Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1906-03-09
Che MfniSte RS
PIo selfnG

number OF hogs ana calves ana n COW
for yoke Of oxen, Farmer Johnson
had been a farmer for good many
years. but had never owned q yoke of
oxen. He was a good man and mem.
Der OF a church congregation in the
| village. and his wife was known far
and wide fer her gentleness and benev.
olence
The robins were tuning up their Tyres
and making ready to build their nests
and go In for the simple life when the
farmer yoked up his oxen and hltche,l
them to the plow and started In TO
break the soil OF FIVE acre lot which
was to be planted to potatoes. The
oxen turned a 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 VIII 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 aNdehant toss
of the head. Things developed early.
When two burrows had been plowed
across the land the oxen suddenly
started and ran away, and plow and
farmer were. dragged along for ten
minutes before there was a halt.
When the oxen were brought out aft
er dinner the farmer was armed with
stout club, and the light Of Bunker
Hill shone in his eyes Perhaps the
bovlnes had premonition of the coming
cyclone, for they logged along in a
sober and Industrious way for half an
hour before breaking out; then it was
another runaway and halt in a 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 he ejac-
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
rs 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 businessr' was shout
ID back.
'But I'll make it my business. Don't
you swear another swear in my pres
,ncew
"By thunder and lightning and jingo
Ind Peter and Paulw
'':And don't you hit them oxen anoth-
II bloww
Whack! Whackl Whack!
81 command you to stopl In the name
4 the law command you not to strike
mother blown
Farmer johnson struck a dozen.
VERY well. know what l shall do.
The people around here shall know
What sort Of man you are before the
un goes down"
The wlGoi- drove to the v..la-e .rl
the minister's. and the story she told
lade the good mans hair stand up. He
ouldn't help but feel that It was his
uty to go out and investigated and the
7idow lent him her horse and buggy
Or the drive. He arrived at the John
on farm to find the oxen resting under
tree and the farmer sitting on the
ence with straw In his mouth. The
Ken were wondering what further dev.
try they could be guilty OF.
Il am sorry. Brother Johnson, very
,rry"- began the minister as he heav-
4 long sigh
Sister Barnes told you all about It.
Id she?"
Everything"
"she said / pounded the oxen with
ubT
"She did, and can see proofs of It,"
"she said I sworeT'
Like a pirate of old, and / can al
ost smell the fumes OF sulphur
'ound here. Brother johnson, until a
an can control his temper he cannot
looked upon as Christian
"Parson, did you ever drive oxen?"
'ked the farmer after a bit.
IL cannot say that ever did, but
'uhAhB cuH couNiuce me tnaI II Is
'cessary to resort to profanity and
'utality to move a yoke OF gentle
ed oxen along"
Come along and give it a trial"
The good man hesitated, but the
ZEN were attached to the plow and
AIDED around, and he advanced and
lied the plow handles and gave
EN- the word to go. They went.
leir movements. foe the first Ave min
es We're as gentle as grease running
ross the kitchen floor; then they
opped, wheeled, turned the yoke and
n over the plowman and dragged him
'ng for ten rods before they could be
AIDED of.
That's the way they have been act
for day and half,v observed
2 farmer.
fhe minister limped toward the
nee
And ! don't think I'm 50 much to
.me for shouting at them"