Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-08-15
THE MEXICAN MULE.
a DISSERTATION INSPIRED 5Y N.
scHwATkA'S EXPERIENCE.
Some Pe-uiiaraties which Make ths Ant
NAL the aost Interesting Specimen Of
His Race-He May he tndoient. but as
Industriousiy Pays Old Scores.

NAL the ssost Interesting Specimen of
His Race-He May he indoient. but Hs
Indn.triousiy Pays Old Scores.
The Mexican mule Is q sort of cross
between "a mountain goat and a flying
squirrel. with the distinct difference that
its surplus electricity flows off from the
negative pole instead of the positive. an
with the goat IL Is in its meanderings
on the mountain trails that II shines re-
splendcnt. but with a iuster wholly its
own. that can no more be compared with
any other than can the fash OF the dia-
mond be compared with tho fire of the
opal
BLOOD cURDLISo WAY.
On the mountain trail this distinct
species of mule was never known to fall,
although he has an exasperating and
blood curdling way of stumbling along
over 1t that would raise the hair on end
of bald headed man. Many time
have watched the mule | was compelled
to ride with a view OF discovering his
methods of trying to scare me to death.
as payment for past injuries Often
times the trail would lead past dizzy
heights or cliffs, where one could look
sheer down far enough to be dead.before
he reached the bottom should he fall,
and every few feet along the trail, Of
foot 10 a foot and half In width. It
would have tumbled in a foot or so and
again taken up the original inclination
OF the mountain, or about that of the
leaning tower Of Pisa. Here the mule
would always be sure to stick one foot
and stumble little bit. but always re-
gain its equilibrium at the next step,
having clearly done it Intentionally, and
for no other purpose than pure cussed-
ness One can imagine the cool Alpine
zephyr that is waited up the dorsal
vertebr@ with sufficient force TO blow
the hair straight up ON end.
III you have touched the beast during
the last three or four days with the whip
or dug into its sides with the spurs when
It was absorbed In melancholy refiec-
tions, 1t will be sure to remember 1t when
you are climbing over the comb of cliff
5000 feet high, and at the least move
ment OF your feet or twitching of your
fingers 1t will throw its head high In the
air like hound ON the scent and go
grass on the dangerous way, evidently
trying TO make you regret that you had
tried To punish so delicate a creature. AZ
any other time you can turn double
somersaults on its back, or act like a raw
ing maniac, and IL will not increase its
funereal march foot day as a result
Of your actions Whenever trail leads
| exceptionally near cliff, before 1t turns
on the reverse grade down or up hill, the
Mexican mule never fails TO go within an
inch OF the crest and let hind leg over
with slight quiver as 1t turns around.
All these mountain trails are full of little.
round, hard stones about the size of mar
bles and larger, hidden underneath car
peting of pine needles. These are liable
to make mule stumble IL two feet are
on stones at once; but this is very rare,
although they always go sliding over
them on the sleeper trails.
II Is wonderful how these rotund rocks.
hidden under the pine needles on the
trail or off of IL, win throw a human be-
ing PROSTATE II he dismounts a few min
ntes to take walk on slope and stretch
his stiffened limbs. OF course the mule.
under headway, walks over them before
1t can stop Hobnails In shoes, nor
anything OF mans make. help to avoid
them.
PLEASANT PAsTIME.
There Is another pastime In which the
Mexican mule delights, and in which
you won't. II likes TO deviate enough to
go under every low branched tree on the
trail, and so universal is this trait Of
| character that the trail seems to lead
from one low treo or vine to another,
just AS the mules seem a mind to make
it. The dodging of limbs and branches
among the pines, Expresses and oaks In
the highlands was not SO bad, but down
in the tierras calientes, or hot lands,
where brambly mosquito and thorny
vines were tearing crescents out of YOUR
clothes until you looked like group Of
Turkish ensigns. it was much more
monotonous.
The beast was compelled 70 ride had
one ear cut off near the head and looked
topheavy in the extreme. As mules
ears make up a goodly portion OF 1t, as
seen in elevation from the saddle on its
back, was always frightened when he
approached cliff on the unabridged side
and instinctively leaned in to counter
poise the heavy weight that | thought
might drag us over the precipice. He
was Familiarity known by the party as
"Old Steamboat" "Old Lumber Yard"
and other names indicating his charac-
teristics. but he was large and 80 was |,
and he fell to my lot. When first saw
his abbreviated auricular appendage, as q
member OF the society for the prevention
Of cruelty to mules, felt incensed when
heard that il had been lost by the cut
OF whip in the hands Of a previous dri-
yer; but before we had been acquainted
a week | had transferred all my sympa-
thy from the mule to the man, whoever
he may have been On the level ground
he was slower than the cook, who took
fifteen minutes to wash spoon, but ON
perilous path OF half foot In width
IN a dizzy precipice the way he could box
the compass with the lone ear, 30 as to
catch some faint sound at which he could
get frightened at this inopportune time,
made me wish could cut of the other
ear at the third cervical vertebrm.-
Frederick Schwatkas Mexican Letter
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ais Only Hope.
Henry married six monthsl-T fear my
wife's love Is growing cold. She used 10