Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1945-02-16
CHAPTER w
"Will it mean supper?"

need count on is dinner"
Then Ma would say, "Jim always
likes chicken. I'll have Homer run
down chicken"
Tuesday morning we'd be up early
and get the chores taken care of
and the horses turned out to pasture,
as we wouldn't need them today.
Then we'd all go out on the front
porch to wait. Pretty soon we would
see one of the neighbors coming
across the field and Pa would say,
GO out and wave, Homer" and
would 60 out to the fence and wave
my hat. In moment, Harve would
wave back.
Pretty soon he would be at the
front porch and Pa would say,
Have you got your gloves?" and.
Harve would slap his hip pocket and
say, Fright here"
We would talk neighborhood news
and crops. Harve would say, give
got lots Of down corn" And Pa
would say, ''It was that wind of July
twelfth" And Harve would say, at
seems to me we get more down
corn than we used to-" Pa would
say, Zone good thing about it, it
natures just as we'll"
Ma would say, GLOW is your wife
getting along with her grapes?" and
Harve would say, "She's got bags
drippin' from everywhere. If I get
up in the night, I bang smack into
one." Then we would all laugh.
"Her hands are all discolored. I
don't know what she's goin' to do
when Sunday comes"
1.-THE Lord will overlook that"
Ma would say. Ma was strong for
the Lord.
Pa was for the Lord, too, but not
just because somebody's hands were
stained.
1t wouldn't be long before Jim
Vert would come over the brow of
the hill with his dehorning chute
rafting along on its two wheels.
Jim would be standing in the front
part of the chute, his head not much
higher than the boards.
We would go out to meet him, all
except Ma, because she didn't like
to think what the dehorning chute
stood for. I didn't either, but on
farm certain things have to be done.
Jim would open up his toolbox and
get out his blood-stained jumper with
brass buttons on the sleeves. Then
he would get out his saw which had
a steel frame, and a long thin,
vicious-looking blade. Then he
would turn a thumbscrew till the
blade was so tight it would 60 ping!
when he picked it with his thumb
nail. Jim would squint one eye and
sight along the blade as if it was
gun barrel. II think I'd better give
it rip or two"
His hand would go into the box
and out would come a file and he
would begin to dress the savage
teeth. While he was doing this, we
would exchange news.
"How is your down corn?" Pa
would say.
1--WE got lots of it. Just lots" Jim
would say as he sighted along the
teeth. "It was that wind of July
twelfth"
"That's what I told Harve," Pa
would say with satisfaction.
Jim would take his place at the
front end of the chute with his saw,
and Pa and Harve and would start
to drive the calves in closer and
closer. They'd throw up their heads
and roll their eyes, because they
knew something was the matter.
The chute was shaped like the
letter v. There was a series of
holes on each side through which
poles could be pushed. We'd round
up the calves closer and closer,
sometimes one calf ahead, some
times another. "Huey!" Pa would
call and wave his hands and calf
would fasten his eyes on the opening
of the chute and start forward in
hopeful little trot. Then we'd make
a dash and slam the poles behind
him. Jim would be watching his
chance and take the big heavy
board, shaped like the letter u, and
Jam it down over the calls neck so
the calf wouldn't move. There the
calf would stand, kicking and bawl-
ing. his sides humping in and out.
LET him quiet down." Jim would
say. "It's always good idea to
let the first one quiet down. Gives
the others confidence"
We'd lean against the chute and
let him quiet down.
IA girl was around to see me
about the school," Jim would say.
"Did she come to see you, Amos?"
"Not yet"
"Well, talked to her. But you
can't tell anything from talkin' to
'em. guess he's all right now"
Jim would give his sleeves hitch,
and lean over the top of the chute.
"Hold lis nose till I get started,
IL, .&,<r:1,