The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-05-30
!SHOENG Il MULE.

A Winchester, Tenn, correspondent
| of the New York HcrGid, thus describes
recent attempt TO shoe mule in
that village:
Six negroes on the common road
opposite 4 blacksmith's shop for over
az hour, were trying to persuade a
young, tall, robust, country mule to
allow himself to he shod. They put
rope collar round his neck, and to that
attached a line which, thrown out be
tween his hind legs, was intended to
trip up each in turn and hold it in
position while the blacksmitl-Sam
by name-operated on the hoof For
over an hour this extraordinary mule
fought the six men, kicking away the
trap laid for his enslavement as easily
as he might a cObweb, and describing,
high up in the air, forked lightning
diagrams with his hcels-a sight fear
full to behold. Painting, yet patient,
their hats kicked off their heads their
shins bruised and their pants torn, the
six gallant darkies stuck to that su-
pernatural mule until finally they Sc
cured his right hind leg and had his
lIOOI ldltl Oil hCSliIl IIlC DlSiChSIlllIIl =
lap, ready for sacrifice. BY this time
all the surrounding points Of vantage
were occupied by spectators, wrought
up to the most intense pitch of excite
ment-J OhnsOn men cheering on the
mule, Maynard men cheering on the
darkies. Sam the blacksmith was 4
tail, well-built fellow He had his
back to the fhule's head and was in a
STOPPING position over the hoof In
front of him, about six feet from the
mules tail, ca perilous distance,) was
a circle Of about twenty darkies await
ing the operation of putting the shoe
on, with The most Solemn interest
Never did mule draw such pious rev
crence from q like audience
I'd ha' let him hc, " said one "dar's
no use 4 fussin' with such a good for
muffin mcule as dat"
''Fo' God" exclaimed another, in
4 low cautious tore, ''t 90 bIieve in
my So de Gle deJ5Ie hissclf is in dat
har meufe"
"Wot You speak alii5c ;tot fo' ~
said a third, turning on the previous
speaker Dat mcule hears every tin
you say, and thinks it illsu u'ting. Don't
know wedder the debbel is in him ,
but do conscquentially believe dar's
heap of kick III his hind legs still
Guess whoever gets him viii tink so
too. | wants my head insured when
lse aXcd to nurse him"
In the meantime, Sam had his i'm
plements ready, and an assistant far
rier approached and laid the shoe ten.
derly upon the virgin hoof. \ nail
was inserted, while Sam elevated his
hammer TO deliver the pregnant blow
that was to drive it safely home 1t
was moment Of hrcathciess and ago
nizing suspense with whites and blacks
alike. The latter anticipated a triumph
for their race the former prepared to
keep their sides from splitting asundcr.
Sans legs shook, but he brought down
the hammer with all his might, and at
the same moment an explosion occur
red that fairly baliied description. A
trip hammer falling on a ton weight
Of nitro-glycerine immured in a tin
box could hardly have produced any
more sudden and bcwildering results. |
Quicker than thought the mule drew
his leg with incredible force, struck the
still STOPPING Sam square in the dubious
centre of his hind section, projecting
him forward in the air, like a cannon
ball from a catapault. As Sam disap-
peared in space, he knocked all the
darkies in trout of him like nine-pins, .
scattering them over the road in all
directions, and landing himself on top
Of stake fence twenty feet away.