The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-11-28

nox in the neighborhood that ust ter
hide out, reriar. All winter thet OK
would stuff an stuff. Dinged ef you'd
b'leeve critier could stuff ez thet
critter did. But when it come time to
plow in the spring, thet critter would
hide IN the timber, an nary a sign Of
his hide would show. Twas the bell
OK, too. Sho. now, you don't know what
bell OK is?
The oldest inhabitant fegits thet n
timber kentry ia different from nat
prairie, Hez different ways, more'n
you'd s'pose. When they turn out oxen
ter feed, they bell one on 'em, SOS ter
find the critters. That bell OK gifts ter
be jest as smart, never Taakes no sound
ter show where they be- The
eutest OK the Oldest inhabitant ever sea
was named Ball. The yoke was Ball
and Brandy. Ball never did a stroke o.
work. Ust ter keep one eye on the barn,
thet critter did, an when tn plow como
sut Ball Jest disappeared, likes eff he'd
been swallered up. They hunted him
far and near in the timber, an offered
rewards The oldest inhabitant hadn't
put his mind ON the matter, thought
likely tn critic, would taprn up when
least expected. But the thing got excit-
ing, every man you seed pass tn time
o. day am ask: "Heerd apythin' O. or
Man Pettigrew'sox?
Finally the oldest inhabitant got
mad Seemed like tn dunn critter was
sInarter'n tn hull neighborhood. lie
.idn't tell that he was going into the
search, not he, but jest took ter santcr~
In round easy like in the timber. He
even went up to the bars where Ball
had stood To keep an eye on the forth
coming plow. AN. by jinks! there
come an idee" in his head thet tn
blamed critter was watchin' him. He
never said a word, sly fellow that he is.
the oldest inhsbitant. but jest materially
santered down ter the crick. There
was some marshy land with some little
thin willers CROWN on il, between tn
cric.S ar tn house. Fore he knew II,
the oldest inhabitant stepped plump
into soft mud. an while ne was foun-
derin' round an swesrin' low, cause
twas Sunday an he he'd on his meetin'
close, he jest happened ter look inter n
clump O. them wigers, an dingedl ef
there wasn't OF Ball "He looked kind
er foolish. too" The oldest inhabitant
Jest roared. Then he hound.red over
an got on the critters back. an rode
right up inter tn fsrrnyard- my. you
ought ter heerd tn fel1er> laugh" tn
crit.cr never offered no resistance. but
Jest seemed tor think be wuz cornered
an SO give up. Thet's tn way with a
nox. he knows enough ter know when
he's beat.
Speaking Of riding The or reminds the |
oldest inhabitant that now nobody uscs |
D stone boat. Yet fer pleasure ridin'
= stone boat drawsd bJ oxen z better's |
a wason-s sight. Jsstslsps along easy.
stid of bumpsn' on tn Internal ru's In a
road Talk about yer bisickl- ridin'.
why cr'ry dunn fool looks Worried an !
out You can't fall oh'n /
'toDe boat, an ef yoa did. you en- keteh
I'D an git on. Onless tn osen z run
ain' away? Wei. row. IL dees beat all |
,er little people see nowadays oxsn run
lway like all fired poszs1soed. Thef Ball /
Tow. when they put him ter the plssr.
-s' STARTED an run an run. dra1gsa'
Brandy an the plo~ right with him
Seut straight over everything in sight.
N never Ssopped III they was AL