The Dickinson press., 1896-06-13
them OXEN.

oxen! The first I've seen this many a
year. How like old times it does look
to see 'em! I'll never forgit oxen, not
the longest day l ever live, l won't;
specially them ken what Ezekial
used to own. l might come to forgit
my name, l s'pose, but l kin never for
git them oxen, never. Ezekial raised
'em himself, and broke 'em in with his
own hands; and If ever any man
knowed how to break in oxen 1t was
Ezekial Meeks, If l do say 1t. They
was known fur and near, was them
oxen, and there want another yoke
in the whole country could compare
with EN- at pullin. 1t was move or
break with 'cm, and it, was most
gently move; but l once seen 'em split
a yoke and walk right outen 1t when
they was hitched to a tree at noonin'
hour. 1t was wonderful the strength
they did have. But they long ago went
the way of all flesh, the same as poor
Ezekial himself, and l doubt II any.
body recollects ZEN now but me.
"When Ezekial Meeks first began to
pay attention to me, them oxen was
Just in their prime, and Ezekial was
lust turned of age. l 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 dttin'
match for me; and it was his opinion
that he had. He was rather posed to
our marryin', father was, and when
finally Ezekial popped the question.
and i told him l was w.llin' II he could
get fathers consent, father he came
right down fat with a big No!
'.That was in the spring, when farm
in work was a-comin' on with q rush,
and that was the last I seen of Ezekial
for a good While. But, bless you! I
didn't feel q bit worried, for at our
partin' Ezekial he just allowed we'd
best wait q little, so I was sure It
would be all 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 settin'
up 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 ken 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 EN-. The next
| fall, fother set about movin' his barn.
You see, it faced the north, and father
he thought 1t would be a sight better
to have it face the south. So 'I4ias
| Brown he lent his oxen fur q day, and
what with fathers yoke, too, they
thought they'd have no trouble. Father
hadn't said so-he al too spunky for
that-but me and mother knowed well
enough he'd liked to have had Ezekial's
yoke the worst way. Well, they got
| the barn around all right, all but about
a quarter turn, and there 1t 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 1 was you, SQUIRE says he, I'D
go over and get 'Zeke Meeks' yoke
".NO,' says father, I won't do it, moi
If l hat to let the old barn stand right
here
"'You can't git AIRY other yoke
| 'ithin six miles, says 'Lias.
"'Then we won't move it anuthel
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 u good deal Of bowin' and
stormin' around, father he finally sets
off to get Ezekial and them oxen.
"''Zeke,' says. father, my barn IL
stuck SOS we can't bulge it, and
want you to come over with them oxen
of yourn and help pull it around
"'Squaire Runson,' says Ezekial
slow and easy like, kin l have Keziah?
meanin' me. ''Cause IL I can't says
he, my oxen can't move your barn.
"'By dadv says father-and that was
as good as q bond in blood with him
by dad! 'Zeke Meeks,' says he, ii
them oxen of yourn kin move my barn
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 and
the strongest chain he had, and he
hitched 'em fast to q corner of the OLD
barn.
ME and mother we went out to look
OIL, and I did hope and pray that them
oxen would do themselves proud. Well
Ezekial he made sure everything wal
all right, and then he took his place
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 drawed
tight, and they bent to and pulled. Ia
sakes! how they did pull! l kin see
'em this minute. They just dug in theil
hoofs, and bent their backs, and strain
ed every narve, and l really do believe
my heart stopped beatin' 'twixt my
hopes and my fears. 'Hoyy says Eze
kial, hoy! and he touched 'em with
his CAD. And then how they did pull
Their eyes bulged out, their tails
Strengthened out like pump handles
and you could fairly hear their bones
a%-crackin'.
only hopes was beginnin' to sink, ful
the old barn didn't bulge; but l didn't
know what them oxen could do. Hoy!
says Ezekial again, 'hoy!' They was
pullin' together like they was one crit
ter, not givin' a hairs breadth Of slack
and somethin' begun to creak. Hoy!
says Ezekial, just once more, and thai
time told the story. Them oxen seem
ed to double right up; their noses
touched the ground; they fairly groan
cd; and 1 reckon that pull would have
been the last of 'em, but the creakin
suddenly growed louder, and then tho
old barn gave a lurch, and them oxen
walked away with it.
swell, father he was never no hand
to swear much, but that time he clap
ped his hand down onto his leg, and
he said he'd be goshed If he'd evel
seen the like! And Ezekial, when then
oxen had pulled the barn to where Il
was wanted, he comes to me and takes
me by the hands and says he 'Keziat
you are mine, and them oxen has wor
ye!
Il never felt so proud in my life
And father, as he was a man of hi,
word, he allowed that it was n fail
decker, and he wouldn't back out.
mo, we wasn't married right away
Ezekial he allowed we had better wal
till winter, SEM as we had waited 81
long, and by that time he'd have tn
house on his own place all fixed IL
and ready. So it was settled Chat W
+, wasn't to be married till January. Blu
the time soon passed, and, almost afor
I knowed it my weddin' day was 8
hand. And it was q time Ill neve
fergit-the same as I'll never fegi
them Ken I suppose nobody eve
I--- A---fA 49, A.