Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-05-16
Tho .rnpnnndons shnck hroka the woke.

/ the "EOu duu OHC VI tAS oaiS. &'Ou
went off from the nigh side into the snow
and brush, while l went flying from the
of side into a clump Of green cedar. The
steers ran on, each with half of the yoke
and the bow dangling from his neck.
We picked ourselves up. Tom and
! George came running to US in great ex-
element, for they had heard the crash.
f. Over many cross roads, leading here aud
there. through the several hundred acres
Of the swamp. we chased those steers;
but catch them or corner them we could
not, though we tried our best. AT sight
Of us they would run and bawl like
calves.
At length they rushed past US, got in-
to the main road, and ran for home, each
with half of the yoke swinging around
his neck.
The next morning We again yoked them
in a tough elm yoke, aud put them into
one of the teams employed in drawing
spruce lumber down to the lake. With a
woke of heavy oxen in front Of them, an
other in their rear, load of five tons OF
spruce to Jerk at, and professional team
ster. armed with white oak goad FIVE
feet long, ending in a brad, made Of
shoomaker's pegging-awl. they did pen
ance fer their pranks. They were spur
el and beaten, for they would kick at the
teamsters whenever they got chance,
But even this severe and cruel discip-
line failed to steady then.
The second spring that followed, my
grandfather sold the most of his oxen,
but did not sell the wolf steers" because
ne could not truthfully recommend them
As "handy cattle" So we were obliged
to yet in our hay that summer with these
Wild 6ye-year-olds.
One afternoon we were getting load
of hay from the field below the barn,
which sloped down TO the pasture, and
was separated from i; by strong double
wall. We used large hay rack, set on
two wheels.
Grandfather drove the steers, and stood
by their heads; George pitched on the
hay; | raked after the cart, and our cous-
ms. Nell and Wealthy, then living with
u, trod the hay down in the rack.
We had put on a large load, and were
near the upper side Of the dc.d. There
was one more tumble" to pitch on.
Grandfather drove TO it, and had headed
the steers partly round, facing down hill.
George threw on the hay, and grandfather
drove towards the barn.
In turning, somehow, the wild oxen got
the start Of the old gentleman. | was
rakiu. ~ the scatterings and on hearing
the cutlery. locked round The load was
going down through the field at smart
pace, leaving George and grandfather both
behind For once, the running Of those
"critters" frightened ne thought the
girls would be killed-on that high load,
going down hill towards the stone wall
Tho steers ran ike foxes. II was If
teen @. twenty rods down to the wall.
We shouted TO the girls to slide of. But
they only crouched the closer in the hay.
About halfway down, the of wheel
stuck a stone, aud of bounced Wealthy.
Down She came. wi,h both hands ciutched
full o., hay, and rolled over and over aud
over on the grass. She Jumped up before
we got to her, looking much bewildered.
The next moment, both the steers and
hay.rack went on 10 the wall, with a
bump and noise Of grinding stones thai
made us shudicr. Before We could yet
5ova. we saw both steers running across
The pasture. one entirely free, the other
draeaiue the yoke, and the tongue Of the
cart hanging in the ring. The load, 60
~ 30 fast, showed the steers clear over
the wall. The tongue broke out of the
axle. the bow Of the off steer also broke,
leaving him free. The load Of hay was
partly on the wall. Nell was sitting on
the ground, in the pasture side, crying
bitterly, aud holding her left arm.
At first we feared that il was broken,
but it turned on, to De only badly bruised.
She was good deal shaken up. The
steers ran TO the farther side Of the pas
ture. and We found them in a thicket Of
sumacs remember that grandfather
was so eNasperated that he said he wished
they had broken both their miserable
necks. That was good deal for him 10
say.
One day. about a week after that ad-
venture, there rose a very black thunder
shower, and we, to escape a weiting, were
hurryiug down to the barn with load Of
hay. The barn floor ran the whole length
Of the barn. There were great doors at
the end, where we drove in with loads Of
hay. But At the other end, under which
side Of the barn there was a cellar, it was
nine or ten feet down to the ground.
From the opening made by a small square
door at this back end, we pitched out
straw from the barn floor in threshing
time. In haying time we kept it open,
to let draugbt Of air through the barn.
.. George was driving the load. The
great drops had Just begun to strike here
aud there. We went in through the great
doors pretty quick Something creaked.
The steers were frightened, and jumped
past George, and welt, crash! out OF the
high back door! The load stuck fast at
the door; but the cart tongue and steers
went through.
There the animals hung, their heels
Just touching the ground! The cart held
on 10 the tongue, which held on to the
ring, which held on to the yoke, and steers.
Both oxen were hung up Handsomely by