The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-07-04

~ Grabbed the REIN
oh say. grandpa" said Dickie.
and his head was buried so deeply In
a big old trunk in the barn that only
pair OF sprawy legs and two long
feet hanging on to a nail in the floor
By the toes. and q dusty trouser seat
could be seen.
oh, say. grandpa. here's two Of
the dandiest pairs Of COWS horns with
little brass balls on them. Only three
of them look as II they had been
broken on. Can have 'em. grandpa?
asked first"
Cant have one pair, grandpa"
begged a voice from another corner.
then a red-faced boy appeared
LET me see them" said grandpa.
"Why. they are old Bucks and Brides
horns. No. ] guess IN keep them
little while longer Upon my word.
ia forgotten about them.
But. boys. / can tell you a real
good story about them" he added.
When? when grandpa? Now; win
your And Dickie swept on a clean
place on bench with the sleeve OF
his coat.
"Well. suppose we walt until after
supper Thatll be a good time and
can think about Il a little"
SO In the early eyening-the time
for storytelling grandpa sat down
before the fireplace with a boy on
each side OF him. Each lad had a
stick and a iackknife. whiting
Wei. to begin at the beginning"
said grandpa, when ! was little
boy we didn't have as many horses
in our part OF the country as there
are now. But we used oxen. which
are just as strong and sometimes as
swift as horses Though usually they
are slow / guess you have not seen
them very often. They are fastened
together by a wooden yoke and driven
by rein sometimes. but oftener con
trolled by a person merely speaking
and cracking q whip.
Father gave me a pair Of young
ones, black and white, and said / was
to train them. l was much pleased
and made up my mind that they would
be the best team in the country. /
named. them Buck and Bride. ] was
always gentle and never abused them.
and soon they grew TO love me and
would do anything | told them to.
"One day / took them TO be shod
An OK, you know. has a split hoof.
like a COW. and 50 each foot must
have two shoes. That makes eight
shoes to an OK. doesn't it2 | must
tell you how they shoe oxen. as II
is very different from shooting a horse.
The OK is FIRST led into frame about
three feet wide. which is built Of
strong timber with floor In II. Two
heavy poles push up on each side OF
the ox's shoulders. holding him Arm;
then two more just back Of his horns.
10 which ropes are attached. and
these hold his head and shoulders per.
fectly still Two broad leather bands
fastened loosely TO poles SIS high as
the ox's back. are next passed under
his body, and hook on the other side
to another pole. These poles are
turned around. shortening the hands
until the OK is raised on HIS feet. The
feet are then roped back. hoof up
wards to other poles. and tied tightly
so they cannot move. The blacksmith
Is then able TO nail the shoes on
quickly. without being bothered by the
animals struggles.
Buck and Bride could go so much
better after they had been shod, as
they did not slip in going over the
rough roads. Ice and melting snow
made II very slippery. and one had to
drive with great care
zone day. along in April. father
was chopaing with a very sharp ak.
and II slipped and cut a cash in his
leg. The blood spurted high and we
both knew that he had cut an artery.
Together re managed to bind II up
above the wound and stop the blood
flowing. but father was dreadfully
weak.
You must get me down TO DR..
Meads right away" he said. SO
managed 10 partly carry him to the
sleigh and wrap a blanket around
him. He held the stick with which
we had twisted the bandages around
his leg, and drove We started pref.
~ fast. but ! had good control OF the
oxen, so ! didn't care. But just at
a turning point in the road l heard q
noise ard looked back. Father was