The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-07

'"Tain't no USE" said Ahab, begin
ming to undo the hamestrings.
why don't you whip him up?" asked
a stranger, who was leaning over the
roadside fence in ar indolently curious
way.
Deere now" returned the old negro
! in reproachful accents, ''he heerd yo'
Jawbones did. Look at him shake his
haid. Don't yo' never git near his hind
| laigs Yo' done suited dat ar mule
nd he know it, too
| Seeing that the stranger looked
scep&cal, Ahab explained further as he
removed the gears:
Me md my old woman. we natslly
| ponds on Jawbones bout same rs il
he could talk. When he proves Of
anything er any body, we knows hits
all right. But when he lays his years
back nd shakes dat haid er his n-so,> we
knows dat SIGH er move er SIGH er pusSOn
p'irtedly won't do at all. Wee ben q
goin' on Jawbones' Judgment fer nigh
on ten year er more, md he amt never
fooled us yet
Then Ahab mounted Jawbone feel
ing that himself and the plOw were
separated, slowly wagged his way
down the whiting cornrows toward the
stable. 1t was pretty near noon, and
as the sun shone hotly the old mule IS
''jedgment'' was not so far amiss.
Not long after this man rode up to
Ahab's cabin, dismounted, and was
making his way TO the door, when
Jawbones, who had been doing under
china tree, rushed at the intruder
with his ears folded back and two
rows of worn and yellow teeth lavishly
exposed. The man promptly jumped
the fence.
Hello. inside there" he called from
the safe side of the rails.
Aunt Rindy, Ahab's wife, came to
the door and at once took note of the
mules hostile demonstration.
''G'way fom yere. white man." She
exclaimed. Don't yo' see Jawbones
gittin' dangersome?"
Where is your husband?" demanded
the man. II want to see him at once.
l don't see what you want to let such a
cartankerous beast run around loose
for. anyhow"
Aunt Rindy placed her fat arms
akimbo.
Look we're. suh.'' she retorted,
my ole man amt S-wantin' to see you;
needer is Jawbones- De sooner yo' git
away de better
She was about to slam the door when
the man spoke again:
but. see here! l have business with
your old man. 1t will be money in his
pocket to see me. Take that blamed
animal out of the yard and I'll come in
and wait, or leave instructions if he
isn't here"
"IO' don't git ter leave nary 'struc-
tons ner muffin else. Eff yo' amt on
dat hoss's back md packin' sand in
less'n two minutes I'll pull down de
drawbars nd turn Jawbones loose in
de road. Look at him raar!''
Jawbones seemed to be trying to
climb the fence in his anxiety 70 as
sault the stranger, who hastily re-
mounted and rode away, swearing, not
loud, but deep. The following day
Aunt Rindy learned that the man was
4 railroad contractor after tie timber,
and that Ahab had lost a fat contract.
which, probably in consequence of
Jaw bones behavior, was given to an
other man.
Never mind" said she, de chances
is we wouldn't git no pay out'n dat fell
Ter. Desc we're railroaders is master
slippery people anyhow. Jawbones
don't take SIGH set ag'in anyone fer
muffin, / tell yo'."
Aha + looked dubious, but said moth
ing His confidence in the Judgment
of Jaw bones was again shaken a few
weeks later, when the new preacher
came TO make his first pastoral visit
Jaw bones, grazing in the fcnce-eorners,
no sooner saw this reverend parsonage
approaching than he uttered a vindic-
tive brey and started in full pursuit.
The preacher fed. but as ne was on
foot the mule gained rapidly. The
next thing the former knew. about half
his best coat and a goodly portion of
shirt were torn from his struggling
anatomy, and he few down the big
road fit spectacle for his congrega-
ton 20 weep over or for the vain world
to irreve-ently laugh at
- 'cluc ter grashus," said Ahab who
from his own door had helplessly wit
messed this Iudicrous assault. If /
gwine ter stand much mo- err dish we're
fooiishness. Jawbon must be g fer
Cettin' h.sself in his ole age Br'er
Stomper never viii git over sueh
doin's,"
1t did begin 10 seem that as the mule
grew older his crustiness increased,
until he was as particular about those
upon whom he obtruded his friendship
Is though he was crack thoroughbred
instead OF battered elderly mule. Bat
Ahab and Rindy did not yet entirely
lose faith, for old whins and Supersti-
tons are apt to cling like barnseies.
out 81 sheer cusse1uess and the inner
ent propensity 81 human nat ure 20
hum ang itself as long - possible
! teT'e rams !. slime. however. when
their i..>t sestIxe u confidence IL the
Judgment 81 IAN bones wa~ rGteh
osertlrowa oae ~44v ;.Iile Ah2b
MAS repairing TAG kitchen chimney
y lth fresh caay daubiag i VERY nice
looking young man drove up IL . red
painted sist@.lS baari behind high
stepping bay horse
Jaw bones was doing n the corner
81 tie cabin Win one eve SHIT. having
absolutely recessed - haul load nf