Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-01-29
A KICKING MULE.
HIS SAD EXPERIENCE WITH
A BEEHIVE.

uOIuluS wac oS""
little cascades about the grounds, the n
buzz of bees and the gentle moving OF
the foliage of the pepper trees in the
scarcely perceptible ocean-breeze
made up picture which thought .
was complete. 1t was not. A mule
wandered on the scene. The scene,
I thought, could have got along with
ont him. He took different view.
OF course mules were not allowed
on the grounds. That is what he
knew. That was his reason for be-
ing there.
| recognized him. Had met him.
His lower lip hung down. He looked
Disguised. 1t seemed he didn't like
being mule.
A day or two before, while | was
trying to pick up little child who
had got too near this mules heels, ne
kicked me two or three times before
| I could tell from which way was hit.
| I might have avoided some OF the
kicking, but in my confusion began
| to kick at the mule. / didn't KICK
with him long. He outnumbered me.
He browsed along on the choice
shrubbery. l forgot the beauty OF
the morning. Remembered a black
and-blue spot on my leg. 1t looked
like the print Of a mules hoof. There
was another on my right hip. Where
my suspenders crossed were two
more. as | have been informed. They
were side by side-twin blue spots,
and seemed to be about the same age.
l thought of revenge. | didn't
, want to kick with him any more. NO
But thought, if l had him tied down
GOOD and fast, so he could not move
. his heels, how like sweet incense 1t
/, would be to first cut his ears and tail
smooth off, then put out his eyes with
t a red-hot poker, then skin him alive,
f then run him through threshang
# machine.
: While was thus thinking and get
:. ting madden, the mule, which had
}, wandered up close to alarge beehive
: got stung. His eyes lighted up, az
e if that was just what he was looking
g for, He turned on the beehive ant
,fI took aim. He fired. In ten seconds
the only piece Of beehive / could SCI
,e was about the size a man feels whel
% he has told joke that falls'on Tn
Of company like a piece Of sad news
h This piece was in the air. 1t wa
Id being kicked at.
J. The bees swarmed. They swarme'
of q GOOD deal. They lit on that mul
earnestly. After he had kicked th
he last bit of beehive so high that b
so could not reach it any more he STOP
u ned for an instant. He seemed try
Ell inc to ascertain whether the ten thor
at sand bees which were singing hi
meant it. They did.
= The mule turned loose. | nevt
saw anything to equal it. he WI
DE enveloped in q dense fog of earnes
n ness, and bees filled with enthusias
and stings. The more he kicked Il
higher he arose from the ground.
may have been mistaken, for W
ro- somewhat excited and very much q
eld lighted, but that mule seemed to II
in as high as the tops of the pepp
sh- trees. The pepper trees were TWEEN
the feet high. He would open and sh
os- himself like a frog swimming. Som
of times, when he was in mid-air,
nk- would look like he was flying ant
would think for a moment he "
ted about to become an angel, Only
Der, a moment. There are probably
'eo- mule angels.
OF When he had got up to the tops
} be the pepper tree, was called to bre'
till fast. | told them didn't want 8
breakfast.
ting The mule continued to be busy.
for When mule kicks himself cl
lay of the earth, his heels seldom re
it is higher than his back; that is, a mu
tore-legs can reach forward and
ap- hind-legs backward until the n
who becomes Strengthened out into
soul of mule parallel with the earth
Sc in fifteen or twenty feet therefrom. ]