264 KENNEBEC COTTNTY SOCIETY. 



passed upon for beauty, size and worth — what a task ! and yet our 

 courage did not fail us, for we had read in the Holy Book that, in 

 olden time, individuals kept greater herds, and that Job once pos- 

 sessed five hundred yoke of axen, and that King Uzziah, in the lo'W 

 country and in the plains, kept much cattle. So we commenced, 

 thinking to make short work by striking along the whole line at once, 

 as did Napoleon at Waterloo ; at any rate, we adopted the wder of 

 Lord Wellington to his guards — we "up and at 'em." 



At the butt end of a long line, we found a yoke of oxen owned 

 by J. B. Swanton, Esq. ; threw a line around them and found that 

 they girthed only seven feet and eight inches — five years old. 

 These were a pair of monarcha that we admired — not of men, but 

 of the rugged hill sides of our State. We passed on, and found 

 that seventeen pairs of this string measured from seven feet to seven 

 feet eight inches, the remainder running down to six feet six inches ; 

 numbering in all, nearly one hundred oxen, well shaped, matched 

 and trained. This team, you will not be surprised to learn, be- 

 longed to Readfield — a town that, for the last quarter of a century, 

 has seldom been absent from the show, and has become so accus- 

 tomed to carrying off the prize, that she remains unmoved '-when 

 her blushing honors are fast upon her." By a decisive vote of the 

 Committee, Readfield is to receive the first reward. 



We next turned our attention to Fayette, that little town just over 

 yonder, reposing among the hills, and which never dishonors a draft 

 when made upon her for oxen. We hardly know how to speak in 

 her praise, but as good wine needs no cheer, we only point you to 

 her cattle. At the risk of traveling out of our legitimate path and 

 forestalling the chairman on matched oxen, we will just hint that 

 one pair of four years old oxen in this team, owned by W. F. Hil- 

 ton, stand unequalled — combining discipline, solidity and comparison, 

 girthing seven feet six inches. This town numbered twenty-four 

 pairs, ten of which exceeded in girth any team on the ground ; it 

 was only the lack of numbers tbat threw her behind Readfield. We 

 award her the second premium. 



Mt. Vernon presented twenty-two pairs, nine of which girted 

 seven feet and over. They were hardy, respectable cattle, but 

 nothing in comparison to what the town might have presented. She 

 is entitled to the third premium. 



