The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-07-15

- .Ah'Ht Ut lNtti am I a Yoke uI
oxen The first I've seen this many a
year How Ike Old times il does look
. see 'em' l'h never forgit oxen. moi
the longest day | ever live. WON'T.
specially them oxen what Ezckial
used 20 own. ! might come 10 forgil
my name, ! s'pose hut ! Kin never Tor.
81 them oxen, never Ezekial raised
'em himself, and broke 'em ia with his
own hands. and if ever auy man
knOwed how 10 break Ia oxen % was
Ezekial Meeks, ~ | do say Il. They
was known fur and near was thcm
oxen. and there want another yoke
IN the whole country could compare
with 'cm 40 pullin II was move ur
break with EN-. and Il was most
gently move; but ! once seen 'cm split
a yoke and walk right outcn ii when
they was hltched 90 tree az nnohin
hour Il was wonderful thr strength
they did have ilut they long arl went
the wny of all flesh. the same as poor
EzrkIal himself. and ! doubt ~ any
body rccOllccis 'cm now hut me
"Whcn Ezekial Mecks frst began Co.
pay attention 10 me- them oxen WIS
just Ia their prime. and Ezckial wa5
just turned of age. | well recnlled my
father saying that 81 'Iekc Mccks bad
az much thunder an lightning in him
as them oxen lad he WAS no hith
match for me, and 90 was his opinion
that hc had. Tie was rather posed Co.
our mary u'. father was. aud when
finally Rzckih popped the question.
aud told him was willin' II Dec cuuld
get father consent father he came
right down Dat with e big 80!
"That was lu the spring when farm
ln' work WIS u-comin' un with rush
and that was thc last ! seen ~ Ezrkll
for q good while iiut. bless you. !
didn't feel hit worried. Tor az oar
pariln' EEekial De- just allowed we'd
best wait "a little. So ! was sure Z
would be- all right lie went home.
Ezokiai did. and went 90 work. aud n
little while we heard he'd bought iho
farm next hs fathers. aud was seiiin'
up for himself Father be allowed as
he'd never pay Tor Il IN the world but
one ~ The nclghhots said Ezeklal OIL.
lowed as them oxen had pulled every
thing he'd ever hlichcd 'cm Go get. nnd
be- wckonod they could puh the mort
gage u1cn that farm So ~ klal and
his oxen they set 90 work. and yoi
might say the whole township got up
unto the fence o. watch 'em. The next
fail. fother SET about movin' his barn.
You see. Il faced the north and father
be- thought 10 would Boz sight better
20 have u face the south So 'lias
Brown he lent hl' oxen fur a day, ara
what with fathers yoke. 600. they
thought they'd have n0 trouble. Father
hadn't said so-hr Vas too spuuky fDr
that-hui me and mother knowrd Wen
enough he'd liked 20 have bad Ez'kial
roke the worst way Well they g1l
ihe harn around ull right all hut about
% quarter tum. aud there 90 stuck
They tried and tried hul it was nu
use. and at last Iias De- allowed %
Couldn't BE- got round no further
u, ui more help.
"lf ! was you. squire Says d. I'd
70 over and get Lrkp Mcpks yoke
"'No.' saws father ! won't do 10. uli
n hal o. let the old barn stand right
here
, lyon can't gll AIRY other yoke
'lilhn six miles, says 'llas.
Then We won't move q anulhcr
crnch. says father But be didn't
quite mean that for The barn had o. hc
sci simighl, now illc work was hcml;
80. after a good deal Of DOWN and
etormln' around. father he naliy scls
on % get l,zckial and them oxen
''Lckc.' says father my barn Is
stuck sp's We can't bulge &c. aul
want you iu come over with them uNtu
~ yourn and help pun Il around
Squainr iiuus1u. SAYS Ezrkial
slow aud easy Ike 'kin have keziah"
meanln me Cause u ! can't SAYS
h.. my oxen can't move your han.'
"'By dadg says father aud that was
ns coed as a baud in hlo0d with Nina
BY dad Iekc Meeks. SAYS hc. Gf
them oxen Of yourn Mn move my barn
alohc. you hin have kczah
Then they'll move a. SQUARE, say
Erekial. 10 IL amt took root.
so EEekial be- came over and with
his oxen. with the biggest yoke ami
tho strongest chain De- had. and hc
hltchcd 'em fast to a corner OF the old
harm.
ME and mother We went out Ia look
on. and dld hope and pray that them
oxen would do themselves proud. We'll
E1Okial .hr made sure everything WA
an right, and then De- took his place
ai the head Of his yoke. with his cad
m hand. and gave the word Tor them
oxen To- start Then Them oxen leaned
ford un they had. the chain drawcd
tight and they hcnt 90 aud pulled Ia
gakCs. how they did pull, ! Mn see
om this minute They Just due Va their
hoofs, aud bent their hacks. and strain
I'd every narve aud really do believe
my heart stopped hcatln' twNt nay
hopes aud my fears Hoy. SAYS Ezp
Nal. hoy" and be- touched en- with
hIs CAD Aud then bow they dd pull
Their ewes hulgcd out. their tails
Strengthened out like pump nud'cs
aud sou could fairly hear their bones
a-cackln'.
My hopes was hcgnnln' o. sink. mr
the old mn didn't bulge; hui ! didn't
know what them oxen could do Hoy,
SAYS Ezcelal again. hoy" They was
pullin' together like they was one crit
ter. not givin a hairs breadth of slack,
aud somcthin' begun 20 creak Hoy.
says E1ckial, just oncc more. aud that
time told the STORY. Them oxen seem.
j. ed 10 double right up, their moses
touched the ground; they fairly grcan.
el: aud | reckon tina pail would have
been the last OF 'em. but the crcahiu'