The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-07-04

'sLa sakes. if theer :ain't a yoke of
oxen. The first I've seen this many
gear. How like old times it does look
10 see 'em! I'll never forglt oxen, not
the longest Gay I ever live, l won't;
:specially them oxen what t1zeklal
ased to own, I might come to forglt
my name, s'pose, tQt KIN never lot,
git them oxen, never. 1zekal e talseu
Gu himself, and broke 'em Id IWlth MS
et2n hands; and if ever any man
.saowed how to break in oxen 1t Was
'Assekial Meeks, if I do say 1t. 4HeH
xas known fur and near, was them
pxen, and there want another yoke
h the whole country could compare
with 'em at pullin. It was move or
h4aak with 'em, and it was most
esn'ly move; but / once seen 'em spllC
yoke and walk right outen 1t When
Ehey was hitched to tree at noenln
hour. It was wonderful the strength
they did have. But they long ago went
the way of all flesh, the same as poor
Ezekial himself, and I doubt if any
body recollscts 'em noW Rut me:
pay attention to me, them oxen vas
Just in their prime, and Ezekial was
lust turned of age. I we'll recOllect my
father saying that if 'Zeke Meeks had
as much thunder an lightning in him
as them oxen had, he was no fttin'
match for me; and it was his opinion
chat he had He was rather posed to
our marryin', father was, and when
@hally Ezekial popped the question,
and I told him was willin' If he could
get fathers consent, father he came
right down fiat with a big No!
''That was in the spring, when farm
m work was a-comin' on with rush,
and that was the last seen of Ezekial
for a good while. But, bless you! l
didn't feel bit worried, for at our
partin' Ezekial he just allowed we'd
best wait little, so I was sure t
would be oil right He went home,
Ezekial did, and went to work, and in
a little while we heard he'd bought the
farm NEXT his fathers, and was settn'
If, for himself. Father, he allowed as
he'd never pay for it in the world; but
one of the neighbors said Ezekial al
lowed as them oxen had pulled every
thing he'd ever hitched 'em to yet, and
he reckoned they could pull the mort
gage often that farm. So Ezekial and
his oxen they set to work; and you
might say the whole township got up
onto the fence to watch 'em. The next
fall, fother set about movin' his barn.
You see, it faced the north, and father
he thought it would be sight better
to have it face the south. So 'Lias
Brown he lent his oxen fur a day, and
what with fathers yoke, too, they
thought they'd have no trouble. Father
hadn't said so-he was too spunky for
that-but me and mother knowed well
enough he'd liked to have had Ezekials S
yoke the worst way. Well, they got
the barn around all right, all but about
a quarter turn, and there it stuck.
They tried and tried, but it was no
use, and at last 'Lias he allowed it
couldn't be got round no further
'thout more help.
"'If I was you, SQUIRE says he, I'd
60 over and get 'Zeke Meeks' yoke
"'No,' says father, L won't do it, not
If haf to let the old barn stand right
here
"'You can't git 'ary other yoke
ithin six miles, says 'Lias.
"'Then we won't move it anuther
eench,' says father. But he didn't
quite mean that, for the barn had to be
set straight, now the work was begun
so, after a good deal of blowin' and
stormin' around, father he finally sets
off to get Ezekial and them oxen.
"'Zeke,' says father, my barn is
stuck SOS we can't bulge it, and
want you to come over with them oxen
Of yourn and help pull it around
Square Runson,' says Ezekial,
slow and easy like, kin have Keziah 2
smeanin' me. s'Cause if I can't says
he, my oxen can't move your barn.
BY dad! says father-and that was
as good as bond in blood with him
BY dad! 'Zeke Meeks,' says he, ii
them oxen of yourn kin move my barr
alone, you kin have Keziah.'
'.Then they'll move it, square, says
Ezekial, if it amt took root
$50 Ezekial he came over and with
his oxen, with the biggest yoke an6
the strongest chain he had, and he
hitched 'em fast to a corner of the ole
barn. ~ .<.- T. ...
ME and mother we went out to lool
on, and did hope and pray that then
oxen would do themselves proud. Well
Ezekial he made sure everything wa.
all right, and then he took his plac.
at the head Of his yoke, with his gao
in hand, and gave the word for then
oxen to start. Then them oxen leaned
ford till they had the chain drawet
tight, and they bent to and pulled. Ii
sakes! how they did pull! kin Sc,
,em this minute. They just dug in thei
hoofs, and bent their backs, and strain
ed every narve, and / really do believ,
my heart stopped beatin' 'twixt m,
hopes and my fears. .Hoyv says Eze
kial, shoy:' and he touched 'em will
his gad. And then how they did pull
Their eyes bulged out, their tail
Strengthened out like pump handles
and you could fairly hear their boneI
a-crackin'.