put the
yoke on him, and then start off after the
ether OK on the far side of the field. If
he makes bolt for the barn, preserve
your careless air. and, above all don't
pound the OK YOU have already secured.
BY persistent exercise Of patience, you
can get the pair yoked up aud ready for
bushes, by ten o'clock, If you commence
cd early enough. Don't chain 'em up 10
n stump aud maui 'cm with rail after
YOU have them in Your power; seek to
conquer bv 1--we rather than force.
Few farmers know how TO draw out
the full strength Of pair OF oxen on
dead pull. They sot the team of with
yel, kick one, pound tho othor, scream
al both jump over the log and hoop, and
the result is the bovines jerk and jump
aud waste their strength. The right
way is TO send them DILIGENTLY. Pretend
that you are unhitching the chain to go
home, and YOU don't know how much
This will encourage them. When the
chain is taut, and the oxen arc ready for
Tire pull, give them kind word, toll
them their motto should be Excelsior"
and that England expects every man TO
do his duty. Don't throw rocks al them.
An experience of forty odd years has
convinced me that nothing Will discour-
age al OK so quick as to hurl stone
quarry Mt him when he Is doing his level
best 10 accommodate you.
IN driving oxen before n wagon, don't
carry bean.pole with bradawl fasten-
ed into tho end. The OK Is not as swift
on foot MS tho antelope or gazellc, and
they shouldn't be made to gallop over
ten miles without n rest. Thcre Is moth
Ing 40 good TO rule the brute creation
as Kindness. Tho true farmer will, ifI
necessary, sit mp all night with pair OF
wild oxen giving tlscm kind advice, ex.
plniuing matters, aud rubbing their spi-
nal columns with cob, TO bring out
their gentle natures aud win theiF conf