Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-12
NAUTICAL OXEN.

Among his neighbors Job Haines was
considered pretty fair sort Of a man.
He had settled in the little town in the
southern part Of Kansas, where he lived
as an immigrant from New Hampshire,
and he brought his Yankee sharpness
with him, but as he dealt fair and at
tended to his own business he passed.
The only member of the family besides
Job and his wife was Ike, a nephew
whom Job had taken to bring up, as he
had no children of his own. Ike was a
typical New England boy about fifteen
years old. He had been brought up in
one of the coast villages of Maine, and
had a great love for the sea.
Job, like the majority of Yankee farm
ers, was firm believer in cattle, and
did most Of his work with oxen. One
day he said to Ike: "Ike, if you'll take
that pair of yearling steers and break
them to work you can have them" Ike
was exceedingly well pleased at that,
and at once assumed charge of his new
possessions. If ever pair of young
oxen were well taken care of they were.
He groomed them as carefully as the
horses, so that their sleek coats shone as
glossy as silk, and he was SO kind with
them that they were as gentle as sheep
He named them Jack and Billy.
In his western home Ike never forgot
the far off ocean. It had been the one
hope of his life to be sailor, but his
being sent west had destroyed it. When
his uncle gave him the steers to break,
the idea came to him that though he
could never expect to tread the deck of
his own ship, he could use ship phrases
in the education of his oxen, and thus
always be reminded Of his own home be-
side the sea. Thus it was that Jack and
Billy were educated to work, sbroken"
totally ignorant Of the usual commands
by which oxen are managed. "Gee"
and "haw," "git up" and whoa" had
no meaning for them whatever. It was
"haul away" and "port" and s'star-
board" and ssbelay." 'Stern ALL" was
back. The oxen grew and waxed strong,
and his uncle often remarked that he
never saw team that could do more
work than those oxen and Ike. No one
but Ike ever thought of handling them.
The nearest neighbor to the Haines'
was Deacon Merwin, good man and
pillar of the church. The good deacon
saw that Ike's yoke of oxen were work
ers, and desire came over him to DOS
sess them. He offered to buy them sew
eral times, but Job always said that they
belonged to Ike and were not for sale.
The deacon asked Ike if he would sell
them, but met with such an indignant
refusal that he felt angered, but did not
give up the idea of possessing the cattle.
Finally he went to Job and said:
'sNeighbor Haines, if them cattle'll
work good every way I'll give you $4OO
for 'em. They're too much property for
a boy like Ike to have, and it is apt to
create in him bad sperrit and make
him feel above his elders"
well, | don't know, deacon. The
boy sets deal by them cattle, and
promise is promise. l gave them to
him if he would break 'em, and he has,
SO I'm bound to keep my part"
. "That's all true enough, neighbor
Haines, but Ike's only boy, and then,
remember, $4OO amt offered every day
for yoke of cattle. Why not sell me
these and give him another pair to
break; that 'ud do him jist as WELL"
The deacon's $400 and persuasions
finally weakened Jobs scruples, and he
gave in. The deacon was to try them,
and if they worked all right was to have
them for $400. How to tell Ike what he
had done was poser to his uncle. His
aunt declared it downright mean piece
of business, and told Job plainly what
she thought Of him.
It was finally decided not to say any
thing to Ike until after the sale had been
made and the cattle gone. In order that
Ike might not be on hand to see his pets
sold he was given holiday, and sent to
spend the day at neighbor's, couple
miles away, where there was a boy of
his age who was sort of chum of his.
The next morning Ike was off bright
and early, and the deacon was on hand
shortly after. 1t would not be fair to
Job to say that he did not have any mis-
givings. He would have backed out of
the bargain at the least chance, and he
really hoped that the deacon would not
be satisfied with them. The oxen were
brought out and yoked to the cart with
out difficulty, though the deacon re-
marked that they did seem .skinder
stoopid." Job and the deacon climbed
up into the cart.
'sGee up!"
The oxen turned their big eyes round
inquiringly. "Gee up, there!" repeated
Job; but they did not move hoof.
"That don't appear like good break
ing" remarked the deacon.
/ They're broke all right" replied job
"Come, gee up, therel" at the same time
he gave each prod with the goad. In
response to the prodding the cattle
walked off toward the open gate, in
which direction their heads happened to
be turned. Job did not want them to go
in the road, SO he shouted out, "Hoy!
hoyr to turn them around; but the oxen
had no idea what shoy" meant, and SO
kept going straight ahead. Job shouted
louder and struck Billy with the goad.
They quickened their gait into trot and
turned out into the road Then job
shouted, "Whoai whoal" but they did
not mind that either.
They don't appear to be as well broke
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