Arizona republican., 1892-01-23
A YOKE AND A JOKE.


 noon express train on the Kansas Pacific railroad and bring home Bruce and Jer- rvs cousin, Fife, who was coming alone all the way from Kansas City to visit them Bruce and Jerry were left alone on the claim to look after things.
 Bruce was fifteen; not very large of his age, but active and strong. Jerry was only two years younger than Bruce, but he was dwarfed by an affection of the spine, which kept him bent over like a hunchback.
 When he was very small he was thrown from horse The accident con- tracted some of the spinal muscles, and it appeared that he was doomed to 20 through life with the humiliating ap- pearance of having chronic case of colic
 Bruce and Jerry were great friends, which is not always the case with broth CTS. This was not due to the fact that other boys were few in that thinly set tied Kansas district; they were really very fond of each other.
 All the morning, after their father and mother left, Bruce was very busy making small yoke, modelled after the one that was used on Tom and Red, the oxen they had brought with them when they emigrated from Indiana.
 Jerry sat on the framework of the grindstone in front of the cabin and watched Bruce at his work with much interest. The yoke was now about com pleted and the young mechanic was very proud of his workmanship.
 Its dandy an ITO mistake" he re- marked with satisfaction. "Well have some fun, Jerry, I've been thinlin for a long time that the calves are big enough to break, an there's no time like the present. Won't it be joke on pa and ma, though;"
 "W'atll be a joker asked Jerry.
 Why, to break Bell an Nancy while they're gone. Won't they be s'prised to find us driving em around like Tom an Red? Won't it be joke, thought"
 "Um," Jerry assented.
 After the pie had all been washed down with cup of milk, Bruce shoul- dered the yoke and led the way to the COW pen, where the meek eyed little heif- CTS were lying in the sun.
 Nancy and Bell were not in the least wild, for the boys had made pets of them, so there was no difficulty in approaching them. They were pretty animals; Bell was a spot" of red and white, and Nancy was deep red
 Well, girlies, Bruce merrily saluted the heifers, "how do you find yourselves this fine, large dayI Nice day, isn't it?- incest in the neighborhood. Get up, now, and act your prettiest; there's company comin. and we want you to show off Tie the string around Nancy's neck, Jerry
 While Jerry obeyed this instruction Bruce secured Bell, and then the heifers were led out of the COW lot to little old cart that stood by the front yard fence.
 "An we'll take Fife a-ridin along by the cornfeld, an let her see the big tas- sels. I'll tell you what we'll do, Jerry, we'll go down the road an meet pa an ma, an we'll bring Fife home in our wagon. How's that?"
 First rate," said the little cripple"
 Well, it's done," Bruce announced presently Lets eat our pie first, and then well yoke 'em up"
 They had been too busy to notice that it was past noon, but now hunger re- minded them that their mother had left for each of them "a big hunk of pie" Very soon they were seated on the door, step, munching their dinner.
 This plan of yoking up the calves would have been instantly condemned blythe father had he been at home, for, in the first place, the heifers were too young, and in the second place, they were intended for milch cows and not for beasts of burden, but it did not oc- cur to the boys that he would object.
 The little animals were docile and tractable enough; indeed, they were pro- vokingly slow and sleepy in their move- ments
 You'll get walked up very soon," Bruce remarked, half angry that Nancy would not stand around"
 It took some time to get them yoked satisfactorily to the cart, but at last Bruce announced that the arrangements for the start were complete. Jerry stood on one side, next to Bell, and Bruce on the other, by the side of Nancy.
 "Get up, Belll" called Jerry.
 Both boys slapped the Hanks of the heifers vigorously, and they moved on a few paces, in mild eyed wonder at this new situation. Still they evidently thought this new way of betting them, and that ie was all right.
 The boys laughed delightfully."-.
 They're jest as easy goin as old Tom and Red Bruce declared. "Get up, Nancyl Get up, Bellr'
 There was some backing on the part of the team, and mild inclination to turn around and inspect the arrangements, but the boys, urging them on, succeeded in getting them to advance few more paces.
 Wen get in an ride" Bruce decided. They'll go better if they are talked to from behind.
 He got a stick and sharpened the end of it for goad and then the two clam bered into the cart. Once more the driving process was begun.
 "Move along now, Nancy! Get ahead