The Newtown bee., 1892-08-19
Good for the Mule.

0OOu IOI GuG mule,
 I bought large iron gray pack mule to carry my goods across the Sierra Ne vadas. I christened him Pete. The day after we started-Pete and I-came to nice grassy place. I tethered Pete to tree, allowing him about twenty feet range and taking some ham and crackers out of my haversack sat down on fal- len tree to eat them. While I munched fresh grass which grew long and green. Suddenly he reared up and snorted in a manner that very plainly said, Hook out!"
 Isprang to my feet and it was we'll did so, for it saved me from the embrace of very large, hungry and ferocious grizzly bear, who was standing erect and preparing to throw his paws around me. I rushed for the nearest tree and was up in no time.
 I was safe for the time being, but, alas, poor Pete! The bear went about things in a very cool and complacent manner. | could see by the expression of his eyes that he was taking Pete's measure, for he cooked his head over on one side and assumed an appearance of great wisdom, as you have seen critics look at pie ture.
 Pete's behavior, much as 1 had already learned of that remarkable animal, sur prised me. When was safe, his alarm disappeared altogether. He dropped his head and began to nibble the grass as if there were no such thing as grizz- ly bear in the world. He would nip of the succulent green stems and chew with great steadiness and regularity and oc- casionally I could hear his contented snort as he struck an unusually delicate bunch of grass.
 Pete kept on grazing. The bear was as much astonished as 1 was. Evident ly he considered such conduct without a parallel, for he looked harder than ever at Pete, then scratched his head and tried to think out an answer to the prob lem. But Pete calmly went on with his grazing and looked neither to the right nor to the left, while I sat in my tree and held my breath.
 By and by the bear arose, made a grand circuit around the tree in order to watch Pete from every angle and point. Getting no satisfaction out of that mode of procedure, he came over to my tree and looked up at me for an answer. But had none to give him. Between the bear and me, we began to think that Pete had lost his mind. Perhaps fright at the ap- pearance of the bear had so bereft him of reason that he continued to eat grass through the mere force of habit.
 Soon the grizzly's appetite oyercame his curiosity and he prepared for work. He seemed to me to make a critical ex- animation of his destroying apparatus. He stretched his front paws and slapped the muscles of each with the other. Evi- dently he was satisfied that he was in good trim, for he showed his great teeth with joy. He appeared satisfied that he was fit to demolish a whole drove of mules.
 These things done, the bear gave the signal for action. He opened his mouth and emitted series of growls which made my flesh creep and my hair rise un- der my hat.
 Pete stopped for minute. Pete went on grazing. His countenance expressed DO proof that he had heard the growing of the grizzly. The latter dropped on all fours, with his hungry mouth open and his great teeth disclosed. Still Pete made no sign that he either saw or heard, but confined his attention strictly to the bus mess of finding dinner. The bear, also having the latter in view, rapidly ap- preached until he was in striking dis tance and then, rearing up, prepared to disembowel Pete and break his neck with one blow.
 Down came the outstretehed paws and at that moment Pete seemed to become aware for the first time of the presence of the grizzly. He sprang forward, the paws struck only the air and then saw a gray form double itself into ball and bound upward. Out of that ball flew two legs. which shot back and forth with the rapidity of piston rods, going thump, thump upon the body of the grizzly. Up and down went the body and back and forth went the two pile drivers. The bear was struck all oyer,-on his head, on his shoulders, on his side, on his paws. He fell in one direction and then in an- other. He was kicked into the air and pounded and at length lay on the ground a shapeless mass, while Pete quietly re- turned to his interrupted grazing with out hair injured.-[ Louisville Courier Journal.