Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-04
1sAK DIyERsION..
A Love Episode in the Lone Star
state-A MuIeback Ride and what
Came ar IL - 4
From the Washington Capital.

N AsUVe EpKSOGe In the Lone ca8E
state-A HuIebaci hide and what
] Came OF It.. 80
From the washington Capital. &
| AUSTIN, Texas, July 8, 1s72.-Did you
ever ride mule? l don't mean civilized
creature accustomed to good society such
as you have about Washington in and out
OF office, but wild steed of the plains
brought up on grass and rattlesnakes and
accustomed to cavort regardless of the Con-
stitution as amended or the rights of mao.
Mules are pretty much alike the world over,
only the Texan mule is little more 50.
He has more viciousness to the square inch
than any creature the Lord ever created.
lie can buck like horse, which means to
! go up on four feet and come down on one
| with the back rounded to such an extent
that nothing is visible on the horizon but
the tips of his ears, and you've had scarce
| ly time to make an observation of these be-
lore the earth seems to have bumped up
and given you free admission to q uni
verse of fireworks. Then his voice equals
what you tell US Of the Newman chimes.
am sorry that Gilmore didn't have Texan
mule among his other musical celebrities to
| astonish them foreigners. -
rode one the other day and Pm going
to try to tell you about it. 1t won't be very
well written, because my right arm has
been 10 sling and l have more bruises
than bones. You see l fell in love with a
girl, deep as a forty foot WE'LL mean my
love not the girl, she isn't deep bit-and
as my luck would have it another fellow fell
about the same distance at the same time.
He's not bad looking chap and wears store |
clothes on week DAYS. He parts his hair in |
the middle and oils it up with bergamot and |
cinnamon. He has his name printed on |
pieces of pasteboard and drops them round |
promiscuoasly for fear that people might |
forget that A. Browne Swivel wasR't about. |
| had to acknowledge the fact that between |
this fellow and myself in the affections of |
the divine Araminta it was nip and tuck, |
with the dog little ahead. |
put on my best clothes one day and |
walked over to this gal's-house, intending |
to move on her works, and have the thing |
settled without further debate. NV rival |
was there, and seemed to have on bis sit I
ting clothes. That didn't amount to much.
for / knew that at ten o'clock, six hours
after my arrival, he'd have to wend his
winding way home, for the old lady he
boarded with didn't allow any irregular
hours. Ii he got to his frugal couch, or
rather the house containing it, he might
skin his knuckles and kick his boots of, but
he wouldn't get in after that hour, and the
hay-mow is not pleasant bedroom in flea
time. But was soon relieved of all anx-
iety. We had diversion that broke up
up the sitting.
Araminta is possessed of little brother
Il hate girls brothers. If they are little
they play tricks on you, and il they are big
they borrow your money, get dunk, and
insult you with impunity, knowing that you |
are in love with the sister and won't re-
sent an indiguity. |
While we were talking in a small way,
and looking volumes of love at the girl and
wrath at each other, we heard fearful veil
in the garden patch, and running out found
her little brother on the ground in active
commissions. He had been trying to eat
his way through the melon patch. 1t was
a disgusting failure, for he could not have
bursted open and gone into the contents of
more than ten or twelve. As it was it
looked as though there was going to be q
death in the family, and Araminta screamed
a scream and yelled at us to run for doc
tor. We both took in the situation at a |
glance-the man that got the doctor first
would get Araminta for life. My rival went
over the fence like deer and seized the |
only horse in the stable. He bridled and |
saddled The animal in double quick time,
while l found nothing left me but mule.
seized blind bride, and rushing at the
animal felt something whiz over my head
that l am satisfied was pair of heels.
They narrowly missed my skull, but car
ried away my hat. Nothing daunted, l .
seized the creature by the ear, put on the
bride, and christening the chain by which
be was battered led him from the stable.
He went out willingly, so much so indeed
that L had some difficulty in keeping up,
aud had not the creature stopped on the
outside to give vent to his feelings in pro
onged bray, | could not have mounted !
AS it was, before he got through with his
musical entertainment | was on his back.
81 The beast seemed somewhat astonished
1t this performance, and stood turning it
over in his mind for minute, while dug
my heels vigorously in his sides. he
seemed suddenly to come to the conclusion
hat change of administration would be
IN excellent thing, and to this end began
yoing up and down like saw gate. | re-
lily thought I'd be split in two, and would
probably have been pitched over, but that
n the midst of this pleasing exercise Null
y caught sight Of the horse disappearing at
! hard gallop in the distance. He seemed q
minated by the laudsble ambition of over a
aking that horse, aud started SO suddenly
le came very near leaving me behind. l
worked my way forward until | could get
ny hand hold of the halter chain, and, |
'ulling this rigging taut, got pretty secure q
odd.
How that beast did rum lie not only
aimed on the horse to such an extent that 2
Araminta might have offered two TO one )
nd no takers, but exhibited bis supera-
undance of bottom by throwing in, at in
ervals, the li1eliest kicks that ever emana-
ed from a mule. About a mile out we
loSed in on the cob, and as we passed Mu-
9y favored him with salute that was most
lfernally foul, for, planting his two heels 10
pom the off quarter of the honest old Bu-
ephalus, heard a yell, and glancing round
aW my rival and horse 90 down In the
most prom 'ScuOus manner. We had ride
eight miles before us, and feet satisfied
nat in that distance, at the rate we were
-aveling, Muley would have a good deal =
cal of the devil taken out of him. | be-
anne aware of another fact, and that Was
nat my best pants were giving Way. | y
hould like to see anything short of woven e
etwork for suspension bridge stand the
ear and tear OF such ride as that.
About five miles out we struck water
lelon patch and went straight through.
0uld hear the melons bursting under me
Ike bombs, and when we emerged from "
le further side specimens Of this fruit were 10
,rung on the mules legs like beads.
A mile beyond this saw cur excellent
linister Of the gospel vending his solemn II
-ay across the prairies with wagon full of 4
lfant Jacobs, and | saw also that unless he
hipped his horse Old Hundred to most
run we would be into him in .
anter. Ipllled hard on the near rein with
ne hand, while steaded myself with the
Iain with the other, but with no more eff