Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-07-02
THE WESTERN MULE.
pecvlnRIrIts or The euaao USED
IN The MOUNTAINS.

u.- rhsy Are n'ohss In r-sh C.",-
i.g-s,r..g. Iafsiasiis" Coo iisr.s.-in-
,.r..,lss. Ama.iag and Asgrsss,ins
Ch...s,s'is,io~
"A man who has rOughed u cut
among the mountains IL Was saii at
broadway sales stable the other day.
remembers the mules about A. well and
a. long a. anything
II l. just about nj this time. the speak
er told. when asked Why the mind should
b. particularly imprcs>ed by the familiar
quadnlJc,i. that good many are round
ed up Tor the summers work after icing
turned cat all winter. A. natural 20 en-.
pet. a mule that has had no restraint
for several months u inclined 10 show
the worst side when the hand - q would
h. master begins Ia h. felt 4 drove ~
loo az - In a curral frrsh from the plains
will carry just about A. much downright,
"cus-s,lness- as can L. found In any
brute collection under the sun The arsi
thisg l. 20 have them sl'o.L Such a
thing a. one % them oonscnting 10 the
job /. unknown. bat frontier blacksniths
have no fear 90 hesitation. and In tree
the mule j. tel up and irOncd
The pack mules aro smaller and tn
ferior In every nay 81 the riding mule,
except IN toughncss and rAscaliiy. Like
joey BSTs,ock. the packers are sly.
Mo-, 81 them are sirrl 10y Indian ponies
and arc horn on the open plains \
Wild horSs l. gcntlenc-s Itself beside
them. bat a. they are usually usoi Tor
carrying packs their wIck~insss dos
not ~ much matter.
rAcKNo TIE "cnrrrn.-
The flrst time the pack saddles Arr pa,
on a young mule the excitement aIr'
Ias-cs description. Tho grv.n bca.i,
strong and ~iry. u las-ocd and led into
a sm.l oysn space Befoy he knows
What Il l. all about a no-o.c - the hriat
around hi. neck i, slipTcd over his noe.
this gisrs him a shock. a. Il werc. and
be- makcs start for liberty. Iiui the
moro he pulls the tighter the pinch "a
hi. no-e. - ho finally gives Il up and
stands still
Morv roTcs are Sought into U.s.. and
b. u finally brUughi 10 have a RATHER
binder pat over his eyes The next step
l. to put the pack saddle on. Tic great
kicklag u done when tho crupper Il
.lipf-d under the tail Words cann0,
tel the Nay that mules heels nAsh
through the air In all directions Hut
strategy Gins and mules do tire. The
pulling up ~ the ''sinch. a. the girth Il
cAlle,i. brings cat new struggle. bui u
l. 900 over and "a an extent the mule !.
conquered
Mules always Ike company. and work
ESPECIALLY veil With horse. With =
hor-c on the lead they will follow sieadi
H.. and Keep In the horse's company Al
night without aiicmp, 90 wander away
They will even fight among themselves
to gct near a hon.s. AZ night the mules
submit without moving muscle o. hav.
ins The pack. removed \ goal roll CA
tie gr,s. q. the frst thing when relieved.
aud then they 80 % eating Al any hour
- the night. N they are lookcd az. their
moss will L. sccn Ca the ground. with
their jaws industriously In motion.
Packing saddle j. an art IN iissf.
In former years the Mexican sawbuck
saddle was ui,d This invariably cut
and chafcl the mules lack but nov
The California studied ararriO IL the
thing THIS !. fastened boy two men. ono
on either s,dc. Who brace themselves
with one TO-, against the mules rils and
pail on the lash ruTe ~ith all their might
Tho lood l. balanced properly. and the
lash ruPc twisted and loof-d In sori -
network when al Is ready for tho final
tightening the men give tito hcr. The
I..or mule actually groans under Oh,
pressure. hat even under this tightsst ~
tying iho l1..ds quite frequently lip oui
- place
a CONTINUAL REVELATION.
The mountain mule u continual
,.t.I.ft.u NTN t.lutsat a. rlaraFfsF Are