Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-05-20
s}listellaueuns &eadiug.
For the YOrkville Enquirer.
pLI'GS, OTHERWISE "OLD RIPS

| throughout this State, and most frequently
heard on county sales-day, has not yet been
defined by either Worcester or Webster.
The species of animal it is intended to des-
ignate is of modern development; but it is
increasing in numbers so rapidly, in this
and other Southern States, that we feel
sure the photographers will be forced to
give the name place in their next editions.
The species exists in two divisions or
families readily distinguishable from each
other by length of ears, when these append
ages have been left unmodifed, or by the
peculiar shape, carriage and dressing of the
TAIL In the Horse division the tail is al
most invariably left with all the hairs that
nature can give it; in the mule division,
the hairs are removed with scrupulous care
to within half inch, of the caudal extremi-
ty, where dozen or so strands are allowed
to grow just one inch and a half in length.
The horse-plug is a hag-waving animal;-he
waves his tail from side to side to show
his feeling in fy-time, and up and down to
catch and manage the driving reins. The
mule-plug never raises his tail except when
he is engaged in singing. 1t is said that
in his youthful days he would beat with his
tail tattoo on his thighs to strengthen his
resolution for a kick; but he has out-groWn
this useless habit-he has learned by long
continued practice to kick without resolve.
Although many new features of form,
habit and moral character have been de-
veloped in him, the hcrse-plug of to-day is
nevertheless lineal descendant of Maj.
Billy Buttons celebrated horse Blossom"
so spiritedly sketched by Judge Longstreet
in his "Georgia Scenes" The origin of the
mule-plug is untraceable,- transmits
nothing to posterity,-he is individually
evolved. Such being the case it is not sur
prising that he manifests himself in speci-
mems of infinite variety. We havein mind
an individual Of this class who seems to he
in a very advanced stage of Development
in fact he has almost become double indi-
vidual. His hind-parts and fore-parts are
evidently governed by independent wills,
while the neck and head serve as kind Of
arbitrator between them. His mode of pro-
gression is peculiar On starting in given
direction, say due north, the hind legs
promptly start Off toward the nOrth-west,
while the fore legs more leisurely set out
towards the northeast. In consequence OF
this lack of coordination half dozen steps
usually bring the body due east and west.
The head then calls halt, calmly surveys
the situation, rectifes the Alignment and
orders a new start. This process repeats
itself with the regularity Of pendulum,
and doubtless, has many valuable adapta-
tions to the complex features of farm econo-
my, for the ownership of the animal is sell
dom changed. The period in which these
highly developed animals made their ap-
pearance in the State is involved in dark
ness. The discovery of faint resemblances
to the letters U. s. Oh a few specimens,
gives hint of Sherman's "march to the
sea :" but the existence of the great mass of
these animals runs back to period "where-
of the memory of man runneth not to the
contrary" as Mr.. Blackstone very happily
expresses it.
1t has been thought by some that the
recognized antiquity of these animals has
given rise to the alternative name, sold
Rips" by which they are sometimes called,
by way Of allusion to one Rip Van Wrinkle
of New York, but this is clearly wrong.
Mr.. Wrinkle reappears upon the scene of
his early manhood after an absence of
twenty years; whereas these animals have
never been absent within the memory OF
man. The occult process of evolution is
changing every one of them year by year;
but identity is never lost. Others, basing
their opinion upon the increasing acuteness
and prominence given by the process, to
shoulder points, withers and hips, assert
that the name is descriptive of the effects
produced on the earth when the animal
falls. This explanation is certainly very
plausible, for the animals are very much
given to falling.
How the more common name "Plug"
came into vogue is yet inexplicable. a
plug is understood to be piece of wood or
other substance with which hole is filled
or stopped but no living animal can be used
to fill Il hole, and these animals YER die.
The word is used sometimes by votaries of
the prize-ring as a verb in such expressions
as "Plug him between the eyes" plug him
back of the ear''-''in the bread basket,'
&c. But the Plug, mule or horse, has ceas-
ed to be plugger in this sense. He has
been developed to the point at which
he can only 60 through the motions; he
can't spare a foot long enough from the
ground. We must do without an expla-
nation of this word until future genera
tiors shall discover the true one.
The important question remains unan-
sWered; how can we account for him:
Only by some one of the recognized laws
of evolution. These laws briefly stated
are:
lst. Natural selection and heredity.
2nd Climatic influences.
Bird. Food.
The effect of the first law is to develop
type, with well marked, uniform character
istics as to form, color, size, etc. But there
is no uniformity in these respects among
the plugs; each individual is SUI gencris and
unique. Beside this, heredty is solicism
so far as the mule-plug is concerned.
The second law has been equally inopera-
tive, since carefully compiled meteorologi-
cal observations of century or so, fail to
establish any climatic changes in our lati-
tude sufficiently great to produce striking
physiological effects. We are thus reduced
to the third law to account for their exist
ence. After much observation and careful
study we have arrived at the solemn con-
viction that the Plug of both kinds is with
out doubt the product of Thought corn" and
Western hay. INVESTIGATOR.
CONCERNING PENSIONS.
An Examiner of Pensions gives the fol-