Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-05-09
Spanish Mnleleers. "A

. ntteu iOr It's use, ne MuiCs are general
ly harnessed two abreast-though once or
twice we hid three in the first rank
with two poles. Fne leaders are directed
by position. lie does not mount till
they are at the full run. Ii is a point Of
pride 10 run at their side and to spring up
when the mule is in full motion. The
"chief mste." as I called him, sat on
thorough brace, beneath my seat, which
| was properly his, at the side Of the driver
Bnt he was not there q great deal Heva
ried his sOmewhrt cramped attitude ~
running by the side of the carriage and oi
the mules. He had long whip with
which he touched any one whom he or
the driver thought negligent. The driv
| ing, indeed was conducted in n sort o.
caucus, in which nv admirable friend or
the right, the diver proper, this chic
mate, whose official n1me did not know
ard the position he'd tqnal paris
although the rstk of each WAS firmly
maintained. mean that there was
running conversation, all the way, AS to
the success and prospec OF the journey
and as to the condition and perfo nance
of the mules. Ga cur seat we kept
store of MacAdam stones, with which
| from time to time the driver bit the head
or baunch, as he chose, OF y mule whc
needed rem hiding. One driver preferred
stones AS big as q peach, another had
little ones not bigger thin a nut.
| All the staff smoked all the time they could
spare. So soon as We started from post.
house. the driver handed me the ribbons,
and drove for few minutes. This was
| TO give him chance TO make his cigarette.
He had the tobacco, all reaoy, in one
pocket and the paper in another. When
The cigarette was made, | would furnish
my match box, he would take Fl bis hat
and with an ingenuity which have never
seen rivalled any where Else, he would |
light the cigarette while " were in full |
motion. The chef-nate would then |
climb up FROM his lair below, where he |
had been making his cigarette, ard take
a light for it. The passengers on the
seat above Us, did likewise, and we were
thus ready for the rest OF the stage, having |
occupied perhaps half or a quarter OF ,h'
ime in preparation. When our end OF
he team was well smoking, the position
would Jump off the leader, run bach and |
get light, run forward and mouut again |
willie the mules were at their regular |
pace. Not but what l have seen a positil
ION strike match and light
cigar under the cover OF his hat
while he was in saddle and n full motion
Indeed one delight OF tbs charming day
was the feeling that at last in my life l
saw two daily duties perfectly done, that
of the position and tha, OF the cotchman.
The amount OF conversation necessary
would stagger the belief OF tacilurn read
ers. | DO not remember that the mules
nad separate names, but we addressed to
them II running fire of please. requests,
suggestions, e Xhorlatlons, encCur' gene e lts,
warnings and possible adl1uatlons-
hougb of this last am not sure-bolh IN
Andaaleusian and, oddly enough. il
Arabic Any language that they would
understand would answer, 30 it kept them
% their work. To say the truth | never
saw creatures who needed proddjng less
They kept on, pressed hard on the collar,
at relentless pace, as eager to be at the
post.house as we were to have them.
But, on the part OF our caucus, as called
it, of three, although they all did this
thing every day OF their lives, there was
that sort Of eagerness which ycu see in
children going to circus for the first
lime, IS if, on that particu ar day, the
doors would be closed earlier than usual;
as if we might find the bridge down at
Jean or as if we we're all bridegro9ms
going 10 be married. And this was ac-
companied by good nature almost ludi-
crous. | do not remember 20 have heard
an angry word spoken all that day. Il
There was but one occasion, almost
critical, in which z vicious mare was
brought out as one Of the leaders. The
creature refused to start so oostinatelv
that the whole team was once and again
in confusioR-one mule was oTerthrown-
and | confess | thought another horse
would have to be substituted for her. But
the whole council. which included The
grooms and the keeper or the post house
may be dozen persons, managed the mad
creature without the slightest show OF hot
temper. You might have thought she
was trout who would not bite, 50 quiet
were they in their treatment OF her, yet
so determined. When sne did start the
position ran by her side a mile before
the wild creature would give him any
chance to get on. All which he took more
quietly than a boatman would take a
bret ze of wind. 1t helped the carriage
along and that was enough for him.
When he was ready and she was ready he
ook his place on her back, as if nothing
had happened.
We are so determined to associate with
Spain The ideas of bandits, Contrabandists,
guerllas and pronunciatiamentos,-and
with Andalusia the memories of Glanos
and Gatanas, of Moors and sarabands and
jaeos, that for one, was wholly unpre-
pared TO find these simple, rather grave
people, in the management Of mules and
horses and diligences. The positions
b ID little more OF the air of the opel a
than these quiet Iansee-like men who
held the places Of captain and mate.
What they are called IN their own Ian
guage unfortunately | do not know. But
the whole enterprise gave 10 me a good
deal the idea of welI-coustrncted cruise
for fish. in which under their aus pices we
were going on shares.
have not yet mentioned the duties of
the chief mate, and find it difficult to de
scribe them. But it is quite certain that
here were duties, and that we should not
have pulled through to Jean, had he not
been there to discharge them. Where
driver of a street car stops the car, and
goes forward to adjust the harness,
the chief mate did it without stop
ping, while all parties were on the
trot or run. In any eXigency where
whipping was thought necessary by the
caucus which directed, he ran to the
guilty mule, and inflicted chastisement all
still rushing on at this pre-. ordained pace
Of nine miles an hour. 1t is difficult for
me. in writing this alterward, to imagine
that man can smoke while running a
mile at thlt pace-but the impression is
strong on me that evry body smoked ali
the time. 1t was nothing 10 have him
disappear. 1t was not that the wheel had
passed over him, so that he was left
lifeless trunk on the road. 1t was only
that he had let the coach pass him that
he might run forward on the other side
outside the off.leader. and give to him a
bit of his mind. When the necessary |
chastisement had been indicted. then he
would again let the coach pass him and
reappear on his nest on the thoroughbrace.
-Mdtlrid Litter 10 Boston Commercial
Bulletin.
WOMAN AS AN INVENTOR IF the ass.