New-York tribune., 1888-08-26
THE Dixie.
SLOWING HAY WITH ozIAs.

recent experience that riding on ioau oi nay was
pleasure which condensed nearly every JOY OF iee,
sweet life in the country, and gave you taste oi
them all at once Now think that riding has load
and riding n came, for the first time must greatly
resemble each other In effect. We did this unac-
customcd thing partly in the way OK celebrating
great event, or rather a great consummauoh our
grass Is cut and cured and In the barn. "hen we go
10 our bunks 10 night it viii be as TWO conquerhg
generals who have overcome many difficulties, and
who retIre with an incbriatlng sense of victory.
don't lnow how great the sense of victory will be
when We learn what Rodgc Peakc, but today
do not feel like looking forward TO that hour, for
have heard that often success is as costly as dcfea
A, half past this afternoon Mr.. Peake came to
our door said that they were going TO begin on the
last load and would like TO come out and help
stow IT. Tho idea seemed to us a good one, and we
hastily put broad hats and went across the
bot Fat in the diNction of tho collection Of hsycochs.
accompanied by Mr.. Peahc who since his nerve tack
has bern more genial and gocd-humored than ever
as went crowds of grasshoprcrs flew up with
every step took In the stubble foe ks of small black
birds were sweeping through tho air in short flights,
then settling fences and savn out by the road
There scarcely any breeze, and what there was
camc from the east and brought with It sound OF
waves and cdor OF salt 1t rare and pleas
ant the dixie as went on the terrier starting up
good many grasshoppers on his own account as he
carccred here and there ahead of U.S. Noticing
the birds Mr.. Peake said he always felt as II fall was
about here when he them, and that he ought TO
be gttin In his winter coal Then he turned to us
and said he hoped we'd 'scuse him for calm out
on false pretenccs as werc but the fact was, Mar
Bakers djt had come onto the dixie little while
ago and he had ben raisin' Ca bout fidin' on the
load, and Mr.. Pcakc didn't feel II he could be
responsible If 'zias did rdc and did fall OF.
IT'S 'nough for me, m more than Mar Baker
will forgive, that chopped OFF small bits of
/ 4. There Is
Yes, there Ozias looming up at the other side
Of the cart lie raking rously after, and he
had an air about him II he had away and didn't
II he had He hung his head and would not look
ct me when l asked him II he remembered that his
mother had forbidden him 20 work haying. He
said he guessed his didn't know everything and
he guessed his mar had forgot that he bigger'n
she was, any way.
THAT'S the way he is today, whispered Mr..
Peakc by my side "And you can't do thing with
him.. He's continually gttn behind that off horse,
IN she kicks like thunder when she's mind to. I'm
free TO say that / can't tend TO my work; 1t just
makes sweat to look at him. Can't you coax
HIM home 2"
Perhaps 1t is only wise man who will allow him
self to be coaxed; certain IL is that tbs fool
proof against all pleading and all the bribes we
could offer him In the hope that he would 60 home.
lie did wavcr tile when promised TO take him TO
the Brant and give him unlimited fee cream, but he
withstood even that seduction and went on rakng.
At Mr. Peahc's suggestion Of tho went UP
on Mar Bakers house. to find 1t locked.
Then that Mrs. Baker had gone away,
and equally sure, knowing her never-failng and
anxious for her son. that she bel eyed she had
arranged for bis safety, but that he had brought such
plans to naught. Impossible to get any information
from Ozias. If asked him question he would
ether laugh suk.
LET us take him on the load with usn said my
friend and we did so, finding that slowing hay on
a cart and riding IT were occupations dear to the
soul Of Ozias.
know that we were at great disadvantage in
Judging of the pleasures of being load of hay In
that had Ozias with to share those pleasures.
lie alert and active, and was so constantly
the point of failing off, and resented so strongly
efforts keep him from pitching the side,
that the next hour an hour OF agony TO us and
one VIC shall remember with terror all our lives
Hitherto had had no idea that there were such
violent rchings such seasck rockngs, such pitchngs
to and fro, incident to being on load of hay.
The very breathing of the horses seemed to vbrae all
through the hay, ard when big forkfu came up and
essaycd to trample It down in place, the almost
absolute certainty that II would slip of, taking us
with It, was dreadful to bear All the time there
was kind of osc Hating movement far down below
US that made think the marsh was getting ready
10 reel over TO side. There surety about
anything; the cart rocked and each bunch Of hay That
added increased the strange motion that pcryaded
and would presently hcave all out with vicious
enjoyment Of the catastrophe. ] asked myself why
II that whom had seen riding by IN such
positions always presented picture of dreamy happi
ness. Could 1t be that and custom at length
removed the conviction that the substance upon which
they reposed not live, palpating giant who
was only waiting a good opportunity to effect
wholesale destruction? No matter where was or
the load there always seemed to be beneath me an
incipienf, sly kind of movement that l was sure
would result dreadfllly TO one or more OF us. As
the hay accumulated this sensation, this allabsorb ng
suspicion Of mine increased also. Every moment
made the prospective fall stu higher Added to
nv own private personal fears my ultimate fate
was the uncertainty concerning OziaS, who danced
about over each increase of hay like maniac over
volcano / think he saw how anxious we were and
entoyed our terrofs. He laughed shrilly every
time big bundle of bay came tossing up,
and rushed for it to trample 1t down.
He had the appearance of being at an orgy of some
kind. and his excitement grew the load increased
with every moment that passed nv resolution never
again TO be on a load of hay with Mar Bakers iiit
nav. with Tit. increased in strength.
Great fun. aant it," cbecriv exclaimed Rodgo
Peake. as he led his horses toward the next row
of cocks You've got a good crop of hay, too
Never better. Look out. there Don't let
'Z.as come so the aidgc.'
Yes for the twentieth time. in as minutes
Mas tOo the "a adge." We were SIT Ing
deep down in what VIC hoped the middle of the
load as we moved swaying. and heavIIg. and
bumDng. while great locks Of hav rolled off the
ground on either side of us. and were "a hclod up
bv the man who walked behind. and thrust back at
the first OPPORTUNITY.
The question about Ozias had by this time resolved
Itself in my mind into the simple Interrogation, Was
l. or was not willing 10 sacrifice myself for him ~
! was now convinced that at the present rate Of
progression in danger this load, either my friend or
Z Inca M m "
half-houf II precisely all we could do TO preserve
our own safety but must also preserve the safety
Of Ozas.
whep Mr. Peake shouted that our charge was too
near the adg,e my friend and had simultaneously
thrown ourselves ont at full length and had succeeded