The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-02
ESTRAY.
How a ilnry Important Conference Was
rove Broken off,

hivat From the n. Y. Sun.
Non OF @couId say who owned thai
mule. "tt55ome boys had pelted him with
liberal hand, and the police had made
glorious but unsuccessful efforts to en-
snare his hayward steps and turn hin
over to the poundmaster.
A gray mule, we'll put together for al
animal of the kiEd. The rotundity o.
form which distinguishes the well-feG
mule was lacking. A bite of grass here
and there, an occasional thistle head, {
nibblee, } passing load of hay, may
blunt tssnedge of hunger, but will not
producng 5lumpness nor good nature
He had y .ndered from home, this mule
started out with desire, perhaps, oi
visiting strange towns, meeting with
strange adventures, and of seeing the
world. His owner had been left one
mule less, and mayhap he had searched
long and diligently, AID 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, parquette,
boxes, aud 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. Size was
beautiful-he was worth 500 shares OF
Lake Shore stock, and was interested
in 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,
81 think you -
"Gee-haw! Gee-haw p roared the
hayward mule, rendered melancholy by
the sight of the bountiful supply 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.
cit is nothing but a mule" he ex-
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:
81 have to-day been Analysing my
feelings towards you, and 1 find that
cob hoo haw, gee haw-gee haw ! |"
announced the homeless, houseless
mule, as he caught the scent of roses
snd tulips from the lawn. He saw
things as a mule sees them-he hun
gered as mules hunger.
"Its hat beast again " whispered
Lake Shore stock, as the fair Isabella
uttered little shrek of alarm.
He went to the window and ordered
the gray-haired eutcast to move on
to leave that locality without any I'M
necessary delay, and secure standing
room Oh the common.
They sat down again. He had some
thing of interest to communicate, and
she had 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 | -"
"O.h.h! gee gee-ah-ha! !" came a
voice from beneath the window. It was
not the voice of a drifting sailor, going
down to a dark, deep grave after a
gallant struggle for life. 1t was not
the voice of lost child crying out as
it stumbled through the darkness, long
ing for the strong arms of father to
enfold it. 1t was the voice of the old
gray 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 victorious, exultant
champion, or at a downcast, discour-
aged mule.
Lake Shore stock approached the
window again, and as he brandished his
fist in the air, he warned the intruder
to dissolve in the dim distance, under
penalty of being found dead with sew
cred iugular.
When a rubber ball is fattened it will
spring back to its original shape as soon
as the pressure is removed. When a
lovers declaration has been thrice brok-
en- III upon, his thoughts are slow in
They sat there and gazed
at the opposite wall as if waiting for
railroad Weain, but she finally glanced
up coyi nd lovingly and whispered:
" Yc. Li:ere about to say something"
"I 'hooll" he whispered in return,
reaching out for her hand. 1.-THE pub
lie have acknowledged me as your
your favored sutton for months past.
and this fact has emboldened me to"
p-hup-haw-gee - haw ali y
came a voice on the night breeze-a
voice which halted and gasped and
hesitated, as if the owner had risen
from beside the grave of loved, lost
friend n VT was not the voice of trou-
badorp MbIing words of anguish set in
rhymect. I" was not the voice of lone
night pdlacalling for its lost mate. 1t
was th9Ct Dice of that same mule calling
to the lissc bushes to come little nearer
to come and get bite.
els that an odious COW ?" she softly
inquired.
"No-it's blasted mule !" he ex-
claimed
"Such language, sir ~ she said as
she rose up.
"Such mule, madam p he replied,
pointing to the window. IN Kill the
mantle mule that has dared to come
between us 20 he shouted, and he rushed
from the mansion.
He pelted that age-worn mule with
avn ornaments; he pelted him with a
picket torn from the fence, he pursued
els retreating form and battered 1t with
stones pitched from the street or found
alongside the curbstone.
Hating under a lone tree on the
lreary common-gazing through the
leep shadows OF night to discover why
pursuit was ut last abandoned, the old
gray mule seemed to realize that, even
Is a mule, it was safe to have an acct
lent insurance ticket in his pocket, and
le sighed and gasped and TREMENDOUSLY
Gee-haa0-gee-ah -r-r.r-raw- ge-
aatC :"
And the shadows grew deeper, the
hight breeze sighed with renewed lone
mess, the stars nestled behind the
clouds to sleep, and he felt that he was
mule beloved by none.
THE perverseness of the grasshoppers |
s illustrated in the fact that they flew
way Just about the time it was dlscov-
red that they could be made into highly
,alatable and nutritious soup. !