The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-07-22

| been compelled to fence him i'll to pre-
serve the life of his other stock. Around
! the mound was assembled the entire
neighborhood, men, women and children,
| attracted by the boldness of the man,
who intended to take his life in his hand
and single handed and alone beard that
mule in his den.
The picture he presented was well
calculated 10 disturb the nerves of us
brave a soldier even as Conductor Deh-
mis- The animal stood seventeen hands
high if an inch, with one eye as ugly as
ever sleeplly winked at possible
victim of it's treachery The other eye
had been knocked out, and, as if to con
ceal this physical defect, the animal had
acquired the habit of dropping his ear
over it like curtain, while under the
half closed lid of the other, there sleepily
rolled wicked ball of fire, over which
his other ear stood painfully erect.
Dennis had his eyes about him, and
took all this in at glance. He noticed
with no perceptible emotion of pleasure
the huge head and terrible jaws of his
muleship, as we'll as the unusually stout
rope halter that held the animal by short
turp, to an unusually stout post. None
of these facts were assuring, and while
our conductor looked brave enough on
the outside, the fact was, that if his
Al. 6
the P. W. & B. Railroad had at that
moment laid at the feet of that mule, he
could not have commanded the nerve to
pick it up.
But Dennis had tact, and remember
ing the poets injunction Ito assume
virtue if you have it not" he spoke con
tidently to Mr.. Hastings and the assem-
bled crowd.
when was stationed at the Govern
ment mule corrals at Perryville during
the early days of the war, we made short
work of breaking mule for army use.
Through a rope fastened round his neck
like collar, we passed second rope
fastened under front fet-lock, when we
started the animal by swipe oil whip,
his fore leg being quickly jerked from
under him. Scared into submission by
being so suddenly thrown, we had little
trouble in getting the harness on the
PROSTATE ANIMAL
Some one bring me a stout rope said
the conductor, assuming an air of COM
mand, land some one cut me good
stout branch off that tree" said he to
another, as he rather cautiously climbed
the fence, aud took his position in front
of the mule.
Taking out big jack knife burly
darkey began to hew off good stout
limb, and dragging it towards the post 20
which the mule was tied, began trimming
it off. All this the mule took patiently
in. But when the negro handed the big
wottle to our conductor, it was noted
by the bystanders, that wicked glance
shot from the mules eye. A sudden
SILVER ran through his frame. The mer-
CHESS beatings of the brick yard came
back to his recollection, the cruelty, the
torture, of by gone days. His devilish
nature was aroused and with one loud
"geehaw" of defiance, he stood upon his
neither limbs. The big rope halter parted
like rotten tow, and before Conductor
Dennis could raise his wottle in self
defence, the enraged animal had charged
him with open mouth.
Safety only lay IN flight.
Over the fence went men, women and
children pail NELL.
Conductor Dennis did not go orer the
fence, he flew through it like bird, and
just in time to save being nipped in his
neither parts by those frightful jaws.
1t was an ignominious but wise retreat
out of close place, into which the con
ductor's love of fun and adventure had
led him, as we'll as his first and last
experience as an animal trainer.
AS mule tamer-his name is Dennis.