Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-08-10
got a chance would be considered by his
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parents as too mean to raise.
The mule is a good worker. but he
cannot be depended on. He is liable to
strike. and when mule strikes, human
calculation fails to find out any rule by
which to reckon when he will 90 to work
again. 1t is useless to pound him, for
he will stand more beating than sitting
room carpet. lie has been known to
stand eleven days in one spot, apparent
ly thinking of something, and then start
off again as though nothing had happen
ed.
Down South, when they have a sur
plus of small darkeys on the plantation,
they send them out into the barnyard to
play where there is loose mule. They
always bid them goodbye when they
start out, for they are sure the parting
will be final This is the most eoonomi-
cal style of funeral now in the market.
To fully appreciate the mule, one
should listen to his voice. You never
can really know whether you like a mule
or not till yeu have heard him sing |
attended a mule concert at Fort Smell
ing. The programme opened with So
prano solo, and then swung into duct.
and then pranced of into a trio, followed
up by quartette, and ending with full
chorus by $50 mules. didn't hear the
whole thing, for when came to the
regimental surgeon was standing over
me. giving me powerful restorative, and
| heard him say that | might possibly
get out again, though | would never be
a well man again. have been through
the New York Stock Exchange, and
spent part of a day in boilor factory
and have been on one or two Sunday
school excursions for children, but |
never knew what noise was till heard a
lot of army mules bray
One Of the dead certainties about a
mule is that he is sure-footed, especially
with his hind feet. He never mispIaces
them. If he advertises that his feet will
be at a certain spot in certain time
with sample of mule shoes, to which
he would call your attention, you will
always find him there at the appointed
time. He is as reliable as the day of
judgment and be never cancels an en-
gagemcnt. Every man now living who
drove a mule team during the war now
draws a pension.
never owned mule came near
buying one once. He was 6ne-looking
animal; his ears stood up like the side
spires on an Episcopal Church His
tail was trimmed down so that it looked
like a tar brush leaning up against him.
He was striped off like the American
flag, and Raphaol's cherubs never looked
more angelic than did that mule He
looked all innocence, though he was in
no sense. The owner sat in the wagon /,
with his chin resting on his hand and bis
elbow resting on his knee In the other
hand be held a stick with a brad on the
end Of it. examined the mule aud asked
the man d fgH qaestioas, ana out Of nero
form inquired il the mule was kind or
I if he kicked. Kick Kick p said the
man, and these were the last words he
ever uttoved. He reached his stick over
the front of the wagon, and stuck the
brad into the mule. 1t was awful to see
a man snuffed out as quickly as be was.
1t almost took my breath he went so
suddenly. never saw the thread Of
life snap SO abruptly as it did on that
occasion. lie didn't have time to leave
a message for his family. That mule
simply ducked bis head, and then pair
of heels flew out behind there was a
crash, flying Of splinters, and that was
all and the next moment that mule and
| stood alone, my face covered with as
constituent two feet thick. and his with
part of an old bride. The next day
read an account in the Geographic news
of a shower Of flesh in Kentucky. |
was the only man that could explain that
| phenomenon, and | did not dare to lest
| should be implicated in the affair with
the other mule.
have seen death in many forms, but
don't recollect of ever seeing a funeral
gotten up with less pomp and display
than on that occasion. If ! had my
choice, to either work in nitro glycernc
factory, or take care of a mule. ! should
60 for the factory, as in case of an explo-
sion, there would be more possibility Of
my friends finding some little momcntocs
Of me, with which to assauge their grief
A very small piece of me would Tighten
very big sorrow.
| will hunt round and if / find any
other facts that belong to the mule, |
will write down. and send them to you
BY express G.. o. d.