The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-05-30

Noah was a good old man, and the
tribulations he experienced when he
started out with his 'grandest aggrega-
tiOn Of the worlds wild beasts and float
ing menagerie" could not be told in
week. Not that the crew of the ark
were not attentive To their duty. and
cheered the old man bv spinning yarns
on the spar deck and dancing hornpipes,
but the season was bad. and the animals
somehow could not settle down and be-
come a happy family as they do in all
well-regulated modern menageries. No
act in the old mans life shines out so
bright as his consideration for the mule
There was no long-eared native Of the
tOw-path aboard the ark. and il was on
this account that he ever held in cherish
ed remembrance that hybrid cross of
ass and horse. He recognized how de-
sirable il was TO have mule to make
the collection complete. even If il were
not a trick mule, but ne hoped in vain.
If one had been aboard some such record
as this would have been found in the log:
Thursday, fourth day out-Heayy sea.
Ham, Shem and Japhet parted with every
thing except knee pans. Bay mule feeling
his oats all day. At I T. ". gadhy inspected
mules off leg Commissions in rear part Of
mule. One gadfy missing and seventeen
feet Of skylight gone.
Friday, NTH day out-Gray, meditative
mule broke loose ON the second deck, and
worked the baby African elephant into Jelly
with his hind legs Mule feels much better. "
But the mule was not there. and hence
it was that the old man always respect
ed the beast. One of the BOYS drove
self-opinionated. extra lOng-eaTed speci-
men down TO the z ang plange but there
he stuck. The boys had never driven a
mule before, and were deficient in the
language necessary to inspire the beast
to move. and ii is said that Noah wish
ed within his heart Of hearts that one
mule driver had been spared to express
his turgid feelings. After delaying the
ark for two DAYS. and the mule showing
no disposition to lift a leg, all hands
were piped aboard and the ark set sail
The log of the voyage. which can be
found in almost any European collection
of antiquities, shows that a raven was
sent out in search of dTv land. That ra-
ven was never heard from until some
years since, when he tapped at the win
dow Of Edger y. POe's bed-chambeT. and
announced himself as old ''NeveTmoTe. -
That raven is still to he seen in anv side
show. and can he detected 10y his voice.
The general dampneSs that prevailed
gave him a bronchial affection. and he
can be spotted. sure pop, by the cross
. cut-Saw intOnatiOn in his remarks.
But the mule. Some time before y Oah
ran the nozzle Of the ark shaft Mount
Ararat Japhet was Teehng the fore-Toyal,
and almost lost his grip when he des-
cribed in the distance the Self-same
opiniOuated mule. astride the summit Of
the mountain. gazing afar out upon the
stretch Of waters. evidently thinking
that the day of canal-boats had been
numbered and tow-paths would he obli-
terated eVermure. With surprising un-
animity all the gnats, gadfies, horsefiies
and mosquitoes moved in a body to the
mule and held a jubilee ON his slopinE
hind quarters. In the log sixteen pages
are devoted to a graphic description Of
what followed. 1t Is the opinion of some
natuTaliSts that from that time the mule
became dOcile and showed a spirit to
have his hind legs fondled by little boys
or colorcd men in search of everlasting
rest.