Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-08-12
The Mnle.
South and West,

If common report be true, this is
ticklish subject to deal with; but we
believe that in the case of the mule
common report prevaricates. The
mule asks for simple justice. 1t is not
proud; 1t can not boast of its ancestors,
on the male side Mt least, and II can
| lay no store by its p0sterity. 1t is not
a thing of beauty. Its ears are the
is-ness of the immense; its head has
too much ruggedness to be thing of
sunshine and sweetness; its body and
legs are made up of spherical triangles.
But the mule does not care. Remarks
about his personal appearance do not
bother him. 1t is only when his char
acter is assailed that horse-blanket or
u log-chain fails to yield the accustom-
ed pleasure to his palate. The mule Is
accused of being lazy and treacherous.
He may he both; but If he Is, these
traits of character are the results of
abuse, which, in turn, is the result of
AN unfounded prejudice.
During all time the ass has enjoyed
a well-earned reputation for docility,
patience and endurance. Subjected to
that toll to which horse would
shortly succumb, requited with abuse
that would render horse unmanage-
able and dangerous, it has done its
work year after year; slow and plod-
ding as an over-worked animal must
be, 1t is true, but so patient and docile
that the little child could manage ii,
and with perfect security. The horse
has fairly good reputation. 1t is geu-
orally understood that viciousness and
dumbness in the horse Is due TO ex-
trane GUS conditions, usually Ill treat
ment of the dam before birth or of the
foal after birth. The intelligence,
courage, kindness and real affection of
the equine race have been the theme
of many eloquent discourses and in
SEPARATION to the pens of the poets. 1t
is hard to understand how the Off
spring of these should be 30 unlike
both; in fact the very antipode of each
in character. 1t is true that the mule
is an anomaly, product contrary to
the course of nature. But this does
not explain why the addition OF gem
tleness, docili,y and patience to these
same qualities should produce all that
is vicious, treacherous and mean.
The truth of the matter is that there
is a silly prejudice against the mule
and that In many cases 1t has worked
his ruin. Unfortunately the birth
, place of the first mule has gone down
TO oblivion, "unwept. unhOnored, and
, unsung;u the time of his advent Is not
/, recorded in history; the man who con.
ceiyed of him as well as the dam that
conceived him, are alike unknown;
, but Judging the unknown past by the
, known past and the present Ia safe
; thing to dol we are assured that the
!. first mule was laughed about, jeered
Mt tormented by small boys, hated OF
women, and abused by men. Under
> snch conditions he did not devel p
into low forever nor thing of beau
: ty. and such has been his appearance
. and his lot ever since. A mule Is ex-
pected to be mean; and as y result he
. IA given such maltreatment ~ wouiu
transform horse or COW into some
:, thing worse than mule; how, then'
Z can the mule fail TO fulfill the expecla-
I lions entertained of him? -,
a Treat mule decentiy ana ne VIII
: he n decent animal. The best team we
), aver handled was . span of these same
= mules. They had been accorded fair
treatment: and they were as trusty
and gentle rs horses could he. rbey
! could he driven almost anywhere;
: ridden by small children in safety;
4 left standing anywhere In the held
Y with the assurance that WHEN you re-
tnrned YOU would find them where
= YOU left them; and we were never
. sSraid thew would make too forci6le
J. an exhibition OF their good will by
. tickling our ribs with their heels T.;
e Thev were always ready for work and
= rs drive them was pleasure:
y For = work animal on the farm !,
q mule il superior TO the horse; IL VIII
u 10 more work. In proportion 70 ~
size 1t will draw heavier io Mna ~ . ps,,
we have spoken ofwas ofonly medium
sized animals, yet we could naua y
p heavy load or pillow ~ mucn groTTh M
in : day IS any Of our nsigheors. i ,he
mule Il much less aneclea ~ .ns
= NTH heat and cold better. II u much
70 mora Indifferent 10 exposure. IL u
d very rarely sick; It does mot fsil you "
:. 4 busy time. 1t eats iess tnan tn'