The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-20
THE DAILY TIMES-MONDAY. MAY 90. 1858

ward said, that the mule intended TO
keep straight on TO Salt Lake City, and
meant 20 get there that night, he as a
last resort pulled him into one OF the
teams "head on and Birthstone came to
full stop in tangle Of mules.
Frank kept on a dozen or fifteen yards
farther, sailing. like frog TO water. over
the wagon mules and describing a para.
bola which he met the prairie with a
thump, a ricochet and roll He got up.
shook himself, reached behind to make
sure his revolver had not been thrown
out. and walked back to his mule as
coolly a. if that were his ordinary way
Of dismounting.
When Birthstone was finally extri-
Gated the inspiring cause of his jealous
run was fully revealed. Sticking from
his rump was the long shaft and feathers
Of an arrow, the head Of which was i'm
bedded some three inches in the flesh. ]
have TO say that the mule got no sympa-
thy; on the contrary his plight was
looked on by all hands with unconcealed
satisfaction. His past conduct had not
endeared him TO the ''outfit.
The question Of getting ont the arrow
head was not easily met For, while
there were plenty Of advisers in the mat
ter, there was no one so little in love
with life as to offer TO operate surgically
in the vicinity of those lightsOme heels.
The operation was a heroic one. as the
blood had softened and loosened the deer
sinew that fastened the shaft TO the
barbed arrow head so that they came
apart at the first pull. leaving the latter
in the wound.
However, as it needed to be done. Pete
Ouray and Frank set to work with ex-
treme care, their instruments consisting
of a sharp knife and pair Of pincers.
To the establishment Of all, Birthstone re-
NAMED as quiet as a lamb \ cut was
made wide and deep enough 70 allow
the arrow head to be caught with the
pincers and pulled out. The mule WINGED
under the steel. but did not kick
The wound soon healcd-there was. in
fact, no loss Of Brimstone's valuable
services. He was rather sensitive 10 APP
proach for a time. but a remarkable eff
feet of the wound appeared in his dispo-
silion. Strange 10 say. this effect was a
favorable one. From that date on he
was a different and better mule. IL Is
not to be wondered at that three inches
OF arrow in his haunch should have
wrought painfully on his feelings, and
for a time reversed his usual habits of
thought; but the gratifying fact remain
ed that the change was marked and per
manent
Frank kept him as his favorite saddle
animal a full year after, and in all that
time Birthstone never again baked or
buckcd with his rider Nor was he ever
again known to bite or kick except under
circumstances generally held to justify
any mule in SO doing.
This is the history of the remarkable
conversion Of Birthstone brought about
through the arrow and twanging bow
string Of a murderous Arapahoe who
meant anything but good TO the mule
and his rider.
Were 70 draw a moral it would be
that good may come from seeming evil,
and that there Is a wrong time for all
things. The force Of the latter precept
was brought keenly home TO Birthstone
the last time he ever baked. Clarence
Pullen in Youths Companion.