Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-13
FAITHFUL AND rRUE.
The Lsve Beswses yaks zssssrasTss~
ana His Pet Muls, yeelx.


sna His Pet Male, ysek.
Half century ago, says . Marietta
o.. correspondent Of the Pistsburg Dis-
patch, Jacob Hetheripgton began Dig
gipg coal about . mile below whore be-
lsiIe, on the Ohio, nov stands. lie was
an English miner, and was 10 no haste
10 gain wealth. Believing in the maxim
that . rolling stone gathers no moss, ne
concluded to drive permanent stakes:
So be went in debt for eight acres oil
land, which he purchased At low figures.
His trade was limited 10 few families
until, to his delight, . small bost run
her nose up to his little works and took
some coal. She came again, and others
followed. His business gradually in
creased until be concluded to take .
partner. The new firm became known
as Jake HetheriDgton and his mule
Jack. Capital: Strength, willingness
to use it, and . determination to sue
coed. Rain and shine, and year after
year, Jake and Jack toiled together.
Steamboat men became interested in
the firm, and declared that q pluckier
combination never did business on the
Ohio.
Larger boats began coaling with the
firm because Of its reliability. Then,
Jake HetheriDgton became known up
and down the river as "mighty oble-
GIN fellow" The day was never too
cold nor the night too dark for him to
lend q helping hand to boatmen.
For ten years he mined his own coal
and drove his faithful, silent, yet act
i've partner. They became fond friends,
indeed, and people noted that real az
fiction existed between them. Jack
manifested an appreciation of his mas
ter's kindness, and rebelled when q
new driver was employed.
From few bushels per day Jake
Hetherington's business increased to
several thousand, and the Belmont coal
works fed the furnaces Of scores OF
steamers. The coal-vein being six feet,
and having secured 700 acres Of land,
he wss considered substantially insured
for life. Soon after the close Of the war
he concluded to revisit England and
once more view the scenes Of childhood,
not as poor boy, but as q wealthy
man. IntrustiDg bis business with his
boys, be departed, and during h. visit
employed an architect to draw him
plans Of a house that had taken his
fancy. That be did not forget his old
partner Jack is shown by the house.
Occupying q commanding position
near where he first mined coal stands
his dwelling, which was completed in
1870 at q cost Of $4,000. Entering
the main doorway, visitors observe a
noble arch, the keystone Of which causes
a surprise. 1t is faithfully cut like
ness Of Jack, wearing an expression OF
greatness such as we behold in the
marble heads of other mules who reach
wealth not by incessant toll, but by
electricity.
When this house was completed and
luxuIiously furnished, the first guest
was the mule, Jack, then twenty-eight
years old. Why not: lie had done
much TO create the splendid home, and
Jake Hetherington never forgot it. Jack
baving retired from daily toll, was fat
snd sleek on the most eventful day Of
his life. The neighbors assembled to
witness the entrance of old Jack through
the splendid doorway. lie followed his
master like q dog into the kitchen,
dining.room, bedrooms. and library
Jack went, now and again expressing a
mule sense of his appreciation. Care
fully he assembled the wide and softly
carpeted stairway and viewed every
room on the second floor.
After this singular visit Jack returned
to his own comfortable quarters TO en-
Joy an extra allowance of oats.
About ten years after opening the
HetheriDgton mansion Jack was taken
sick. The best doctors in the neigh
borhood were called to attend him.
They exerted themselves, as Mr.. Heth-
erington was greatly concerned. But
Jack grew worse and worse, and one of
the boys was sent quite a distance for
either medicine or another doctor. lie
met farmer who said be could cure
the mule. Upon seeing Jack, the honest
farmer said whiskey was required, and
that be had some with him, but it was
too good for a mule. Had that mule
been young, in good health, and kicked
the honest CONAN, he would not have
been more astonished or felt hurt more
than he did when Jake Hetherington
turned his batteries OF wrath upon him,
and all because Of his assertion that the
whiskey was too good for his Royal
Highness Jack.
Well. after much grooming and tender
care, Jack died. Mr.. Hetherington wept
as child when food Of old-time re-
collections swept through his memory.
A marble shaft with appropriate inscrip-
ton marks Jacks grave.