The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-03
A STREET CAR MULE,
Which Possesses Some Interesting
Characteristics, DiscOurses
Learnedly
On What he Considers Lamentable Ev-
licences OF the Degeneracy OF
Human Nature-A Char
acteristic Incl
dent.

Persons accustomed to ride in the street
cars OF this city have no doubt had their at
tention directed 10 o venerable-lookin mule
which does service on first one line and then
another and which, either from rough usage
or old age, has begun to turn gray. He is
known among the employees as "0ld Tom,"
AID Ia one OF the most tractabie and patient
snimals in the service. He is the possessor
OF great strength, and in times OF heavy snow
during the past winter when the cars were
moved with difficulty, Old Tom Was usually
placed upon long line, but even then his
car was always ut the transfer on better time
than any OF the others. As consequence of
his many excellent traits OF character, II
they can be so called. the animal has become
general favorite with the employees, and
they treat him with more Difference than is
accorded to the other mules, and but rarely
IL he hurried out of the gait at which he
chooses to move. II slower than usual, the
driver understands that something is wrong
with Tom, and the companion mule is whip
ped up and made 10 do the larger share OF
work till Tom is feeling better. A driver re-
lHtes the following as 8 Characteristic exam
PIE Of Toms ssgacity:
Last winter q couple OF lady teachers
travelled regularly on Toms line going to
the school-Toom each morning in the south
ern part OF the city and returning TO their
boarding houae on the north side in the
afternoon. On the trip going down, the car
was always stopped in front OF the house
when the teachers appeared, and this was
continued through two or three months on
five days In each week. Tom learned 10 ex-
pect the passengers aud on the regular trip
was wont to stop whenever they appeared
without the familiar whoa" or the turning
OF the break by the driver. One very cold
morning Tom stopped the car rs usual and
one OF the ladies appeared and entered the
car. "Git up" shouted the driver, and
Toms companion esssyed to start, but, Tom
held back. The driver applied the whip but
Tom refused to bulge. No amount OF coax
ing swearing or whipping could move him,
and the driver was upon the eve Of getting
out to examine the animal when the other
lady appeared and entered the car saying, j
am so glad you waited for me. was little
late this morning" The driver picked up
his lines with scowl at the TEACHER aud
Tom pranced off at lively gate, apparently
to make no the time no had lost in waiting
for his passenger. The lady is no doubt YET
ignorant Of the fact that II was Toms and
not the drivers gallantry that landed her on
time at the school house that morning.
In conversation with al employe OF the
street car company few days ago u Ssnti-
mel reporter was Informed that Tom had a
history OF which few mules could boast, being
a veteran OF the late war in which he did
good service for his country, and, since that
time, having lived among great many diff
ferent classes OF people, he had made obser.
vations which would prove OF incalculable
Der eiit IL they could be given to theIpublio.
Acting upon this information, the reporter
called ut the street car stables on South Ten
ne'see street and soon found that
Tom had acquired tolerable
use OF language, and though a little
Indisinct from being articulated through the
nasal passages, the reporter understood him
well enough to reproduce his observations,
which were substantially as follows:
~ have seen too much OF the nps and
dows of life" said Tom after the mission OF
the reporter had been explained, to care for
nOIoriety, and il would be agreeable to my
feelings If my name were left out of the ar
tiole you intend writing though / do not
make this a condition OF the interview. The
same fate that places me between pair OF
trace chains with collar around my neck
every day also forbids that l shall speak with
pride of my lineage, and will reaon a start
ing point by saying that was permitted TO
remain with my mother but few months,
an d, as tar as / know, never saw my father,
nor would | know him now should ! meet
him. At two years of age / entered the
army and remained there until the close OF
The war. after which, along with number OF
others, was sold TO arespectsble farmer and
placed TO work on his farm, alternately
drawing the plough and the wagon, bat
every day eating my corn aud hay in the
sweat OF my face at present. This was
much easier than army life, however, and /
grew fat and plump. and ere long found
myself with another owner, who bought me
as match 10 mule that he had raised, and
with a view of working Us both TO the family
carriage. This wac like picnic to me, bat
my felow-worker. who didn't know what
work was. often repined, and finally showed
his bad temper by Kicking the dashboard
from the carriage. This piece OF spte-work
broke up our team, and the curly author was
put TO work at the piow and again changed
owners IN my new situation l was EN-
ployed to turn the mill ia a country tan
ward and IVES kept ut work several years and
finally purchased for the business in which
| am now engaged.
"In these years of changing from one mas
ter ana from one locality TO another, I have
endeavol ed to profit by my experience. and
withsi have found that happiness NAV
exist under conditions which appear TO 9th
eIs absolutely devoid of enjoyment. 1 have
been panied more at what I have seen ia
Others than By the misfortunes which have
befallen me, and my present occupation is
the prolific source OF discontent on account
OF the frivolity and evidences OF effeminacy
which ] see on every hand To illustrate:
Indianapolis is city in which the Common
CoUr ell hes spared no expense to provide fer
the happiness of its citizens. The walks are