A Farmers' Candidate

Some 10 years ago, at the time wlien the epizootic was generally prevalent, a certain York county rnan was engaged in hauling goods to and f rom the ireight depots at Portland, using oxen instead of horses. All of his own stock vva3 in use, and he was obliged to buy several more yokes in order to keep up with the demands of his customers. One day he chanced to meet Col. Robie in a railroad car, the Colonel being en route to Gorham, where lio resides upon a large and highly cultivated ancestral farm. The Colonel and the York county mau engaged in conversatiojj, and during its progresa the former said ; "William, what are you paying for oxen nowï" ',That depends," replied William. "Well," said the Colonel, "getoff with me at Gorham and come over to my place and look at a yoke of mine ; handsome as pictures ; splendid puliera : and you may have thein at a bargain." The iuvitation was accepted, and soon our York county friend found himself in front of the Kobie mansion, most beautifully situated in the midst of waving grass, surrounded by grand old elins, and itself an old-fashioned but sumptuously furnished house, beneath whose roof its present owner has passed many happy hours, and entertained with genuino hospitality, a host of friends. "Jim," shouted the "farmer's candidate," as he drew near the barn, "fetch out that yoke of dark reds." Now Jim had been enjoying himself that day, and it was not surprbing that he made an occasion&l mistake. "All right, sir," remarked the hired man, and aoon a handsome pair of cattle were in the yard. But they didn't show off well ; they didn't pull well ; they acted, in fact, as though the devil were in them. The genial Colonel was puzzled. "Jim," he called out in tones of mingled disgust and anger, "Jim, what in thunder have you been doing to 'era?" "Nothing to-day but feeding them, sir," replied Jim resnectfully. "But don't teil me that," responded the Colonel, "because you've been licking 'em." Jim indignantly denied that such was the fact, whereupon the "farmers' candidate" said: "Jim.givemethat goad," and with a "back up," "'sh, 'ah," "a gee star," &c, the Colonel endeavored to have the animáis show off to advantage. But to the intense delight of ourfriend William, and to Jim also, for that matter, the yoke of dark reds acted worse than before. "I don't see for the life of me what's got into the critters," chipped in the Colonel, in evident disgust at their contrariness. "I never knew 'em to act this way before." "Well, Colonel," said the York County man, "I've seen your oxen, now what's your price?" "Well, being's you," said the Colonel, deliberately, and with a squint of one of his laughing eyes, 'Til let 'em go for an evea $250." "Too niucu, Colonel, too much for a pair that don't pull better'n they do," responded the York County man. "Well, William," piped in the farmers' candidate, "what would you be willing to give for 'em ?" 111 give you just $225, and drive 'em home this afternoon." For a few second3 the Colonel waa apparently buried in profound meditation. Suddenly he broke out with, "Well, William, being's you, you may have'm at your own price. Ilonestly, William, I never saw the critters act this way before." William completed the trade and started for home with his purchase. When he had got the animáis out of sight of the Colonel's house he just changed 'em arouud, putting the off ox on the off side and the nigh ox on the nigh side, and thereafter, as the story goes, "they went along beautifulj."-Ex.