The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-08-10
A Reformed Mule.

Among the most notable cases of the
exhibition of high order of intelligence
in animals, that Of mule belonging to a
farmer in the Mississippi bottom should
by no means be neglected. This mule,
naturally ofa playful and mischievous
disposition, was inclined to the feat
known to stock men as "buckiug." As
soon as it felt rider upon its back, the
mule would spring up into the air as far
as it could, and come down stiff legged
with such a shock that the vertebre in
the backbone Of the cavalier would be
heard to crack at distance of hundreds
OF yards. 1t was terrible mule to ride,
and on one occasion, when the mule in
"bucking" CHANGED to come down on
hard, fat rock, making the shock espe.
cially tremendous, lank sucker mounted
upon tho beast was literally cloven in
twain, half Of the man falling to the
ground on either side of the brute. There
was some talk Of arresting the owner Of
the animal. but the eoroners jury which
sat on the two halves of the deceased
couldn't determine whether to bring in
verdict Of murder or one of suicide, since
it was proved that he had known of the
mules disposition, and so the matter was
allowed to drop.
The mule became at last SO thoroughly
master Of the situation that 10 one at
tempted to ride him until the owner
CHANGED to get hired man who had once
lived in Mexico, and who "'lowed he'd
ride the mule or die !" The man still
retained his old Mexican outfit a lariat
OF raw hide, s.rons saddle and sharp
spurs as big as saucers, aud having made
every preparation, he mounted the ami.
NAL. The mule at once opened the ball
by series Of the most remarkably per.
formances ever witnessed in q civilized
community. He'd spring up at least fif-
teen feet in the air, and when at tho
greatest altitude bend his back until it
resembled an inverted U thus NJ, and
then come down like thunderbolt
With his arched top and four unyielding
pillars beneath, he looked like heavenly
summer house coming down to earth. At
the third shock the man from Mexico
weakened. He crawled off and said he'd
had enough, and has never been free
from the rheumatism, summer or winter,
since. Then the owner of the mule de.
bated between shooting it and trying
moral suasion finally deciding to give the
latter method trial. He bought sever.
al hundred tracts, telling about the pun
ishment of the wicked and the reward of
merit, and all that sort of thing, and af.
ter running the tracts through the hay
cutter, fed them TO the mule with his
oats.
AT the end of the first week of such
diet there was evinced decided change
in the mules disposition he didn't kick
as much ns formerly. and there wasn't
such wicked look in his eye. AT the
end Of month he was a new mule. He
had lost all his former ugliness, and
showed his intelligence by even evinciDg
something like repentance, He never
"bucked' when ridden, and would frc.
quently bring out the saddle and the
bride in his teeth and lay them at his
owners feet, as if wishing to be mounted.
though the man might not wish to take q
ride. The animal became, in fact, so
humble that the hens roasted on his back
at night without getting uippcd, ard
when it did forget itself and show any
temper it would reach around with its
teeth and tie a knot in its tail, by way of
punishment. That mule is now consider.
ed one Of the most valuable in the state
To the entire correctness of the above &C.
count numbers of the most respected citi.
zens will gladly testify. -" Haterloo," in
81, Louis Republican.