Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-01-13
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A Mule Kicks a Beehive.

was visiting gentleman who lived in
the vicinity Of Los Angeles. The morning
was beautiful. The plash of little cascades
about the grounds, the buzz of bees and the
gentle moving of the foliage of the pepper
trees in the scarcely perceptible ocean
breeze made up picture which I thought
was complete. 1t was not. A mule wan
dered on the scene. The scene thought,
could have got along without him. He took
different view.
Of course mules were not allowed on the
grounds. That is what he knew. That was
his reason for being there.
l recognized him. Had met him. His
lower lip hung down. HeLooked 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 heel, he kicked me two or
three times before could tell from which
way was hit. Knight have avoided some of
the kicking, but began to kick at the mule.
I didn't kick with him long. He outnum-
bered me.
He bro ysed along on the choice shrub
berry. I forgot the beauty of the morning.
Remembered black and blue spot on my
leg. 1t looked like the print of mules
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.
thought of revenge. I didn't want to
kick with him any more. But thought if
had him tied down good and fast, so he
could not move his heels, how like sweet
incense it would be to first saw his ears and
tail smooth off, then put out his eyes with
red hot poker, then skin him alive, then
run him through threshing- machine.
While was thus thinking and getting
madder and madder, the mule, which had
wandered up close to large beehive, got
stung. His eyes lighted up as if that was
just what he was looking for. He turned
On the beehive and took aim. He fired.
In ten seconds, the only piece of beehive
[ could see was about the size man feels
when he has told joke that falls on the
company like piece Of sad news. This
piece was in the air. 1t was being kicked at.
The bees swarmed. They swarmed q
good deal They lit on that mule earnest
| ly. After he had kicked the last piece OF
| bee hive so high that he could not reach it
any more, he stopped for an instant. He
seemed trying to ascertain whether the TO-
600 bees which were stinging him meant it.
They did.
The mule turned loose. l never saw any
thing to equal it. He was enveloped In
dense fog of earnestness and bees, and I'LL
ed with enthusiasm and stings. The more
he kicked, the higher he arose from the
ground. 1 may have been mistaken, for l
was somewhat excited and very much de-
lighted but that mule seemed to rise as high
as the tops of the pepper trees. The pepper
trees were 20 feet high. He would open
and shut himself like a frog swimming.
Sometimes, when he was in mid-air, he
would look like he was flying, and would
think for moment he was about to become
an angel. Only for moment. There are
probably no mule-angels.
When we had got up to the tops of the
pepper trees 1 was called to my breakfast
told them didn't want any breakfast.
The mule continued to be busy.
When a mule kicks himself clear of the
earth, his heels seldom reach higher thai
his back; that is, mule s fore-legs can reacl
forward and his hind-legs backward unit
the mule becomes Strengthened out into
line of mule parallel with the earth, ant
; fifteen or twenty feet therefrem. This mule
hind-legs, however, were not only raise'
into line with his back, but they woul'
. come over until the bottom of the hoofs al
most touched his ears.
The mule proceeded as if he desired t
hurry through.
1 had no idea how many bees a hiv
would hold until saw that beehive empte
: on that mule. They covered him so com
pletely that could not see any of him bu
the glare of his eyes. 1 could see, fror
the expression of his eyes, that he didn
: like the way things were going.
The mule still went on in an absorbe
kind of a way.
Not only was every bee of the disturbe
, hive on duty, but think the news had bee
conveyed to neighboring hives that war ha
been declared. I could see bees fitting t
and fro. The mule was covered so dee
with bees that he looked like an exaggerate
mule. The hum of the bees, and their NOV
ing on each other, combined into seethin
{ hiss.
A sweet calm and gentle peacefulnes
pervaded me.
When he had kicked for an hour he bega
to fall short of the tops of the pepper trees
> He was settling down closer to the earth
Numbers were telling on him. He locke
; distressed. He had always been used t
l kicking against something. but found no.
that he was striking the air. It was yer
exhausting.
He finally got so he did not rise clear G
the ground, but he continued to kick wit
:, both feet for half an hour, next with fir
: one foot and then the other for another hal
;, hour, then with his right foot every fe'
|. minutes, the interval growing longer an
= longer. until he finally was still. His hea
y dropped, his lip hung lower and lowe
The bees stung on. He looked as if b
= thought mean, sneaking advantage ha
- been taken of him.
. Iretired from the scene. Early the ne,
\ morning returned. The sun came slowl
y up from behind the eastern hills. Th
g light foliage of the pepper trees tremble
. with his morning caress. His golden kis
- fell upon the opening roses. A bee coul
a be seen flying hither, another thither. III
= mule lay near the seen of yesterday
= struggle. Peace had come to him. He wa
e dead. Too much kicking against nothing