Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-06-24
SURPRISING YOKE OF
OXEN.
What Careful Training Will Do for
Seemingly Stupid Animals.
New York Sun.

waltz. 1hey are three-year-oius
this spring, and are twins. They
are almost exactly alike, and can
only be told apart by the differ
ence in the shape of the white
spots under their tanks. Mr.. T.
II. Barnum is Their owner, and
they were trained for his show
by the veteran elephant trainer,
Charles White, who began to
work with them in November
last, after the seasoncbsed. The
task was not taken with much
hope of successful result, for the
trainers had never thought it
worth while to spend much time
upon an animal which, in domes-
tic use, seemed to require the
noisy "gees" and 'shaws' of an
OK driver, coupled with the cru
city of the lash or goad, to make
it do even the simple duty of a
beast of burden. Mr., Charles
White bought the oxen of Mr..
Henry NJ. Taft, of Uxbridge,
Mass, who had purchased them
when calves and made pets of
them. He had also taught them
a few simple tricks,such as climb
ing steps, getting upon pedes-
tai, and dropping upon their
knees. He had christened them
Moody and Sankey, because, he
said, of the good he expected
them to do in the world. Mr..
White could tell the habits of a
lion, camel, a zebra, a drome-
Diary, or a deer, but he had to
begin a study of the daily life
of an OK. He spent one Sunday
with them, observing what they
seemed to like best, and ahow
they could best be controlled.
His experience with oxen was
limited to the noise and confu-
sion caused by their drivers in
the West. He soon concluded
that, like all other animals, they
could be ruled best by kindness.
After the purchase they were
put into training at Newton, L.
l., where the show wintered.
"The first thing necessary in
training the oxen,' said White,
'|was kindness; then patience. ]
began. in, November last, not
knowing whether / could get
them taught in time for this sea-
son or at all, but | soon found
them SO tractable that my hopes
began to be raised. 1t took me
Just a day TO learn that it wasn't
necessary to strike a blow or to
speak a word. The farmers who
go along shouting at their oxen
and goading them waste their
breath and strength. A dozen
yoke of oxen could be taught to
draw a load a hundred miles with
out a word or blow. 1t is on
ly necessary that the farmer lead,
to show the direction, and the
beasts, if they have been kindly
treated and have an affection for
their master, will do the rest.
These oxen were trained by uni
form kindness. A series of
tricks in regular order was fixed
upon, and | put them through
them every day. 1 was with
them nearly all the time, and
they followed me like two pet
kittens. There was a ring in
the stable where I taught them
day by day. First, with food in
my hands, / got them TO follow
me around the ring i'll any direc-
ton l chose to take. In this
way / got them to go along on
their knees, and to waltz. What
they knew when / got them had
practically to be untaught, as it
was all done by "gee'and shaw"
l found that they were quick of
sight, and that having taught
them certain things that / need
ed after that to simply get where
they could see me and give them
a cue by the motion of my body
or whip III a certain direction.
In this way the waltz was taught,
and when they go around the
ring OH their knees / keep a.
head of them and they follow
me-" 1 jc
allow do you teach them to
fire a pistol?"
"By a piece of carrot fastened
to the trigger by a string"
'Do they know their namesY'
"Yes; i call Moody and he
comes, but Sankey is always sure
to follow"
"Do you expect them to for
get their tricks?"
"No; / find that they are anx-
ious to do them, and / can put
them through at any time or
place. The first night in New
York they acted a little strange,
but they soon got over that, and
now they don't mind the music,
the crowds or the lights ~
While Mr.. White was speak
ing the oxen were following their
keeper around the dressing-tent.
Their large, round, honest eyes