The morning call., 1894-05-14
Overcoming a Mules Tricks by
Clever Strategy.
HIS sApDLE-CINCH HELD FIRM.
Teamster Norris Vainly Regrets That
He Backed His Mule for twenty
Five Dollars.


tracted but few spectators, occurred yes
terday. The scene OF the affair was five
acre lot adjacent TO Visitacion Valley and
not far from well-known resort where
sportively inclined individuals gather Occa-
sionally TO witness the result of physical
arguments between CANNES with selfish
tendencies to allow no other member OF
their species to peaceably follow out the
pursuit of happiness, or to enjoy the spec
tacle of two game cocks dissectlng each
other with their sharp spurs
But the hero of yesterdays event was
not a snarling dog with a black patch over
his eve and q tail resembling Frank
furter sausage, nor was it red-eyed
rooster.
The bonors are divided between a big
white mule, with eyes which have an eerie
and rougish glitter in them and hind
quarters with convulsiye movement to
them, and a lanky cowboy sport from the
wooliest section of the woody western
country.
The mule is the property of John Norris,
a teamster living on the San Bruno road.
Norris only uses him for odd jobs around
the mudfats and on the bills. for when
jim" The name with which the mule was
cbristened, is in the humor he is mighty
puller, just as when he Is not IN the humor
be is an almighty shirker
There is one thing about Jim though on
which he prides himself. and that is his
independence and will power IN asserting
his individual rights when any one gets an
impression that because he is good work
animal he can also be ridden with i'm
punity or a saddle. 1t is impunity when
the adolescent offspring of his owners
neighbors seek to ride him bareback.
Jim has very peculiar ideas about his
rights. and il he could talk would boast
that no man OF boy had successfully
ridden him. Ee is willing to work in
harness, but to slave under a saddle en-
phatically does not go.
Jim's owner was in the aforesaid sport
ing resort a week ago last Saturday, and
10 the course of conversation about DloOded
live stock and The like Norris referred TO
Jim in unqualified words OF praise as an
an8moly in the mule line VINO would never
suffer the indignity of carrying anyone on
bis hack.
"PIl bet s25," cried Norris. in the ardor
of his enthusiasm, while relating some OF
Jlm's mulish tricks to dispose of anyone
who attempted to back him, that no man
can ride him. and the teamster planked
g twenty ana five on the counter.
"GO vOU," said tall lanky individual
who was standing by, and h6 placed an
equal amount beside it.
THIN Jim's owner would have Tetreated
with his capital, but the lsnky one insisted,
and finally the proprietor of the resort
captured the stakes.
Conditions and the preliminaries Of the
matter were then gone through with.
To every condition Jim's owner made
the tall sport acQuiesced. de agreed to
mount jim, STAY on his back for at least
half an hour aud ride him across the five
lot vyh ha
the amphitheater in which the contest be-
tween mule and man was to take place.
At last everything was settled and yester-
dav was set as the day for the event.
Having learned that the lanky one was
p COW bow from the south Norris began to
feel that his wager was not such a sure
thing as he thought. The more be pom
dered the firmer became his convictions
that jim must be specially trained for the
event, So for four days last week Norris
and the mule could have been seen in the
five-acre lot going through mysterious per-
fOrmances.
AT an end of the lot is an old cabin that
had been erected by sQuatters and Norris
decided that this structure should be the
means of assisting him to win his wager. He
began by teaching jim 10 gallop up to the
weather-beaten house and dash in through
the door, the top of which was not much
higher tn an the mules back. 1t was not
ever he was turned loose in that lot he
was to dash into that cabin.
"Thatli fix the wboy, L guess, NUT
tered Norris, as in Imagination he saw
Jim dashing toward the cabin with the
long snort on his back and then beheld
the utter confusion of tbs sport when he
was hurled TO the earth as the mule
pranced through the door.
Yesterday came, and Norris and jim,
the latter decidedly more roguish. and
even devilisb, were on time with small
party of friends to whom Norris had
given the tip that there would be sport
around the neigh boThood, broken-he earted.
broken-heaGed, broken in pocket and in
fact broken up generally through the
agency of that cute cuss Jim.
The lanky sport was there, too. and was
accompanied by half dozen companions,
whose rubicund c0nntenances and rak-
ishly Tilted hats betokened their sporting
character.
"Are YOU ready to lose your S25?" in
Quired Norris, alrily, as he led the rog nlsh-
eyed jim forward.
Just minute" replied the sport, as he
drew out small parcel and unrgIled il.
81 suppose | can put my own clnch-straD
on the saddle. can't ?"
Certainly" was Norris condescendiDg
reply.
The cinch, which was strong one. made
OF horse hair. was arranged and the pre-
llminaries were attended to.
Norris held Jim, and the long sport
graspng the pommel Of the saddle vaulted
into It, Jim tossed his head in angry sur
prise, and all breathlesslv awaited the re-
suit when the rider got his feet fixed in |
the stirrups.
Having done this, and before Jim had
chance to conclude what preliminary move |
to make, the rider turned around and gave |
nm resounding smack OH the ruDp.
mat settled il. Jim with a snort made |
WHO dash for the cabin. while Norris and |
MS friends grinned broadly.
Nearer and nearer the mule got to the /
eaOln-door, and II seemed aS@if his rider /
was ooomed. But he wasn't.
When Jim got within ten feet of the
door the srorFs long legs shout ont like y
pair OF dividers, and as the muIe's Mad |
got inside the door, the legs came ninn,n
against either side of the portal. lin want
no farther. although he strained And TIED
to. The long legs were firm, and the snoTt
also held against the top of the ooor with |
his hands.
1t was very impressive scene to see the
sport spread out like a Maltese cross |
against the dark cabin-side, while the bip |
white mule WAS squirming and struggling |
benea h him. a cheer arose from the men |
with the tilted hats and the grins died |