The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-08-18

The mule is the only animal Noah
didn't take into the ark with him. |
have looked over .he freight list care
fully, aud could not see mule way
billed for any place. SO clear'headed
a man as Noah did not dare to take one
on board, as he knew he would kick
hole through her In less than week.
don't know man on whose head you
could pour quicksilver aud run less risk
of its spilling of than on NUah's. He
was q dreadful level-headed mau, and
before the freshet was over everybody
on earth realized the fact.
The origin of the mule is enveloped
ia q good deal of mystery. Tradition
informs us that when the food had sub"
sided, and the ark had landed on Mt.
Ararat, Noah was very much surprised
In one of his observations to find good
healthy mule standing on the top of an
adjoining mountain. The same trad-
tlon informs us that the mule is the only
animal that lived through the flood out
side Of the ark.
The mule can be considered in a good
many ways, though the worst place
from which to consider him is directly
from behind, anywhere within radius
of ten feet. l never consider a mule
from that point, unless l am looking
out through the aue Of a boiler.
Sea captains and people who have to
do with mules always pay an extra rate
to life insurance companies. A mule
and belt of country where yellow fe-
yer is indigenous generally stand the
same as regards the death rate.
The word mule comes from the Greek,
and signifies "to STOP" and the mule
himself comes to stop also. Like null
tipied by like produces like. Grass
hoppers multiplied by grasshopers pro-
duce famine, and potato bugs multiplied
by potato bugs produce a rise in the
price Of yeast. But when you try to
multiply mules by mules they don't
multiply, and hence the word mule.
You may study your arithmetic, and
through all of Trains lectures, but you
can't discover why this is SO, any more
than you can why a woman cannot put
on. rubbers without leaning up against
something.
The mule has one more leg than a
milking stool, and he can stand on one
and wave the other three around in as
three senses, hearing, seeing and SMELL
ing. He has no more sense of taste
than stone jug, and he will eat any
thing that contains nutriment, and he
don't care two cents whether it be one
per cent. or ninety-nine. All he asks
Is to pass him along his plate, with
whatever happens to be handy round
the pantry, aud he won't 60 away and
blow how poor the steak is. He Just
eats whatever is set before him, and
asks no questions.
Mules are naturally deaf, but that
supreme wisdom that teaches the little
boy to wipe his nose on his sleeve, has
fitted the mule out with pair of ears
that counteracts its deafness, so he can
hear as readily as person when you
don't want him to. These ears answer
double purpose, as tunnels to pOul
sound into his head, and also as fans to
brush away the flies with and keep his
head cool. They are hung by hinges
to the sides of his head, and Hap back
ward and forward like a pair of wei
trowsers round boys legs. In cold
latitudes quite tasty business is done
in mules ears. The ears are cut of
and dried, and sold for snow shoes, anC
then the stubs are trimmed up and the
mules are sent South and sold fol
horses. In this way great many fnt
horses were purchased for the army by
the United States.
II were to have large picture o
Innocence, to hang up in my parlor
and did not wish to sit for it myself,
should get q correct likeness of a mule
There is innocence enough depicted il
mules countenance to fit out Sun
day school class. 1t looks as guileles
as an angle worm.
a mule never grows old or dies
Once brought into existence, he contin
ues Oh forever. The original mule /;
now alive somewhere in the South, ant
is named Robert Toombs, because he |
SO stubborn.
Mules are chiefly found in the Soutl
and West. They have been NOR
abused than Judas Iscariot. A boy VIII
would not throw a stone at mule if h
got chance would be considered by hi
parents as too mean to raise.
The mule is good worker, but b
cannot be depended on. He is liable t
strike, and when mule strikes, hu
man calculation fails to find out an
rule by which 10 reckon when he wi
60 to work again, 1t is useless to pOun
him, for he will stand more beating
thansa sitting room carpet, He la
been known to stand eleven day
in one spot, apparently thinking Q
something, and then start Oft again a
though nothing had happened.
Down South, when they have a sur
plus OF small darkeys on the plantatiO
they send them out into the barnyar
to play where there is loose muit
They always bid them goodbye whe
they start out, for they are sure tn
parting will be final. This is the mos
economical style of funeral now in Ii
market.
To fully appreciate the mule, on
should listen to his voice. You neVt
can really know whether you like
mule or not till you have heard hi
sing. l attended mule concert 1
Fort Smelling. The programme Opene
with soprano solo, and then swun
into duet, and then pranced off into
trio, followed up by quartette, an
ending with q full chorus bV l5Umule