Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-01-09
IKE'S OXEN



Among his neighbors Job Haines
was considered a pretty fair sort OF
man. He had settled In a little town
In the southern part of Kansas. where
be lived as an immigrant from New
Hampshire, and he brought his Yam
kee sharpness with him. but as he
dealt fair and attended to his W
business he passed. The only member
OF the family besides Job and his wife
was Ike. a nephew whom Job had tax
en- to bring UP, as be had no children
of his own. Ike was q typical New
England boy about fifteen years old
He had been brought up In n OF the
coast villages of Maine and had a great
love for the sea.
Job. like the majority OF Yankee
farmers. was a firm believer in cattle
and did most Of his work with oxen.
One day he said to Ike. ike. IL you'll
take that pair OF yeariing steers and
break them TO work, you can have
them Ike was exceedingly well pleas
ed at that and at ace assumed charge
OF his new possessions. IL ever q pair
Of young oxen were well taken care OF.
they were. He groomed them as care
fully as the horses, so that their sleek
coats shone as glossy as silk. and lie
was SO kind with them that they were
as gentle as sheep. He named them
Jack AMI Billy.
In his western home Ike never forgot
the faruff oceaa. Ii had been the n
hope Of his life 70 be q sailcr, but his
being sent west had destroyed H.
When his uncle gave him the steers to
break, the idea came to him that
though he could never expect TO tread
the deck OK his own ship he could use
ship phrases In the education OF his
oxen and thus always be reminded Of
his own home beside the sen. Thus il
was that Jack and Bully were educat-
ed 10 work. broken totally ignorant
OF the usual commands by which oxen
are managed. Gee" and -haw." .sgit
then whatever. 1t was haul away
and port" and ~''starboard" and .sbe-
lay stern all" was back. The oxen
grew and waxed strong. and his uncle
eften remarked that he never saw a
team that could do more wo1S than
those oxen and Ike. No one but Ike ey-
ex thought Of handling them.
The nearest p4ighbor to the Haines'
was Deacon Merwin, a good man and
pillar OF the church. The good deacon
saw that Ike's yoke OF oxen were
workers. and a desire came over him
to possess them. He offered to buy
them several times. but Job always
said that they belonged TO Ike and
were not for sale. Tie deacon asked
Ire IL he would sell them. but met
with such an Indignant refusal that he
felt angered. but did not give up the
idea OF possessing the cattle. Finally
he went to Job and said:
@Neighbor Hainea. Ii them c~attie'i
work good every way III give you
$500 TOR EN- They're too mucli prop
erty for q boy like Ike to have. and it
is apt to create In him a bad sperrit
and make him feel above his elders.
Wen. 4 don't know. deacon. The boy
: sets a deal by them cattle. and n prom
tse Is a promise. | gave them to him
IL he would break 'em. and he Las. so
I'm bound TO keep my part
That's all true enough. Nesghbor
Haines. but Ikc's only a boy. and then.
remember. 500 amt offered every day
Tor q yoke Of cattle. Why not sell me
these and give him another pair To
break: that I'd do him jist rs weIlT'
The dcacon's S40o and p-ersuasions
finally weakened Jobs scruples. and
nc gave In. ThS deacon was TO try
them. and IL tEey worked all right
WAS 10 have them for 500. How to
tell Ike what he had doSac was a poser
TO bis uncle. His aunt declared II a
downright mean piece OF business and
told Job plainly what she thought OF
him
Ii was finally decided not 10 say
anything 10 Ike until after the sale had
been made and the cattle gone In or
der that Ike might not be on hand TO
q his pets sold he was given n holi-
day and sent 70 spend the day at a
neighbor's, n couple of miles away
where there was a bog OF his age who
was a sort Of chum OF his
The mex morning axe was or bright
and carly. and the deacon was on
hand shortly after. 1t would not be
fair 20 Job to say that he did not have
any mlsgfvingx- He would have back
ed ecu OF the bargain at the least
chance. and he really hoped that the
deacon would o be satisfied with
them. The oxen were brought out and
ypked TO the cart without difficulty.
though TIE deacon remarked that they
dill seem kinder stoopid." Job and
the deacon climbed UP into the cart.
-Gee npr.'
The oxen turned their big eyes round
fnQaIringiy. Gee up. thcrer' repeated
Job. But they did not move q hoof.
THAT don't appear ike good break.
ing" remarked the deacon.
They're broke aIl right" replied
lob. -Come. gee MP. there" At the
same time he gave each a prod with
the goad. In response to the prodding