The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-06-25
SANDY.
A Pioneer Mule OF Nevada.
Written for the New Northwest.

Written for the New Northwest
Among the pioneers that took part in the
early mining excitement of Nevada was
Sandy. He was remarkable mule. Re-
markabIe for his good nature aud patience.
He was bay mule tall and sleepy. He
didn't know how 10 kick and pr Ibibiy died
without knowing that he possessed terri
BILE engine of destruction. .... ~F
Sandy Collins brought the mule into Ne
vada. One day he hitched the mule in
front Of saloon and went in to get a
drink. He fingered. Got into a game of
poker. Some dispute arose about the game.
He neysr saw bis mule again. The mule
took his masters name. '' 90.
Sandy, the mule, was known in several
mining camps. lie was a g sneral favorite.
Yet notwithstanding he had never
kicked anybody, there wsre some persons
who did not have confidence in him. They
had been mule-kicked. ..-. '..-ar
No one had ever succeeded in frightening
Sandy, although it had been tried in va
rious ways. Ii there Is one thing which,
more than another, will work on q mules
feelings, it is the rattling of dry hide. A
dry hide excites in some mules a feeling of
profound awe. A hide was fastened to
Sandy's tail to see if 1t would hasten him
q little. It was dry hide. Very dry. It
had probably been some time since the
steer went forth from it. Sandy moved
little-he saw wisp of hay-after the hide
was attached to him. He noticed that it
was tied to him. That was all. 1t seemed
to balance him behind and add to the gen.
eral levelness of his disposition.
One Fourth of July the camp that Sandy
was then IN had brass band to come down
from the Comstock. Just before the band
turned on the wind somebody led Sandy
up to where the band was, 1t was thought
the coming explosion would urge him. The
band broke loose. Sandy walked up TO
the big bass drum, smelled Of it and did
not seem displeased. He then moved oyer
to the big bass Dutchman and smelled of
him. He didn't seem SO well pleased.
Limburger cheese. aE
He was then taken TO the vicinity OF
some anvils There was going to be gun
rired for every State and Territory in the
Union. Possibly the flash of gunpowder
and the deafening roar Of anyIls would ex-
pedite Sandy. There were four anvils--a
pair on each side of Sandy. The gunners
began TO fire the roll Of the Union. The
monotony of firing at regular intervals
made Sandy drowsy. As the gunners fin
ished the thirteen original States Sandy
was beginning to blink. AS they crossed
the Mississippi he was doing regular nod
ding As they climbed the Snowy Range
he slept. As they fired the names of the
young Pacific States Sandy snored. a
On another occasion party Of boys, in Y
has nn,ldnst n ltttla
hurry into Sandy's life, tied bunch of fire
crackers to his tail and set them of. They
popped !, wickedly. They all popped.
Sandy shook his tail and seemed
to, wait for something. After while
he locked around towards where the
fire crackers had been popping and
shook bis tail again. He wanted them to
pop some more. 1t seemed that nothing
could frighten him. au
A man who had been trying camels fer
transportation purposes in Arizona brought
q number Of them into Nevada. using them
for packing. For while they were at q
mining town not far from Virginia City.
They would browse ia the vicinity OF the
town and sometimes stray into the town.
A camel is very homely. He 10 made just
rs homely ~ he can bc without injuring
his health. Once, while one o. these cam
els was wandering along the street, Sandy's
eye fell upon him. This camel was unusu-
ally homely, even for camel. 1t must
have touched his health. He looked sick.
Sandy's ears, as he looked at the camel,
gradually went over forward until they
pointed straight TO the horizon. Then his
head slowly arose to higher than it bad ever
been before. His neck was stretched pain
fully up. he seemed TO be twice his usual
heighth. A new and strange expression
came into his eyes. HIS friends feared that
be was losing his mind. HE eyes appeared
to want to come out and occupy prominent
places on bis face, 30 that they oouad see
better. The cold chilIs ram ovsr Sandy.
He broke. The dust arose along and about |
him. A streak of dust moved rapidly
west. Y Sandy was leading 1t. II could be
sseD 10 grow larger ard larger ~ It got
farther away. IL tdissppsarsd in > oaiiou.
Sandy vas never seen mose. pa9b e
.s..44a ag @i4@ Lock. MxLcNR.