Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-08-15

10 see EN-. ii never AVk=At VANAs Aioe
the longest day ! ever live, ! Won
specially them oxen what Ezekial
used 10 own. | might come TO fOrgit
my name, s'pose, but kin never Tor.
git them oxen. never. Ezekial raised
| 'em himself, and broke 'em in with ms
own hands; and il ever any man
knowed how TO break in oxen 1t was
| Ezekial Meeks, Ii | do say IT, Ihey
was known fur and near, was them
oxen. and there want another yoke
| In the whole country could compare
with 'em at pullin. Ii was move or /
break with 'em, and il was most
geu'ly move: but once seen EN- spht
yoke and walk right outen u when
| they was hitched 10 tree AZ hoohin
hour. Ii was wonderful the strength |
they did have But they long ago went
| the way Of all flesh, the same as poor
| Ezekial himself, and doubt u any
body recolleets 'em now but me
when Ezekial Meeks first began TO
pay attention 10 me, them oxen was
Just in their prime, and Ezeklal was
inst turned of age / well recollect my
father saving that IL 'Zeke Meeks had
as much thunder an lightning In him
as them oxen had, he was no nttin
match for me. and 1t was his opinion
that he had He was rather posed 70
our marryin', father was. ana Wneh
finally Ezekial popped the question.
and told him was willin' II ne could
get fathers consent. father he came
right down fat with big MOI
THAT was in the spring. when farm
In. work was a-comin. on with rush.
and that was the last seen of Ezekial
for a good while. But. bless you!
didn't feel bit worried, for at our
partin' Ezekial he just allowed we'd
best wait little, so ] was sure =
would be all right. He went nome,
Ezekial did and went to work. ana IN
little while we heard he'd bought the
9 farm next his fathers, and was settin'
Q IN for himself Father, he allowed as
he'd never pay for 1t in the world; but
one OF the neighbors said Ezekial al
: lowed as them oxen had pulled every
D 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 saw the whole township got up
onto the fence to watch 'em. The next
fall. fother set about moyin' his barn
: You see. Ii faced the north, and father
= he thought it would be a sight better
N to have it face the south. so las
= Brown he lent his oxen fur day, and
i. what with fathers yoke. TOO, they
thought they'd have no trouble. Father
= hadn't said so-he was too spunky Tor
y that-but me and mother knowed well
81 enough he'd liked to- have had Ezekiafs
yoke the worst way. Well, they got
the barn around all right, all but about
10 quarter turn. and there 1t stuck.
: They tried and tried, but it was no
use. and at last Las he allowed 1t
u 5.tt 10 unf frouud mn further
ae 'thout more help.
n "If was you. squire says he, I'D
III 20 over and get 'Zeke Meeks yoke
ii mo says father, i won't do il. not
he | IL haf to let the old barn stand right
to here
10 "You can't git AIRY other yoke
y 'ithin six miles, says Lias.
p Then we won't move it anuthei
- eench.' says father. But he didn'i
quite mean that, for the barn had TO be
set straight. now the work was begun
e so, after good deal Of blowin and
a. stormin' around, father he finally sets
e. or to get Ezekial and them oxen.
nd ".'Zeke,' says father, my barn i
re stuck SOS we can't bulge 1t, and
- want you to come over with them oxaI
: of yourn and help pull il around
Square Rnnson,' says Ezekial
~ slow and easy like, kin have Keziah
ny meanin' me. Cause IL ! can't say
ON he, my oxen can't move your barn
lat "sBy dadr says father-and that wal
ed as good as bond In blood with him.
lv by dad 'Zeke Meeks,' says he, 4
no them oxen Of yourn kin move my barr
!. alone, you kin have Keziah.'
"Then they'll move it, square, say
Ezekial, If it amt took root
$50 Ezekia1 he came over and witt
wa his oxen, with the biggest yoke an.
he the strongest chain he had, and h
ng hitched 'em fast to corner of the oil,
oy- barn.
m ME and mother we wenBout to looI
ate ON, and did hope and pray that then
~ oxen would do themselves proud Wei
. Ezekial he made sure everything wa
On all rfAht, and then he took his pIac
oov at the head of his yoke, with his ga
ldi In hand, and gave the word for then
yes oxen to start. Then them oxen leane
ess ford till they had the chain drawe
600 tight, and they bent to and pulled. l.
m sakes! how they did pull! kin sc
49, 'em this minute. They just dug In thel
,ay h0ofs, and bent their backs, and strair
the ed every narye, and really do beIiev
az my heart stopped beatin' twixt m
hopes and my fears. 'Hoyr says Ez.
-. AAoft hoys anu nv tVututu Ell VIII
~ his CAD. And then how they did pull
I'M Their eyes bulged out, their tail
at Strengthened out like pump handles
and you could fairly hear their bone
a-crackin'.
VI my hopes was beginnin' to sink, FL
1en the old barn didn't bulge; but didn
uld know what them oxen could do. Hoy
are says Ezekial again, hoy They wa
non pullin' together like they was one cri
M ter, not glvin' hairs breadth of slacl
and somethln' begun to creak. Hoy
says Ezekiai, just once more, and ths
time told the story. Them oxen seen
gu. ed to double right up; their nose
any touched the ground; they fairly groal
up ed; and reckon that pull would hay
cry been the last OF 'em, but the creaki
It's suddenly growed louder, and then ii
1er. old barn gave Iurch. and them nYa