Lower coast gazette., 1913-12-27
wouldn't ride dat oxen if I neber ride

who knew more about Abel than any
one else; but in those days we seldom
took anything as decisive.
Can you get a rope over his horns,
Prince" persisted.
The negro assented; he went into a
small shed nearby, and brought out a
plow-line with a slip-knot in the end.
We climbed the fence, and crossed the
little "hog-crawl" that separated the
stable-lot proper from the large en-
closure where the big rick and all the
cattle were. Some of the wilder ones
ran out of the gate when they saw
us coming; others stopped their feed
ing and eyed us with distrust.
But Big Abel did not deign to give
us a glance. His Indifference, the
size of his great body, and the wide
sweep of his scythelike horns i'm
pressed us as much as open hostility
would have done. Tom and / stopped
at the bars, but Prince, carrying the
rope, slipped quietly into the lot, pass
ed the other cattle, and walked
straight up to Big Abel.
He ran his hand caressingly yer
the huge ox's side, stroked the bowed
neck, set the moose deity over the
horns, drew it taut, and pulled Abel's
great bulk toward him as if he had a
grievance against the OK. These tao
tics won the favor of tie old monarch,
who followed Prince with a mingled
air Of stateliness and meekness.
Tom and l were SOMEWHAT jealous of
Princes courage and ashamed Of our
own timidity. But we need not have
been ashamed; for Big Abel regarded
Prince with more favor than he did
other persons. Prince led Abel up to
the bars; then, crawling through, he
handed me the rope. Big Abel raised
his great head, with its magnificent
horns, and looked gloomily at us.
"Shall we ride him. Tomw My
voice, l know, limited that we should
not.
prince, suppose yo,. try him first"
my brother suggested.
Prince dissented. He and Abel were
good friends, he said, BUT not even he
had ever taken the liberty of riding
him.
.Abel's mighty particular" he final
ly said.
Meanwhile the huge OK stood beyond
the bars, silent and motionless.-He
Twas not4so misunderstanding the cud.
"Pshaw!" my brother exclaimed,
suddenly. "Im not going to let that
old fraud back me down."
With that, he put one foot through
the fence and stopped down to get be.
tween the bars. But he not get far.
for I cried to him and Prince caught
his coat and pulled him hack. Abel
had made a lunge at him, and one OF
the sharp horns had rasped against
the rail. The OK raised his head, SHOOK
it, and gazed %defiantly at us. He blew
out his breath angrily. His feet were
set apart; he was braced for anything
that we might bring against him.
We were afraid of Big Abel.
Meanwhile the plantation negroes
returning home through the twilight
gathered to see what was going on
, We felt ourselves in the position O
showmen, who, having collected /;
crowd, feel bound to produce some en-
tertainment. Old Isaac, a plantation
sage, edged near the bars, and peeret
, through at the OK.
J This Abel" he said, apparently Il
; himself, but chiefly for u benefit
| takes his name from the Bible, bu
his meanness from the debil. Wha
! you gwine to do to him, Mas Tom?
+ We don't know exactly Tom an
swered.
! Isaac grunted his understanding Q
Z the situation. Prince" he said, "yo
n better turn dat oxen loose"
But with a shake Of his heat
Q Prince disclaimed all responsibility.
At last, in sheer desperation, | pre-
posed a foolhardy plan, for lack Of
e better way to satisfy the curiosity G
9 the negroes who now stood range
I'm going to try,to beat old Abel t
the straw-rick,"I said. prince, 20
. hold him here against the bars till
4 get through the fence. / just want t
get through clear, that's all. The
I, turn him loose, and I'll show you
race"
Take care, boss" old Isaac cal
e toned. "Abel might show you a race
There was a general murmur Of di
le sent among the negroes, who, much a
they loved excitement, did not wis
IS to see me take the risk of bein
" gored. But l had made UP my min
t. l crawled through the fence, and Wa
about to call to Prince to let ABB
free, when the OK broke away fro
the bars and wheeled on me. So quic
was he that he came near stabbin
Is me with the first sweep of his horn