Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-15
WEANIN DAY.

Some Interesting Facts About the Mule and
Ills Youth.
Correspondence of The Evening star.
WINCHESTER, KY., October 6, 1892.
This is ''mule week.
Do you know what that is2
No?
Then you never lived in old Kaintuck
The first week in October, rain or shine, il
''mule week" and if you happen to be in one
Of the blue grass towns at that time you are
made aware Of the fact very sudibly
October 1 is "weanin' dsv'
Don't know what that is either, do vou2
OF course not, if you don't know what mule
week" is, and you don't, I'll bet a quart
quart?
Don't mean quarter?
No. don't
A quarter is only 25 cents. while a quart is
very seldom less than dollar
You can get it for IS cents sometimes, but il
is new and raw, and burns like fire as il goes
down.
Sos the dollar kind. to an extent, but when it
is 81 it tastes delightfully."- smooth, and drops
through as if 1t were creased
However, that is another story
As said, weanin' day is the LIST Of October
and on that day every man who has raised a
mule colt since spring comes to town with It to
show it of and sell it. In this county CLARK
county court day comes on the fourth Monday
of the month. and as that is the red-letter day
for the country folks, they combine the two,
and bring in their colts q few DAYS ahead
This year, presume, at a fair estimate there
are 800 or 400 stockings in town on weaving
day, varying from six to nine months old. with
here and there yearling. They were collected
in side street with their mothers and a Ikelier
lot Of kickers couldn't have been found outside
the political field. In many instances the
owners Of the weanlings rode horses, lead
ing the mothers of the youngsters, but it
was not an unusual sight to see some poorer
farmer riding the mother of the colt he had to
sell, because he hadn't anything else to ride.
and riding was cheaper than walking.
"MoTKER" AND "DAN."
You may observe that speak here Of the fe-
male progenitor of the mule as its ''mother. e"
The mule, which has mo pride Of ancestry or
hope Of posterity," is not dignified
ordinarily by having his maternal ancestor re-
ferred to as his ''dsm," that honor being re-
served for his nobler half brother. the horse
Imight say that the mule is not dam-ed
until he gets old enough TO be stubborn and
'.mulish," but it is not necessary to swear in
this article.
All day long these mulelets, so to speak.
trotted around their mothers; nosed the passers-
by on the street in familiar manner, kicked
boy occasionally and otherwise diverted them
selves entirely oblivious Of the fate that awaited
them.
There was brisk traffic and barter going on
all day, the regular buyers buying for cash
and raisers wrapping or selling outright to
each other. As one walked about the streets
all the talk was mule, and sold your muller"
"How much did you get for your mule?' How
many mules you got2" At heard one man re-
fuse ESQ for his mule" 81 have got q little
ssoond-class one III sell for forty" were some
Of the expressions that might be heard almost
anywhere.
How THE SALE WAS CONDUCTED.
The mules were not put In an Enclosure at
all or tied up with their mothers, but the owners
or their colored boys set around on their horses
until . sale was made or it was time to 20
home. Some couldn't sell and some wouldn't,
but mule colt IL . safe investment, and there
was NO bitter disappointment one way or
another.
One reason, also, for this lack OF serious dis
coming few days earlier than regular weaving
day, gave the rsisers another chance ON the lst
Of October 10 dispose Of their little shayer&
Owing 10 this difference Of days We enjoy moro
mule season IN this county than others Of our
lsss fortunate neighbors whose county court
days come eariisr in the month than ours.
With some slight changes the day was remin-
iscent TO some extent Of the Uncle Tom Cabin
tabled days when mothen were brought to the
auction block. and torn from their children.
Only in this instance it vas the children TO be
torn from their motheu and there was no suc-
I'm.
N TK1 orHRD uuLB DAm
49, ~ u 10