American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-06-26
Estray.

POundmaster.
A gray mule, well put together for ar
animal of the kind. The rotundity o
form which distinguishes the well-feC
mule was lacking. A bite of grass here
and there, an occasional thistle head, 6
nibble at passing load of hay may blunt
the edge of hunger but will not produce
plumpness nor good nature. He had
wandered from home, this mule-started
out with a desire, perhaps, of visiting
strange towns, meeting with strange adj
ventures, and of seeing the world. His
owner had been left one mule less, and
mayhap he had searched long and dill
gently, and been patient and hopeful,
trusting that the wheel of time would
turn and return the mourned estray.
Down the street-around the corner
the gaslight playing for a moment on
his faded coat-and the mule crowded
close to the fence and peered over with
hungry eyes at the juicy, green grass
Thus have we raised the curtain of fact
and introduced to orchestra, parquet,
boxes, and gallery the leading character,
playing not the role of the old man but
the role of the old mule.
In the parlor sat the lovers. She was
beautiful-he was worth 500 shares of
Lake Shore stock and was interested in
a bridge contract where there was a
chance for splendid grab. He loved,
and he trusted that she reciprocated.
He had come prepared to announce his
love and she blushed as she read the
fact in his eyes,
"My dear isabella" he commenced,
as he tenderly pressed her soft fingers,
i think you ="
"Gee-haw! Gee-haw" roared the way
ward mule, rendered melancholy by the
sight of the bountlful supper just beyond
his nose.
The fair Isabella sprang up in alarm,
and it was several minutes before the
young man with Lake Shore stock could
quiet her.
planned, as he looked from the open
window; and he scowled darkly at the
wanderer, and made threatening ges.
lures.
She sat down again, and the painful
silence was at length broken by his
grasping her hand and saying:
:" have to-day been analyzing my feel
ings toward you, and l find that"
"Oh! hoo-haw, gee-haw-gee-haw" an
nounced the homeless, houseless mule, as
he caught the scent of roses and tulips
from the lawn. He saw things as mule
sees them-he hungered as mules hunger
Its that BEST again!" whispered
Lake Shore stock, as the fair Isabella
uttered little shrek OF alarm.
He went to the window and ordered
the gray-haired outcast to move onto
leave that locality without any unneces-
sary delay, and secure standing room on
the common.
They sat down again. He had some
thing of interest to communicate, and
she had a curiosity to know what it was.
Minutes licked away before he looked
into her lustrous eyes again. He thought
he saw the light of love shining brightly,
and he stole his arm along the sofa and
said:
You must have seen-you must
know, that II
"O-h-hi gee-gee- ah-hai ah-har came
voice from beneath the window. 1t
was not the voice of drifting sailor
going down to dark, deep grave after
gallant struggle for life. 1t was not the
voice of lost child crying out as it
stumbled through the darkness, longing
for the strong arms of father to entold
mule, quavering strangely, as hunger
brought up recollections of corn cribs
and timothy hay.
A smile fitted across her face. The
human soul is SO constructed that one
may smile at a victorious, exultant
champion or at downcast, discouraged
mule.
Lake Shore stock approached the win
dow again, and as he brandished his fist
solve in the dim distance, under penalty
OF being found dead with severed Jug
ular.
When q rubber ball is flattened it will
spring back to its original shape as soon
as the pressure is removed. When a
lovers declaration has been thrice
broken in upon his thoughts are slow in
gathering. They sat there and gazed at
the opposite wall as if waiting for
railroad train, but she finally glanced up
coyly and lovingly, and whispered:
You were about to say something"
al was" he whispered in return,
reaching out for her hand. sThe public
have acknowledged me as your-your
favored sutton for months past, and this
fact has emboldened me to"
ip-hup -haw gee haw -ah!"
came a voice on the night breeze-a
voice which halted and gasped and hest
tated as If the owner had risen from be-
side the grave of loved, lost friend. 1t
was not the voice of a troubadour warb-
ling words of anguish set in rhyme. 1t
was not the voice of lone night bird
calling for its lost mate. It was the
voice of that same mule calling to the
lilac bushes to come little nearer-to
come and get a bite.
"Is that an odious cow" she softly
inquired.
"No-it's a blasted muler he ex.
claimed.
"Such language, SRI" she said as she
rose up.
"Such mule, MADAME he replied,
pointing to the window. "I'll kill the man
the mule-that has dared to come be-
tween usp he shouted, and he rushed
from the mansion.
He pelted that age-worn mule with
lawn ornaments; he belted him with
picket torn from the fence; he pursued
his retreating form and battered it with
stones pitched from the street or found
alongside the curbstone.
Hating under lone tree on the dreary
communicating through the deep shad
ows of night to discover why pursuit
was at last abandoned, the old gray
mule seemed to realize that, even as
mule, it was safe to have an accident
insurance ticket in his pocket, and he
sighed and gasped and TREMENDOUSLY solil-
oquized:
Gee-hdU-gee-Gh-r-r- qe-hdac F'
And the shadows grew deeper, the night
breeze sighed with renewed loneliness,
the stars nestled behind the clouds to
sleep, and he felt that he was mule be-
loved by none.-N. Y. Sun.
The Late Empress Of China.
The China mail brings news of the
death of the Empress Dowager, Kea