St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1891-09-26
HUNTING WITH A MULE.


memOer, uSe0 70 go OOWu IutO AIAouS3S
every fall for few weeks hunting.
He had quite circle Of friends among
the people in tho Ozark country, and
whatever they could do for his enter
tainment was done with q promptness
and freedom that made the gift dOubly
welcome. They were great fellows to
hunt foxes, and chose clear moonlight
nights for this choicest of sports. He
had gone with them on . good many
chases. but had never yet followed the
hounds after night and expressed
wish to do SO.
The family with which he had been
stopping had . good horse that had
given him an excellent mount on the
daylight runs, but II was 80 spirited that
he did not care to ride it on q night chase.
So neighbor offered to exchange with
him, giving mule instead. All the young
men in the country told him the mule
was famous hunter, and that 1t would
follow the hounds through fire and wa
ter, and that all he had to do was to
hang on. But on the evening Of the
meet, when they gathered at the edge
of the wood, he concluded that the mule
affair was their way Of playing joke
on the city young man.
THAT mule stood there by the fence
with its head down, his halter loose.
and nothing to keep him from running
away in the excitement of that time Of
preparation" says Mr.. Winde. II
thought it was joke. but got down
from the spirited horse and got ready
to mount the mule, thinking II they
wanted a little fun with me they might
have it; they had earned it
"'Now, you can ride, can You" asked
the mules owner.
"'well. guess I can ride that mule ,
I answered.
"'When he gets ready TO run, don't
you try to hold him-just let him 60.
81 said, all right and got up ON the
beast, and he never stirred . muscle.
There were about twenty Of ms, and
there must have been q hundred hounds.
Some Of them were old fellows and
knew their business, and some were
younger, and some of them were just
taking their first lesson in hunting. We
started off after a bit, tho mule in the
rear. and me kicking him with my heels
and crying TO get him to be respectable.
and failing constantly. The first mile
or two was awful work. wore myself
out Betting and humping that mule. but
he wouldn't go faster than . lazy trot
And that trot! 1t loosened every joint
in my body. It made me bite my tongue.
and it bruised me SO quickly had NO
time to blister.
Presently one Of the young dogs
struck an old scent, and in his inexperi-
ence began to bay hopefully. Still the
mule stumbled on. Then . better dog
thought he smellcd something promis.
ing, and he started an alarm which
all the younger ones sweled ut
once to that plaintive, beseech-
ing roar of foxhounds while rang
ing. Not q sign from the mule. But
all of a sudden there was that eager,
short agonizcd yelp Of the old hounds
as they pulled away from the pack and
cut out the pace ON . perfectly fresh
trail. And il that old mule didn't know
what was the matter hope to die. He
unlimbered himself and picked up first
one and then the other of those awfully
long ears; he changed his trot to . gal
lop, and pushed right mp through the
band of well-mounted hunters, going
straight to the front and Just simply
stabbing the earth with his little hoofs
in an effort to overtake the houndA
"'Don't try to hold him-just hang
on cried my friend, rs shot past him;
and l gave myself mp to that task -
we'll as l could, for he had me pretty
well frightened. On he went through
the woods, just missing . great syca-
more on one side and = rock ON the 9th
er, crashing into and over . heap Of
brush or the top Of q fallen tree. pluug.
Into wide creeks and leaping over mar
row ones till l thought my end was
come. But couldn't let 60. Ny
only hope was that he would let up af-
ter awhile and give me q chance to get
away. One-half Of my shoe was ripped
from my foot, and the half Of my coat
had gone to keep Il company. Ny hands
and face were scratched and bleeding.
but led the chase, and led il easily.
FINALLY we came to . high rail fence
ten rails Highland said to myself:
Now I have got him. But l hadn't
He just kept on galloping right ut that
fence, but he seemed to be studying it.
and feeling the bits rs il they didn't set
Just right Ipulled away harder than
ever, for I felt il he undertook 70 jump
that fence he would kill himself and me,
too. But he didn't try to 60 over It; he
Just went through It He went right 1t
It with rush, threw his forelegs high
enough to get them over the tOp-and
that settled the fence. Down Il came
mule, man and all-and he clamberei 4
out and went on without losing . min
ute.
THAT was cottonfield Il WAS rank
and tall. and the bolls whipped me in
the face. and the strong stalks grasped
my clothes and tore them, but
couldn't get away. and Just sawed at
the bits and prayed for . dead wall or
a pitfall or . stroke Of lightning. Out
on the further side Of the Aeld the
fence was down and we went out al
right. There was the creek. and the
hounds were Just creeping up the fur
ther bank. Il was high and steep. L
thought this would end IL, but Il
didn't That mule went st IL frantic
ally. He leaped from the high bank
as IL he was . sort Of winged steed and
landed right in the middle Of the
water. But he didn't waste . minute.
He clambered mp the further bank and
shot away again after them-snd the
nearest horsemen were twenty rod
away looking for ford.
There were the hounds. just over q
little hill not forty rods away. and they
had the fox. II that mule had been