The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-08
IKE'S OXEN.
HOW HE TRAINED THEM
NAETTCALLY
And What Happened in Conss-


He had settled in little town in the
southern part of Kansas, where he
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 own bus
mess he passed. The only member of
the family besides Job and his wife
was Ike, q nephew whom Job had tax
en- to bring up, as he had no children
Of his own. Ike was a typical New Eng
land boy about Is years old. He had
been brought up in one of the coast viii
lagos of Maine and had 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 ne said to Ike, like, if you'll
take that pair of yearling steers and
break them to work, you can have
them" Ike was exceedingly we'll
pleased at that and at once assumed
charge of his new possessions. If ever
a pair of young oxen were well taken
care of, they were. He groomed them
as carefully as the horses, so that their
sleek coats shone as glossy as silk, and
he was so kind with them that they
were as gentle as sheep. He named
them Jack and Billy.
In his western home Ike never for
got the far off ocean. 1t had been the
one hope of his life to be sailor, but
his being sent West had destroyed it.
When his uncle gave him the steers to
break, the idea came to him that
though he could never expect to tread
tie deck of 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 sea. Thus it
was that Jack and Billy were educated
to work, BROKEN" totally ignorant of
the usual commands by which oxen are
managed. Gee" and ''haw," "git up"
and whoa" had no meaning for them
whatever. 1t was haul away and
port and "starboard' and Delay"
''Stern all' was back. The oxen grew
and waved strong, and his uncle often
remarked that he never saw team
that could more work than those
oxen and Ike. No one but Ike ever
thought of handling them.
The nearest neighbor to the Hatnes
was Dea Merwin, a good man and
pillar of the church. The good deacon
saw that likes 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. The deacon asked Ike if he would
sell them but met with such an indig-
nant refusal that he felt angered, but
did not give up the idea of possessing
the cattle. Finally he went to Job and
said:
"Neighbor Haines, if them cattle'll
work good every day I'll give you
$500 for 'em. They're to much prop
erty for boy like Ike to have, and it
is apt to create in him bad sperrit
and make him feel above his elders
well, don't know, deacon. The boy
sets a deal by them cattle, and prom
Use is ap romise. I gave them to him
if he would break 'em, and he has, so
I'm bound to keep my part"
'"That's all true enough. Neighbor
Haines, but likes only boy, and then,
remeber, $500 amt offered every day
for a yoke of cattle. Why not sell me
these and give him another pair to
break; that 'ud do him jist as well?"
IGG deacon SfVU dIu pGFSudSlOllS
finally weakened Jobs scruples, and
he gave in. The deacon was to try
them, and If they worked all right
was to have them for $500. How to
tell Ike what he had done was a poser
to his uncle. His aunt declared it a
downright mean piece of business and
told Job plainly what she thought of
hinl.
, It was finally decided not to say
anything to Ike until after the sale had
been made and the cattle gone. In Or
der that Ike might not be on hand to
see his pets sold he was given holt
day and sent to spend the day at q
neighbours, a couple of miles away,
where there was a boy Of his age who
was sort of chum of his.
The next morning Ike was off bright
and early and the deacon was on
hand shortly after. It would not be
fair to Job to say that he did not have
any misgivings. He would have
backed out of the bargain at the least
chance, and he really hoped that the
deacon would not be satisfied with
them. The oxen were brought out and
yoked to the cart without difficulty,
though the deacon remarked that they
did seem kinder stoopid." Job and
the deacon climbed up into the cart.
"Gee up!''
The, oxen turned their big eye round
inquiringly. Gee UP, there!" repeated
Job. But they did not move hoof.
"That don't appear like good break
ing" remarked the deacon.
They're broke all right" replied
Job. Come geeup, there!" At the
same time he gave each g. prod with
the goad. In response to the prodding
the cattle walked off toward the open
gate, in which direction their heads
happened to be turned. Job did not
want them to go in the road, so he
shouted out, Hoy, hoy!' to turn them
around; but the oxen had no idea what |
,"hoy'' meant, and so kept going |
straight ahead. Job shouted louder |
and struck Billy with the goad. They !
quickened their gait into a trot and |
turned out into the road. Then Job |
shouted, whoa, whoa!" But they |
did not mind that either.
"They don't appear to be as we'll !
broke as 1 reckoned," remarked the |
deacon as he stood in the cart and |
viewed the proceedings.
They're broke well enough" replied |
job rather nettled, but I'm strange to |
them Nobody but Ike ever drove |