Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-08-25
A Surprising Yoke OF Oxen

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Barnum has two wonderful oxen
They crawl on their knees, see'saw on
q board, fire a pistol, mount a pedes'
tai and execute q waltz, They are
ee.yeaf.olds this spring, and are
twins, They are almost exactly
alike, and can only be told apart by
tho difference In the shape OF the
white spots under their hanks, Mr.
T.. Il. Barnum IA their owner and they
were trained for his show by the vet
eran elephant trainer Charles White,
who began to work with them In No
yember last, after tho season closed
The task was not undertaken with
much hope OF successful result, for the
trainers had never thought II worth
while to spend time upon an animal
which, IN domestic use, seemed to re-
quire the noisy "gee" and "haws" ol
an OK driver, coupled with tho cruelty
OF the lash or goad, TO make 1t do
even the simple duty OF a beast OF
burden. Mr.. Charles white bought
the oxen Of Mr., Henry NJ. TAFT, ol
Uxbridge, Mass, who had purchased
them when calves and made pets oi
them. Ho had also taught them q
few simple tricks, such rs climbing
steps, getting upon pedestal, and
dropping on their knees, lie had
christcncd them Moody aud Sankey,
because, he said, OF the good he ex'
pected them to do in the world. Mr..
White could tell the habits Of an ele'
phant, lion, q camel, q zebra, n drom.
edary, or u deer, but he had TO begin
q study Of the daily lite Of an OK. lie
spent one Sunday with them, observ
ing what they seemed to like best
and how they could beat be controlled
HIS experience with oxen was limited
to the noise and confusion caused by
their drivers in the West. He soon
concluded that, like all other animals
they could he ruled hest by kindness.
After the purchase they were put into
training at Norwich, L. l., where the
show wintered.
"The first thing necessary in train
ing the oxen," said Mr.. White, "was
kindness then patience. | began in
November last, not knowing whether
could get them taught in time for
this season, or at all, but soon found
them so tractable that my hopes be-
gan to be raised. 1t took me just n
day to learn that 1t wasn't necessary
10 strike a blow or to speak word.
The farmers who go along shouting
at their oxen and goading them waste
their breath AMI strength. A dozen
yoke of oxen could be taught to
draw a load hundred miles with.
out word or a blow. 1t is only nee.
essary that the farmer should lead, TO
show the direction, and the beasts, if
they have been bindly treated and
have an affection for their master will
do the rest. These oxen were trained
by uniform kindness A series OF
tricks in regular order was fixed upon,
and I put them through them
every day. I was with them nearly
all of the time, and they followed me
like two pet kittens. There was a
ring in the stables where | taught
them day by day. First, with food
in my hands, I got them to follow me
around the ring in any direction l
chose to take. In this way l got
them to 60 along on their knees, and
to waltz. Wha, they knew when l
got them had practically to be un-
taught, as it was all done by gee and
'haw.' l found that they were quick
of sight and that having taught them
certain things I needed after that to
simply get where they could see me,
and to give them cue by the motion
of my body or my whip in certain
direction. In this way the waltz was
taught, and when they go around the
ring on their knees l. keep ahead
of the m and they follow me-
"How did you teach thsm to fire a
pistol!"
"By a piece of carrot fastened to
the trigger by string"
Do they know their names?'
"Yes; l can .call Moody and he
comes, but Sankey is always sure to
follow"
"Do you expect them to forget
their tricks?'
"No; find that they are anxious
to do them, and I can put them
through at any time or in any place.
The first night in New York they act
ed little strange, but they soon got