The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1906-08-10
CHE Minister'S
Pho tOin6

that Farmer Johnson, living two miles
from the village Of Lansing. traded a
number of hogs and calves and COW
for a yoke Of oxen. Farmer Johnson
had been a farmer for good many
years. but had never owned yoke OF
oxen. He was a good man and a mem
her Of a church congregation In the
village. and his wife was known faf
and wide for her gentleness and benev-
olence.
The robins were tuning up their Tyres
and making ready to build their nests
and 60 In for the simple life when the
farmer yoked up his oxen and hitched
them to the pillow and started IN 10
break the soil Of five acre lot which
was to be planted to potatoes. Inc
oxen turned furrow twenty rods long
and then decided to rest. They were
coaxed and argued with. but they
were obdurate. Not an hours WORK
was got out Of them that whole day.
The May sun was shining just as
brightly and the May robins were
singing just as gayly when the farmer
and his oxen started in on the second
day. Peace on earth and good Will to
men seemed to prevail all along the
line. but close observer would have
noticed that the farmers jaw was set
and that the oxen had defiant toss
of the head. Things developed early.
When two burrows had been plowed
across the land the oxen suddenly
started and ran away, and pillow and
farmer We're dragged along for ten
minutes before there was halt.
When the oxen were brought out aft
err dinner the farmer was armed with
a stout club, and the light Of Bunker
Hill shone In his eyes. Perhaps the
bovines had premonition of the coming
cyclone, for they logged along in a
sober and industrious way for half an
hour before breaking out; then 1t was
another runaway and a halt in fence
corner. They had only stopped to
breathe when the farmer was on top
Of them with his club. He also broke
forth into language. He dubbed and
he exclaimed; he pounded and be e1ac-
ulated; he walloped and he cussed.
One of the travellers along the high
way that afternoon was the widow
Barnes. She belonged to the same
church as the Johnsons. She drove up
as the circus was in full swing, and.
jumping out of her buggy, she mounted
the roadside fence and shrieked out:
"Stop that! Stop that! Samuel John
son, have you gone crazy?'
"None O. your business was shout
ed back
But I'll make it my business. Don't
you swear another swear in my pres
ence!"
by thunder and lightning and lingo
and Peter and Paul!'
"And don't you hit them oxen anoth-
or blown
Whack! Whack! Whack!
II command you to stop! In the name
of the law command you not to strike
another blown
Farmer Johnson struck a dozen.
Every well. l know what l shall do.
The people around here shall know
what sort Of man you are before the
sun goes down.
The widow drove to the village and
to the minister's. and the story she told
made the good mans hair stand up. He
couldn't help but feel that 1t was his
duty to 60 out and investigate, and the
widow lent him her horse and buggy
for the drive He arrived at the John
son farm to find the oxen resting under
tree and the farmer sitting on the
fence with straw in his mouth. The
oxen were wondering what further dew
iltry they could be guilty Of.
II am sorry. Brother johnson, very
sorry began the minister as he heav-
ed long sigh.
"sister Barnes told you all about it.,
did she?"
Everything"
"She said l pounded the oxen with a
club"
"She did. and can see proofs of it."
"She said swore?'
Like a pirate Of old, and l can al
most smell the fumes Of sulphur
oAVuhu hSAC. DlOlucI ulltll II
man can control his temper he cannot
be looked upon as a Christian"
"Parson, did you ever drive oxen?'
asked the farmer after bit.
IL cannot say that ever did. but
nothing can convince me that 1t is
necessary to resort to profanity and
brutality to move yoke OF gentle
eyed oxen along
Come along and give II trial..
The good man hesitated. but the
oxen were attached to the plow and
headed around, and he advanced and
seized the plow handles and gave
them the word to go. They went.
Their movements for the first five min
utes were as gentle as grease running
across the kitchen floor: then they
stopped, wheeled. turned the yoke and
ran over the plowman and dragged him
along for ten rods before they could be
headed off.
That's the way they have been act
ing for day and a half" observed
the farmer.
The minister ilmped toward the
fence.
"And I don't think I'm SO much to
blame for shouting at them"
The other climbed over into the road
Rv,l a.