The National tribune., 1886-05-06

his reyerie. " ! thought he'd got over all his
tantFums Hes been as good as pie all Winter"
Great Cesar" said the disguised Majah
how much longeh II yo' have to live to find
out that a Mule neveh gets oyeb his tantrums?
The longeh spell o. goodness he has the wuss
outbreak heH spring on yO' in the end Yo'
heah me, that I'm going to keep as far away
from that Mule as ] can got. he hasn't been
good SO long without an object in vieW!" The
last words O Geawge Washington were, 'Neveh
trust g niggeh with a gun and my last words
II be, 'Neveh trust a mule when he's good"
Atkins was on the point Of adopting his usual
resort ia diidcuity-whipping Jimson-When
significant look from Gannaway, whose temper
was getting worse with every untoward occur
renee, caused him to defer the beating till some
more convenient season and gallop after Aie
himself.
had made up bfy mind to lead him a race
that would wear off his horses legs to the fet-
locks. For a hundred yards or so I did bring
him after Ne at pace that threatened to whip
him into rags against the boughs aud limbs Of
the trees, when suddenly / was brought to an
inEi0rious halt by seeing a long, thick rattle
snake basking in the warm sun directly across
Ny path.
Every created thing has weaknesses, and Ny
race is no more free from them than ordinary
human beings. One Of the most pronounced
that afiiCt My kinsmen is a mortal terror of
rattlesIakes. ] have tried Ny best 70 rise
superior TO this ignoble terror, but in spite Of
every effort Of Ay strong viii | am no better
than the rest and 1 am ready 10 jump out of
by skin at the sight Of Tattler, even if he's
no bigger than garter-snalze. Now / fell back
on Ny quiVering hanches at the first glimpse Of
this early absentee from the den, and before /
C08id recover myself, Atkins was curling the
keen fangs Of his whip about my tender body.
The moment / was out Of sight of the dread
fui snake Ny native courage returned, and
with it Bly determination 10 carry out My
resolution.
" Atkins" said Gannaway who had halted
by the side Of the road until the rear Of the
company came up, it wont do TO trust that
Mule with that boy. You must take charge of
him yosall sab"
Relieving his feelings as much as possible by
beating his own horse over the head and vi
ciously striking that Of a meek and sickiy
/ looking man riding near, Atkins readiusted the
/ halter by which the mule that carried the am
+ munitiOn was attached to Ne, and led US both
/ forward TO a position Immediately in rear Of
! GannaWay.
/ We trolted along without further incident
I for 2 half mile OF more, while / was making up
by mind what form of tactics [ should adopt
next. We then started up hill, that took all
our strength TO climb 1t at even q walk and
Gannaway was impatient that we could 60 no
faster. On the right-hand side of the very
narrow road were steep deCliyities, which in
/ some places became regular rocky cliffs. We We're
/ now IN Indian file, and as close together as we
| could march, for Gannaway would allow no gaps
| 10 be opened IN tho ranks. About halfway up
( the ascent / suddenly resolved to stop. j put
this resolution into effect with such unexpected
promptness that / sent everybody's hanch
| humping back against his followers nose. and
I four or FIVE horses went over the side OF the
road and rolling and crashing through the
| honey -locast brush below. OF course l was