The Dillon tribune., 1882-01-28
Depravity Of 4 Mule.

Depravity Of Mule.
GENERAL GORDON, when interviewed IN
New York recently, after other things Of
political bearing, told the following story.
n remember once when was in abouf
as much danger from runaway mule rs
from all the power OF the United States
Government. got off at railroad station
where needed to take conveyance and
60 thirty or forty miles back into the coun.
try. There was not much prospect Of
good livery stable, and when I entered the
only one Of the place the man rose NV
warmly and shook hands with me and
called the General Gordon. lie was one Of
my old soldiers, who had at various times
been stltioncd abont my head. quarters as
an orderly or something of that sort.
Mike said have you got conveniences
10 take me to such a placer oh, YES.
General said Mike, 4 can fix you off first
rate What have you got, Mike:' Wall
General, I've got a good mule
"tle brought the mule out Of the stable,
and from my knowledge Of mules, which
Is not inconsiderable, I rather feat cd that
mule was going to run away. He had
way of putting one ear back and the other
ear forward, and then reversing the move.
m'nt, and his tail once or twice stood right
out, though he neither kicked nor plunged
Ill just simply looked like depraved un.
polished, deeply dyed mule. There is no
way to describe the kind of vice that mule
had but to call it mule After We put
him in the shafts he started out little too
lively. The road lay straight as an arrow
almost to the horizon, through the melan.
choly pitch pines, and the roots underly-
Ing the surface produced the effect OF
corduroy bridge, as the buggy would strike
them constantly and make US hold on
hard The mule rather increased than
slackcncd his speed with distance, and,
said Mike, as sure as YOU live, this mule
Is going to run away with us. Never
mind, General, I'll bring him through.
He won't run away can hold him.
ave had gone on in this unsatisfactory
manner, getting pretty we'll bruised up
tor two or three miles, when saw COM
ing towards us a turpcntine OK cart.
Now that is a thing said General Gordon,
that you never saw in your life, sup
pose, though they are very common with
us. 1t Is a cart with shafts and only two
high wheels, hitched up to onc on, and bar,
rels OF crude turpentine they got out Of tho
woods we were going through, were pilet.
up on this little cart They made quite Il
tall pyramid. saw the ears OF III. mule
80 back and forth, and the tail become "a
little sitter, and said: Look out, Nike
Never mind, General said Mike.
1.-The mules ears both stood back now
until he came close up to the cart and
then they vent forward; with single
jump he took tie inside of the road, which
about here branches off two ways to pass !:
big tree. In one minute it was terrific
runaway. Mike. braced himself, and thr
mule pulled the buggy and both OF us by
his mouth alone. The traces had nothing
to do with carrying the wagon on. lie raj.
just like in. wind. tried several times to
relieve Mike. but he would not let me take
ho'd' and those trees went by us as ii We
were on an express train. There was
nothing to do but hold on hard, expecting
every minute we should 90 over.
1.-THE mule had run in this way perhaps
three miles, appearing rather to accelcrat.
his speed every rod, but Mike held To
him. We came to a bridge twenty or thir-
" ieet long, with Il little rail on each side,
and l thought we should surely 20 owe:
that but we kept to the middle OF the
bridge and just made one jump, like deer
ana don't helievc that the buggy touches.
the boards Of the bridge. The same speed
was kept up ON the other side, ana there
seemed no possibility Of that mule giving
OUT when all at once discovered another
turpentine cart before us. The mules ears
were now going like windmill and his
tail as stiff as poker. He was just enjoy,
ing that runaway with mule enthusiasm
such there can be. His mouth was -
hard as iron. AS we came to the cart, the
mule liking it no better than the first, ;n':
"na'ng no way to get around it, deliberate
y Jumped the road and took to the wo"''
N'Sht over the pine tufts. with the trees so
tn'ck together that every moment We '>'
pected to liz knocked to pieces, that mule
"e"t' paying very little attention to tbs
wagon, SO he cleared the trees himself
oa'a l: Mike, we shall be killed lioia
o. General, said Mike, III bring ""'
through