San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-04-06
THE MULE IN AMERICA.
Ills Introduction, Ideosynerasles, Trlumphs,
Deaths and Ghost.
Norfolk Landmark


Norfolk Landmark.
Few of the farmers in this country
are aware what debt of gratitude they
owe George Washington for the intro.
duction OF mules into general use for
the purpose of the farm. Washington
became convinced that the introduction
OF mules among the Southern planters
would prove to them q blessing. As
soon as it became known the illustrious
Washington desired to stock his Mount
Vernon estate with mules, the King
of Spain sent him jack and two jen-
nets from the royal stable. and Lafay.
cite sent him another jack and iennet
from the Island of Malta. The first
was named Royal Gift. The other was
called knight of Malta. He then bred
his brood mares to those jacks and pro.
duced such excellent mules that the
country was agog to breed some of the
same sort, and it YVES not long before
they We're common. This was the orr
gin of improved mules in the United
States.
Richmond Register.
Down on Otto Greek may be seen n
big gray mule that has served fourteen
years in constructing railroad tunnels.
1t was the first mule to enter the big
tunnel at Camp Shearer; it pulled the
first dirt out of the noted Means tunnel
on the Big Sandy; it has done gallant
service in all the big tunnels in Ken
lucky and Virginia.
Denver Tribune
John Steffen, a Kansas youth who
has been in the employ of B. FL. Eaton,
on the high line irrigating ditch, some
ten miles south of Denver, was broaght
in yesterday in fit of temporary in
sanity. In his occupation as teamster
he had developed fondness for the
span of mules he was driving, and
about month ago he quit work be-
cause he was given another team. He
resumed Ghort time since on getting
his old team. On Friday last one of
the mules was put in another team, and
thereupon Steffen was taken with fit
of melancholy, which increased until it
resulted in total delirium.
Boston Herald.
A friend of mine travelling in Yucca
tan told me that he once had mule
with very fine ears, so long that they
met behind his back. They were con.
tinually in his way, as the mule could
not help Tapping them, and frequently
knocked my friend-who is very staid
and truthful man off his saddle. Well,
he thought over it awhile, and then hit
upon plan. He inoculated one of
that mules ears with wart, and then,
by cutting slit in the other, he had a
natural button and buttonhole, by
means of which he buttoned the ears
together under his mules tail. This
was very pleasant for a while-for my
friend-but he soon saw his mistake
That wart kept growing, and he had to
extend the buttonhole to keep pace with
it, until these ears were hardly anything
else but wart and buttonhole. He
found himself in the same position as
the friends of Gen. Grant, who had
been trying for years to get his mouth
open, and then went crazy because they
couldn't get it shut.
Louisville Courier.Journal.
A stubborn mule ear Gadsden, Ala.
carried DR.. D. E. Cason and Miss Pet
Cobb into a creek, where they remained
three hours in water up to their shout
ders before assistance reached them.
A Georgia mule has his right fore foot
cloven like that of an OK.
Pittsboro Record
On last Thursday couple was mar
ried in this county under peculiar Cir
cumstances. The bride and groom sat
in buggy. and the Justice of the
Peace who efficiated sat astride his
mule during the marriage ceremony.
Boston Post.
Seven Arkansas men, who have been
nearly slain by mule, resolved to get
revenge by making a bonfire Of the
animal, and sailed in to do so. But
when the fire got well to going, his
muleship began to kick the brands in
every direction, and the seven were
forced to flee from the shower of flame,
all being badly burned, while the flying
brand set a haystack on fire and nearly
cremated two tramps who were asleep
therein. And then the mule broke his
bonds and galloped away with a cheerful
bray.
Reading News.
The only drawback in taking kindly
to mule is the difficulty in shoeing
him. The moment you begin operations
with a view to place his tender feet in
slippers, the general complexion of
things undergoes change. There's a
sudden mixture of dust, blacksmith,
nails, and leather apron, and is you are
ornamenting his hind foot at the time,
the base of your trousers, unless they
are made of double-width malleable
cast iron, will be knocked into the ina
mediate future.
Hsrtwell sun.