St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-08-09
Peter. the Mule.

This country has been sorely troubled
for some time by mule thieves, says an
Elizabethtown, KY, correspondent OF the
said Farmer John Rusk last week. MI.
Rusk lives FIVE miles from town, and has
implicit confidence in his old one eyed
mule, Pete. Pete, Notwithstanding the
weight of years and his ocular inhrmlty
Is a presentable animal, big and strong,
and Farmer John knew that no discerning
mule thief would be likely to ignore hlm
If there was good chance to run old fete
off. Pete had mschievous disposition.
In fact, he was inclined to be quite trlsKy
with his heels when strangers were about,
though he never annoyed the home folks.
Upon these traits in Petes character Mr..
Rusk built his hopes.
"We'n lust let the thieves steal old
Pete" said Farmer John to his hired man,
William. William thought the idea
good one. They put Pete into an outside
stall and left the door unlocked. Mr.. Rusk
and William hid in the loft above and
waited.
About o'clock Mr.. Rusk thrust his
elbow gently into Williams side. William
wiped the hay out If his eyes and ears and
looked and listened. The moon shone
through the cracks in the ceiling, and
they could see distinctly into the stall be-
low. Pete was contentedly munching
wisp OF hay. They heard gentle footsteps
outside. The door was softly opened. and
two large. rough looking men entered, and
each carried bride over his arm
Old Pete looked around at the intruders
and contemplated them mildly with his
single luminous dark eye be was evil
IDENTIFY moved by curiosity rather than by
alarm, and waited quietly to see what the
intruders were about.
Put the bride over his head" the
watchers heard one of the men say to the
other. He is likely animal
The one spoken to held out his hsnd
soothingly toward old Pete aud moved for
ward. Pete raised his head questionlngly,
but made no protest while the man slipped
the bride over his head.
Il wonder if old Pete's sick" whispered
the hired man.
"Wait said Mr. Rusk.
mount him and ride off, said one thief
to the other, who held the bride.
"Give me leg," replied the latter.
He got leg and sprang upon Pete's
back. At that moment the cyclone was
turned loose. Petes head went down be-
t"66u LIS LIS O0Nn s"ASA 1890
the hump of dromedary. His hind legs
few high into the air, and the thief on his
back shot upward like skyrocket as If 1t
had been propelled by some tremendous
machine He struck the ceiling with
lovely thwack As he fell back he was
caught upon old Pete's feet and lifted
again into the air. When he descended
the second time he lay quietly on the floor:
Pete turned his attention to the second
thief, who had attempted to run, and
caught him a biff which sent him head
first against the wall. His skull must
have been very thick. for he sprang to his
feet just in time to catch second kick.
This, as Mr.. Rusk said, "kinder struck
him all over" and he fell in heap near
his companion. Pete resumed the occupa.
ton in which he was engaged when the
men entered, placidly munchipg his hay.
Cold water revived the thieves, but they
were in bad plight. The one who was
first kicked had rib broken and was ter
ribly bruised The other bad fractured
arm, and his scalp was laid open. They
were brought to this place and put in jail.
They will be tried as soon as they recover
from their injuries. They prove to be
members of noted gang of thieves having
their headquarters in Indiana No mules
have been stolen here since their capture