The National tribune., 1886-02-25

| made him lose all holds and come down, as the
sailors say, ION the rum
| Atkins whose method of meeting any un-
| foreseen emergency was to first belt a nigger,"
| gave Kalsomine couple of heavy cuffs, which
sent him waiiing away to his usual place of
refuge in the corner formed with the house by
the great outside chimney. His beloved jews
| harp came forth from acrevasse in the panta-
| looms, and he started doleful tune. which be-
came a jig as hope began to twitter again in
| his buoyant little heart and a few seconds
| later saw him clamberiug up on the rail again,
| wiping the tears from his eyes with such por-
| tons OF the yOuminOuS pantaloOns as came
near those orbs in the contortons of climbing.
% If | could only spare him." said the Kun
mel, when order was once more restored, " d
| like above all things, sah to have you take
that Mule theh (pointing to Me-. He's the
likeliest mule colt ever foaled on blue grass,
| sab. He'd be credit to me, and to the whole
! State, sab, if taken Moth He'd be something
| to show yo friends, sah-something to Illus
trate what Blue Grass stock really means, sab" J"
"Yes," said Azariah Grimsted, with the non
committai of the true buyer, he strikes
me as a very fair animal. don't know, though,
how Jane would view him."
Very fair?" said the Kunnel, reproachfully.
Fair don't begin to express it, sab. Look at
that barrel, cab. See that head and those
qua'tehs, sah Notice that action, sah."
Mainly back action, with springs tempered
by gunpowder," mumbled Atkins, flicklng the
head off a marigold with his whip.
I'D like to have you see him little closeh,
sah-he improves the nearer you get to him.
atkins turned his head to hide a sardonic grin,
and with his far-reaching lash snipt crimson
hollyhock from its wand-like stalk.) I" But L
don't believe, sab, Pm able to get off this gal
lery."
Been sick ?" queried Grimsted.
Had touch this season of my old rheu-
matte trouble" said the Kunnel evasively.
Indeed! d. y ever try carry'n' buckeye
in y'r pocket to keep Off the rheumatics? No?
Well, have, an / wouldn't be without one
| now for the best farm on the SciotO."
80, pshah!" said the Kunnel impatiently.
You can po0h-pooh it all you please" per-
sisted Grimsted II done that too, before
knowed what l was taIkin about, but since
took to carryin' q buckeye-I haint had tech
or sign o rheumatics. Before that it seemed
some times they'd just tear me limb from limb
L had 'em just ee-mense, / tell you, and l tried
all sorts O doctorin', but it done me no good"
Z" haint no faith in buckeyes" said Atkins
but an Irish 'tater II knock the spots off the
rheumatic every time. | alluz carry one, an
never let myself git ketcht without one, or Pm
sure t. suffer awful"
The Majah, sunk in sOmnolence or deep rev.
erie, did not participate in the discussion.
"Misteh Atkins!" The overseer turned to
face. "Take the gentleman out into the field
and show him the colt, sab, if you please
Take yO time, sab, and look him Oveh ca fully,
fOh assure yo, sab, he'll beah studying, sah."
"Is he gentle?" asked Grmsted. as he rose to
follow the overscor. $50 many of these mules
are vicious that, Jane says, having span of
'em on the place s like taking a steamboat
biler to board in the family. It's only ques-
tion of time when they'll bust out"
You'll find some points on him, sah," said
the Kunnel ignoring the question, "that you
can't find ON anotheh colt in Kentucky, sab.
Examining him III help, yo' to judge of others
that yo' may want to buy. sah."
Atkins rightly interpreted the look the Kun
mel gave him to mean that the closest scrutiny
was to be expended on My front elevation, and
to prevent accidents the inspection of My rear
aspect was to be made beyond range. So com-
ing up in front he expatiated to weariness upon
the geod points in My facade, and making q
little detour of a rod or moro to the rear, hit
Me sharp cut with the whip, which sent Me
flying through the pasture, apparently to show
My magnificent action. The unexpectedness
Of the blow took Me by surprise. and did not
retalate as 1 would have done later in life,
with far-reaching heel-tap, but yielded to the
first impulse and fled away in pain. My van
ity poulticed the sting Of the lash little, how
ever, when looking back saw Grimsted and
the rest following My,swift movements with
admiring eyes.
"Golly, he 20 liker debbil ar.er fieas," shout
ed little Kalsomine, waving his jewsharp ex-
citedly at the end of his little black arm, like
a fish hook on the tip of an ebony stick.
"Gait's very good moves free and rangy,"
said Grimsted judicially. Nothing the matter
with the off hind stihe, is there2"
"Nothin' at all; his legs s sound s beech
nut, an lively S a lambs tail in fly time,' an
swered Atkins grimly.
ssrTbare tc a much on in him &c in q Inpnpno.
tive" added the Majah, whose imaginative
mendacity was the charm of his conversation.
" He can keep that pace up all day without
wetting hair"
81 wanted a mule more for strength than
speed" said Mr. Grimsted, but l suppose as
he ages he'll get soldier"
40. yes" assented Atkins; "ali hoss- critters
do that, jest like pork brine"
"Well, what do you think of him, sab ,"
called out the Kunnel as the party returned to
the porch.
"Very fine animal, indeed" answered Mr..
Grmsted.
Finest you eveh saw, sab; ant it So sab ?"
insisted the kunnel.
He's quite as good s any I've seen since
I've been IN Kentucky" admitted Grimsted,
cautiously.
/ will not attempt to reproduce the converse
ton that followed. 1t would be impossible for
Me to do it Justice and actually detail the artful
lies and cunning tricks by which those two
men tried to overreach each other in regard to
the monetary value of the flesh and blood which
represented My personality. My fresh, unsul-
lied young mind was deeply shocked by the
exhibition of such unblushing dupicity in
those who call themselves the superior animals.
Years have passed since then, and the false
hood of man has become an old story to me, and
as familiar as short rationS and bad language
Beginning with an emphatic assertion on the
part of Col. Oldr that he would not part with
Mo at any price, and an equally positive state
ment Oh the part of Grimsted that l was en-
tirely too young and light for his purpose, the
debate ran down a stairs of reciprocal lies ban
ters and refusals, until at last l was sold to
Grimsted at about fair market price
In the evening, with rope halter framing
My intellectual c0untenance like hempen
cincturo about the face of beauty, l was led
away from the scenes of My happy childhood,
and the great world opened up before Ne. AS
we trotted away from the gate, the vocferous
curs under the porch, who seemed to understand
that / was taking My farewell, made maevolent
rush for Me. They had always dislked Me,
and had hated them. All dogs are hated by
all Mules Next to % musketO and a bear, a
Mules bittercst antipathy is to dogs. Now the
cIamorous mongrels came swapping at My very
fetlocks This WIS intOlerable. No sef-re-
specting Mule ever allows his ears, his tail, or
his fetocks TO be trihed with. One swift
glance backward showed Nc the overseers cur
in exact range. The next best thing to kick
ing Atkins was to kick his dog. To think was
to act. NV right heel flew out like bolt from