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A Ride in an Ox Wagon

About two years ago, I had the strange and delightful experience of riding in an ox cart. It was while we were in the western part of North Carolina where it is very mountainous. A small party of us decided that we should go on a picnic, over on Whiteside Mountain, which was about five or six miles from town.

We hired an ox - cart from one of the mountaineers to transport the party, as few of us had ever had the pleasure of riding in one. The ox cart was without springs, cushions or any like conveniences, but why let a little thing like that trouble us?

Our ride up the mountain was without event except that we saw a wicked - looking black - snake crawling along the bank. We had a merry time, but were glad when we reached our camping place as the constant jolting over rocks was enough to tire us considerably.

Whiteside mountain is nearly a mile high and nearly to its top there is a comparatively level stretch of ground which makes an excellent camping place. This was our destination, and unyoking the oxen we prepared to eat our lunch and enjoy ourselves. After lunch we roamed about,