A cow named Jessie

Angus cattle are usually docile. Even the bulls are usually easy to handle. Dad did have a leg broken when one of the cows swung her head and hit him just right to snap a bone. It was the same leg he'd broken burying the rock. But, this was a clean break and help was right there. With all the cattle to spend time on our farm, we only had one mean cow. I believe Dad named her after the cowboy badman, Jessie James. Jessie was mean all the time, but when she had a calf by her side, Jessie was dangerous. I'm not sure how or when this cow got her mean temperment, but it probably started with her first calf. I do know we each had bad moments with this cow. This was before I got Gypsy, so anytime we had to go out into the herd, it meant walking into the cattle. The first thing you did was look to see where Jessie was, and try to keep as many cows as possible between you. When Jessie had a calf to nurse, Dad usually brought the milk cows in himself, rather than send us out. I remember Mom going out one day and Stormy going with her. The dog was running ahead in the zig zag way of dogs. Stormy caught Jessie's attention and got to close. When Jessie made her charge at Stormy, our "worthless" dog ran straight to Mom and hid behind her. Peeking out from the safety of behind Moms legs, Stormy barked at Jessie. Watching from too far away I was sure Mom was going to be hurt. But, Jessie stopped without hitting them. She had her head lowered and made a few more false charges, but Moms shouts and hand waving kept Jessie at bay. That time. Without a calf, Jessie usually did back down if you were facing her. When there was a young, nursing calf to defend, nothing would save you from getting knocked off your feet. During the worst of those times, Dad would try to keep her penned up. Normally a cow this dangerous would just have been sold. But, Jessie's calves were always champions. This made her too valuable in our small herd to get rid of. Jessie would knock you off your feet or send you flying. She didn't try to stomp you once you were down.

My worst hit was in the barn when I was filling a water tank. I'd bent over to pick up the water hose and Jessie knocked me flat. For days I had a huge bruise on my butt where Jessie hit me, and another big bruise on my shoulder where I hit the water tank.

S took a worse hit one day. Jessie caught him in the belly and put him through a gate. Broken boards and a very winded, bruised S.

My brothers started an expression. "Madder than a Jessie" The neighbors picked it up and it spread through school. We began hearing it all over. S says he still hears someone say it occasionally and he bets they don't know where it came from. But, we know.

Speaking of water tanks. The main tank in the main part of our barn was concrete. About 4 Ft. wide and maybe 10 Ft. long. Concrete tanks are almost impossible to keep clean. On the insides and bottom a green slime accumulates and there is a musty smell. It grows faster in summer, but it's easier to bail out and clean then. Even in winter the stuff grows and only animals would consider drinking it. In winter, in the barn, the cattle keep most of the ice from forming, and whoever fills the tank has to break up any ice they leave.

All of this leads me to a visit from the new Minister's son. Our little country Methodist Church shared the Minister with another little country Church. We had several new Ministers while we were growing up. This one had a son the same age as S. R. H. had never been on a farm before. Mom invited him over to spend a day with my brothers to get aqauainted when they first moved in. J and S were warned to mind their manners and not to embarrass Mom. Remember, this is the Ministers son!!! They took R on a tour of the barn and buildings and the hay mow. They showed him the 4-H calves. They chased a few barn cats. The usual. But, then someone got the bright idea of placing a board long ways across the concrete water tank and walking on it. The worst of winter was over, but it was icy cold and the water was quite yucky. And, of course R didn't make it across the board and fell in. Soaked and cold and smelly he went to Mom for help. And Mom....she was madder than a Jessie.