Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-07-23
\ KENTUCKY MULE.
A Gray Hatred OH Fellow freed Hear
aud Finally Killed ~.

aud Finally Killed u.
Sam parson's gray mule Xekc Is old
and gray, but he Possesses groatsirongth,
both Of understanding and Of body.
Saturday old Sam concluded that hc
wouldn't work. and accordingly he
shouldcrcd his mugzio loading RHO and
wont hunting. Dat before departing he
turned Z,ke out 10 grazc.
Finding the era around tho parsons
cabin rather scanty, Xoko wandered
down the clgc Of tho crock next 90 the
mountain side. There within the shad.
ow Of the wood he strucl, nice, ton.
don clump Of grass and Immediately be.
gan to cat It with great delight. While
engaged IN this congcnial task u largo
black bear oniuo down the mountain
side aud approached ZCkc. 2olio had
probably never seen bear before, ~ the
ursiun tribe Inns long boon scarce IN thcso
mountains. Nor 81 10 likely that tho bear
had ever ON any previous occasion look.
cd upon mule. But this bear was
hungry and. while Zolso was bigger
game than he had hargginod for. no
evidently thought ii worth while to take
~ look at him, for he caIno little ncnrcr.
Heke was not bit afraid. He had
mover stood In awe Of manhood. not
oven Old Sam. his master, and il was
not likely that ~ this late period Of his
life ho would BE- afraid OF any four
footed creature that walked the earth.
Hoko calmly went on with his pleasant
tank Of eating grass The bear edged up
another yard. Z'ko switched his tail
aud cleverly knocked fy on his back.
and being relieved OF the burden of tho
insect still munchc1 tho gruss.
Tho bear began 10 grow inquisitlvc.
He evidently did not understand what
kind of an animal Zcio was, his studies
In zoology being limited. 10 stood upon
his launches and growlcd, not as a
threat, but an kind Of friendly salute.
HoSo did not raise hia head, aud still
munchcd the grass. Tho bear stopped
growing and walked In n respectful cir
Gle around Zclic, studying him from
every cornur. He might have been
hundred miles away for all tho notice
Iekc took. Tho bear was puzzled and
uttered another growl Of Interrogation.
Again finding himself uunoticcd no be-
gun To grow angry.
The bear went around behind Zekc
and came very close, evidently deter.
mined TO try by touch TO arouse the
strange animal. Suddenly Zoko doubled
himself up in knot aud lonped high in
Che air. Two legs dew out of the bunch
like piston rods and caught tho bear in
the side, whirling him over in com.
ploto somenault. When ho struck the
ground ho righted himself aud rushed
away with growl Of pain. But Zeko
was hot nftor him, and tho bear, seeing
that ho would be oyortakon, scrambled
up hickory tree, barely missing terri-
bic drive Of Zeko's hind heels.
Noon came and still ZelSo was under
tho tree. Tho afternoon passed. It was
almost sundown, but still Zcko was
thoro. Tho bear could stand II no long-
err Zeko was about twoniy fcot away
from the tree, apparently taking no no
iico, and accordingly ho crawled down
the trunl; ns quietly as possible, intend
ing to slip away In tho forest. Barely
had he touched the ground when Zeke
turned with u snort and leapod upon
him SO fast did his hind logs fash pacN
ana forth that they looked like the driv.
.lng rods OF an engine. In "a minute the
bear was dead, every bono in his body
broken. Mrs, Parsons, who saw It all
from the door Of her cabin, says that tho
Dear didn't even have timo TO growl
Whom asked why she hadn't taken gun
rom the house and shoot tho bear in tho
treo-for SHE Is a girl woodsman and bold
as a man sho replicdi
81 knowed zel'o didn't need no help,
aud besides ! didn't want to spilo tho
fun''-Pond Creek (Ky.) Cor. Now York
Sun,