The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-07-11

"Oh say, grandpa" said Diche.
and his head was buried so deeply in
pair of sprawly legs and two long
feet hanging on to a nail in the floor
by the toes. and a 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 If they had been
broken on. Can have EN-, grandpa?
l asked first"
Cant | have one pair, grandpa?"
begged a voice from another corner,
then red-faced boy appeared.
Let me see them" said grandpa.
why, they are old Bucks and Brides
horns. No. guess I'll keep them a
little while longer Upon my word.
I'd forgotten about them.
But, boys. | can tell you real
good story about them" he added.
when? when grandpa? Now; will
you?" And Dickle swept of a clean
place on a behch with the sleeve of
his coat.
well, suppose we wait until after
supper. Thatll be a good time and
! can think about It a little"
So in the early evenlng-the time
for ory-telling-grandpa sat down
before the fireplace, with a boy on
each side of him. Each lad had a
stick and a jackknife, whiting.
We'll, to begin at the beginning"
said grandpa, when | was a 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 a whip.
Father gave me pair OF young
ones, black and white, and said was
to train them. 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.
zone day | took them to be shod.
like COW, and so each foot must
have two shoes. That makes eight
shoes TO an OK, doesn't II? | must
tell you how they shoe oxen, as 1t
Is very different from shoeing a horse.
The OK is first led into a frame about
three feet wide. which is built of
strong timber with a floor in Il. Two
heavy poles push up on each side OF
the ox's shoulders. holding him firm;
then two more just back of his horns.
to which ropes are attached. and
these hold his head and shoulders per-
fectly still. Two broad leather bands
fastened loosely to poles as 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 bands
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.
"One day, along in April, father
was chopping with a very sharp ak,
and 1t slipped and cut a cash in his
leg. The blood spurted high and we
both know that he had cut an artery
Together we managed to bind it up
above the wound and stop the blood
flowing, but father was dreadfully
weak
"You must get me down 10 Dr.
Mead's right away" he said. SO
managed to 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 pret.
ty fast. but | had good control OF the
oxen. so | didn't care. But just at
a turning point In the road | heard a
uoise and looked back. Father was