Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-11-27

. Hi INYI point NNNi' IN IIINm II.
vrHHUNl mUIpa and 10000 Wagons
ih arrivals every day. A ihirb
'1ui 0r dust i.vrs over Che rVrIw
round about and the mir ls resonant
With uu'lludiuous huys mtcrmIng
.rd with lhc h0alap cries of the mule
bro kerr
Coming down from Port Deposit In
buggy ly the river road, In The out
Nuaof lho city, we cumc on vast
oyr0i of United States wagons, inclo.
.uE % space Of five or six acres, In.
s3o ol the inclOsurc we noticed per.
iect forest Of loua cars aud compact
mass Of black hides working and sur
ging TO and fro. There are quite n
number of these pens near Perryyille,
each containing 1900 or 1000 mules,
collected from all parts Of the country,
and stored in these pens to await the
process Of breaking,
Some distance from tho pen we
found the breaking ground, where a
bout 100 lusty darkes were engaged
in the work Of taking the mules thro'
% rudimentary course of instructions
preparatory to fitting them for duty
in harness, The process Of breaking
Is exciting and interesting, and not
unattended with danger. The mule
is driven into "chute' just the width
of his body, with strong wooden bars
on each side, which prevents his kick
ing out literally, and at the same time
admit Of his being handled through
the cracks. A rope is then fastened
10 his Jaws, and another tied as q girth
&round his belly; after which one is
attached to his fore foot, and passed
under the girth and out at the rear,
an which condition he is turned out for
the preliminary exercises, consisting
of series of frantic plunges, with
"ome ground and lofty tumbing, vci-
Gus attempts to bite, and strike with
his fore feet The exercise contin-
lies for longer or shorter period Of
lime, according to the Intelligence and
obstinacy of the subject. But your
'nule is not altogether such a fool as
he looks, and after coming to grief
matter Of dozen times by means
Ofthe check rope, he wisely concludes
shat plunging and rearing is not remu-
nerative, and lies still, either reflect
ing or groaning piteousIy. Ifunusu-
ally obstinate through the first course,
ne Is trotted round the course ut dou-
ble quick time, and his hide copiously
anolnted with stout cudgel. After
The first course, the mule then being
supposed to have absorbed something
Of the rudiments of his education, it
- reconducted to the "chute" whore
ne IS invested with harness and again
led forth, and another series of gym
nastIc exercises takes place. After
becoming somewhat accustomed to
the harness, the mules are hitched mp
tothe large wagons, and driven around
the course. The operation of hitching
up is delicate one, requiring great
care. The negro approaches cautious
ly and gingerly, with his eyes fixed
on the mules ears "A suspicious move
nent Of the auricuar appendages is
seen, and the startled African springs
back ward as quick as Lightning, just
n time to escape flashing pair of
heels Again he approaches, and f.
nallv succeeds in hitching up.
A brace of broken mules are usually
put in the rear, with team of wild
ones in front. Different phases ofmule
character are developed in the process
ofst7rting Some plunge and rear
all the time, others lie down and OBJ
srnately refuse to move; others kick
.ut Of the traces, face on the driver
riding the saddle mule, rear up and Vi
Cigus'Y strike at him with their fore
feet. Again Que will remain properly
quiet for time, and then spring for
ward TO the fill length of his traces
nth such violence rs to bring him to
a.a Enees. Nothing but the natural
abstiuacy of the mule prevents gen
cal smash up. Fortunately while one
pl1n res forward, the other through
sheer perverseness, will pull back.
Sometimes a forward mule will turn.
round in his traces, come TO a dead
halt, and stare at the driver in the
most ludicrous and side-splitting man
ner. In shoeing mules, broad leath-
e. belt is passed around his belly, and
the mule is hoisted clear, when his feet
are drawn back and fastened, when he
helplessly submits to the operati on Of
shoeing, entering sundry protests in
the way of snorts and groans. Cur
rying is anoperation which hardly pays
for the danger incurred The mule is
altogether too handy with his heels to
render it a desirable employment.
Sometimes a currycomb is fastened to
an eight-foot pole, when the groom
stands out of danger and rakes him
Down from "long taw" Watering the
mule is not the least interesting of the
operations l witnessed at Perryvillc.
The mules, to the number of a thous-