Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-05-13

lngtO0 IOr tne INTRODUCTION Ol IuuIes llLU
general use for farm purposes.
Previous to 1888 there we're very few, and
those of such an inferior order as to prejudice
farmers against them as unfit to compete with
horses in work upon the road or farm. Con-
sequently there were no jacks and no disposi'
tion to increase the stock but Washington
became convinced that the introduction of
mules generally among Southern planters
would prove to them great blessing, as they
are less liable to disease, and longer-lived,
and work upon shorter feed, and are much
less liable to be injured than horses by care
less servants As soon as it became known
abroad that the ilustrious Washington de-
sired to stock his Mount Vernon estate with
mules, the King of Spain sent him jack and
two jennets from the royal stables, and La
fayette sent another jack and jennets from the
island Of Malta. The first was of gray color,
sixteen hands high, heavily built and of slug
gsh nature He was named the Royal Gift.
The other was called the Knight of Malta !;
he was about as high, 1.-THE and fiery, even to
terocity. The two sets of animals gave
him the most favorable opportunity Of
making improvements by cross-breeding,
the result of which was the favorite Com
pound, because he betook of the best points
in both originals. The General bred his
brooded mares to these jacks, even taking
those from his family coach for that purpose,
and produced such superb mules that the
country was all agog to breed some of the sort,
and they soon became quite common. This
was the origin of improved mules in the
United States, and though over seventy
years ago, and there are now some Of the third
and fourth generations of Knight of Malta
Royal Gift to be found in Virginia, and the
great benefits arising from their introduction
to this country are to be seen upon every culti-
waited acre in the Southern States.
A TOUCHING SToRY.-Hon. A. H. Ste.
phens, of Georgia, in an address delivered in
l849 at meeting in Alexandria for the ben
eft of the Orphan Asylum and Free School
of that city, related the following anecdote
"a poor little boy, in cold night in March,
with no home or roof to shelter his head, no
paternal or maternal guardian or guard to
protect and direct him on his way, reached
at nightfall the house of rich planter, who
took him in, fed, lodged and sent him on his
way with his blessing. These KIND atten'
tions cheered his heart and inspired him with
fresh courage to battle with the obstacles of
life. Years rolled round Providence led him
on !; he had reached the legal profession his
host had died the cormorants that prey upon
the substance of man had formed conspira-
cy to get from the widow her estates. She
sent for the nearest counsel to commit her
cause to him, and that counsel proved to be
the orphan boy years before welcomed and
entertained by her and her deceased hus-
band The stimulus Of warm and tena-
cious gratitude was now added to the ordlna-
~ motives connected with the profession.
He undertook her cause with will not east
ly to be resisted and he gained it; and the
widows estates were secured to her in per.
petuity and" Mr.. Stephens added, with an
emphasis of emotion that sent his electric
:brill throughout the house, "that orphan boy
now stands before you"