Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-01-18

opposite to what you want of him. /, one
day, changed my pony to the cart, and
mounted the mule, as the latter had given
evident indications of ali aversion TO the
cart and its contents, and not wishing to
zee my ''satisfyings" to the inward man
describing parabolic curves, and uniting
with sand and water, submitted to the
change. When we made this fresh start,
and mule kept up with the brisk cavslcade,
l made up my mind that mule was alright.
and would act right. 1t was simply a
matter of kindness, not force. But as
mule began to lag, and cavalcade get on in
the distance, and after chirping, and max
ing my lips utter all kinds of sounds; after
commencing with gentle coaxings and end
ing in violent exhOrtatives, and still no
recognition from mule. l began to recon-
slider my impression when the wagon was
lost to view. I then fairly reconsidered it.
and cutting me a switch, persuaded mule
to answer to that, but, with an undoubt-
full pleasure, mule stopped dead still, shut
his eyes and settled his ears, and received
my switchings with delight, and when 1
stopped from being tired, opened his eyes
in wonderment, and silently asked for
more. l switched, chirruped, eoaxed.
halloed, spurred, and did hundred and
one inducive things to move him. but he
only settled down into that nuEie pose, so
suggestive OF real enjoyment. 1 had read
of the man who saw a mule die, and it
was wish with me to be that man again,
and the mule before to furnish that pleas
ure. 1 could have dug his grave and bur
led him there, with an infinite zest.
1t was only under the continued persua-
sion of young pine tree, that mule con-
cluded his corn was in the wagon ahead,
and started for it. Now l was made
aware Of the other extreme of a mules
character. He slid If like cannon ball.
and indifferent to bush, palmetto, ditch or
water, never stopped until his nose was in
the wagon. l exchanged mule at once.
but this time with my guide, who was as
tride Of pony of his own. He asserted
he could manage his muleness, and readi-
ly consented for him to do so. He had
not been on the mules back 10 minutes be-
fore the animal slackensd, and I could
hear distant murmers. and those not Of
JOY.
When l tnrned my head, they had both
made start, and were coming on like
steam engine. All Of sudden there was
disappearance, cloud of dust, and then
nothing but mules legs psrvaded the space
above the hue of the horizon Soon hu-
man figure erawled up from the bowels
of the earth, without hat, and splitting
out sand from his mouth, mixed with
choice sxpletives. Following him came
the mule. serene and eomplaeent, and with
a stolid gleam of mirth in his eyes. The
mule shook himself and commenced brows-
ing, but Mr.. man went over himself for
bruises, etc. Not being hurt, he gathered
up his riding accoutrements, tied mule to
a tree, cut huge club, and commenced
a practical and demonstratiVe lecture with
the mule. then interfered and summa-
rily closed the lecture, but Mr.. Guide turn
ing to ME, with sandy tongue and lips.
blurted out, ''why dern dong the dinkety
dongsd mule, arnt she, donkity ding her,
been carfully 'voiding all them ere dangity
DANCED blamed salamander holes, so dink-
ity DANCED car-fully as to leave me a mile
behind, and blam blim her blinkity carcase,
when she put out like derned hog on a
CREASED telegraph wire, why dem me if she
didn't go liekitY swish into the very
blamed places as she he'd bin so car-fully
'voiding, and she knew the blamed conser-
kences, blang her" ," (Whack, thud, whack.)
1t was now apparent what had caused
this catastrophe. Like on the western
plains, so here in the woods, gophers in
myriads exist and build their towns. 1t
had so happened that the mule had, in his
wild diverging from the trail, galloped
upon an extensive and deep one, and the
ground had caved under them and made
them for the time being, sudden aud un-
willing inhabitants of this salamander set
Element. Salamander is the FIoridan
name for gopher.
Peace finally obtaining, and a degree of
willingness in the mule, we repaired frac-
lures and journsyed on. Yours,
Dec. 80, 1877 ALFRED.
To be continued.