Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1902-04-18
IKE'S OXEN
How Eo Trained Them Noutic.
ally and What Happened
In Consequence.


Among his neighbots Job Ealnes
was considered a pretty fair sort Of
man. He had settled IN n little town
, In tho southern part Of Kansas. where
ne lived ns an immigrant from New
Hampshire, and he brought his Yam
kee sharpness with him, but as be
dealt fnir and attended TO his OWN
business be 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 nc had 10 children
OF his own. Ike was IA typical New
England boy about fifteen ycars Did.
He had been brought up la one OF the
coast Villages Of Maine and bad a great
love for the sen.
job. like the majority Of Yankee
farmers. was a firm believer In cattle
and did most OF hts work with x
One day be said to Ike. IKE, n you'll
take that pair Of yearllng steers and
break them TO work, you eau have
them" Ike was exceedingly well pleas
ed at that and at once ssumed charge
Of his new possessions II ever a pair
OF young oxen were well taken care OK.
they were. He groOmed them as care
fully as the horses, SO that their sleek
coats shoue 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 forgot
the farOff ocean. II had been the n
hope of his lie to he a sailor. but his
being sent west had destroyed II.
When his uncle gave him the steers to
break. the idea came to him that
though he could never expect TO tread
1be deck Of bis 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
WINS that Jack and Billy were educat-
cd to work. broken" totally ignorant
Of the usual commands by which oxen
arr managed. Gee and "taw." 'git
alp" and whoa" had no meaning for
them whatever. II was haul away"
and port" and %"starboard" and be
lay" "stern all" was back. The oxen
grew and waxed strong. and lis uncle
often remarked that he never saw n
team that could do more work than
those oxen and Ike. No one but Ike ev-
er thought n handling them.
The nearest nelghbor to the Halnes'
was Deacon Merwin, q 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 II he would sell them. but met
with such al Indignant refusal that be
felt angered. but did not give up the
idea Of possessing the cattle. Finally
he went to Job and said:
"Nelghbor Haines. II them cattle'I
work good every way I'll give yoV
500 for 'enl. They're too much prop
erty for n hoy like Ike to have. aud 4
Is apt to create in him a bad sperri
and make him feel above his elders"
"Well, l don't know. deacon. The boz
sets a deal by them cattle. and q prom
Use is a promise. l gave them to hin
II he would break 'em. and he has. 81
I'm bound To keep my part"
That's all true enough. Nelghbod
Halnes, but Ike's only a boy. and then
remember. $500 amt offered every dn!
for n yoke OF cattle. Why not sell IN,
these and give him another pair 4
break; that 'ud do him jlst as wellf'
The deacon's $500 and persuasion
finally weakened Jobs scruples. an,
he gave In. The deacon WINS to IT,
them. and II they worked all RICH
was to have them for $500. How t
tell Ike what he had done was n pose
10 his uncle. His aunt declared It
downright mean piece OF business an
told Job plaiAly what she thought Q
him.
It was finally decided not to ~
anything to Ike until after the sale ha
been made and the cattle gone. In o
der that Ike might not be on hand
see his pets sold he WINS given q hol
day and sent TO spend the day at
neighbours. u couple OF miles ava,
where there was n boy OF his age W.T.
was a sort Of chum OF his.
The next morning Ike was on brigi
and early. and the deacon was Q
hand shortly after. II would not
fair 10 Job to say that he did not hay
any misgivings. He would have bacl
ed out of the bargain at the leaI
chance. and he really hoped that II
deacon would not be satisfied wit
them. The oxen were brought out an
yoked to the cart without dinlcult
though the deacon remarked that The
did seem kinder stoopid." Job an
the deacon climbed Up into the cart
"Gee up"
The rel turned their big eyes rOuI
sn%qulringly. Gee up. theroT' repeatC
Job. But they did not move u boot.
''Ths1 don't appear Ike good breal
ing" remarked the deacon.
They're broke all right" repllG
z0 .eome. gee W. there!" AZ 4
same time he gave each a prod vii
the goad. In response to the proddiI
the cattle walked OF toward the OPP
gate. IN which direction their beat
happened 90 be turned. Job did D
want them 10 go 50 tho road. 50
shouted out. Hoy. boy!' 10 turn the
around: but the oxen bad no iden VIII