Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-08-23
Fought to the Death.

NOa ehSiA SaiAt muIHtug uceOtlOHf
in their peaceful home on the hill,
familIasly known us Mount Casino,
overlooking the Independence pike,
two miles from Covington, one
morning recently, they stood aghast
at the sickening sight of struggle
for death being engaged in on the
pasturage lot below them--a des-
perate fight between an extremely
active young mule. and vicious
~ the long sharp horns Of which
had wicked appearance that
would have caused : toreador to
fly in a Spanish bull ring.
The faithful member who had
anxiously awaited the coming of
the dawn had been attracted to the
place of conflict by the angry NUT
terings of the bull, which, when
first seen. was slowly circling around
the mule awaiting a chance to at
tack.
Evidently the brutes had been
fighting for some time.
The animals were moving over a
level spot, so that, in so far as the
ground was concerned, neither had
the advantage. The bull, with tail
erect and brandishing. and his mas
sive form quivering with rage. filed
the air with ominous notes of thun.
der. His face was dripping with
blood, and a stream of the crimson
fluid flowed over his nostrils.
He appeared doubiy enraged at
the sight and smell of his own life
current. The mule, with his long
ears cooked forward at an angle
that denoted extreme caution and
apprehensiveness, was moving as
on a pivot, keeping his heels to-
ward his antagonist. Evidently
the bull had rushed forward several
times and been repulsed. He had
tried to stop the lightning stroke
of his steel-shod enemy, and at that
time had all the worst OF it.
As the brothers looked on the
bull lowered his head, his huge
frame shot forward as from a cata-
pult; straight he went for the un-
protected side Of the mule. The
latter's head turned sideways, but
with curving neck he had the ad-
vantage of the last look.
Both were without advantage of
sight at this critical second. But
the faculties Of time, space and
speed that aotuate the kick of the
humble beast were alert.
At the right time he reared on
his forelegs, his hind legs went out
IN a style that Corbert and all his
science can never hope to attain,
resounding whack was heard on the
hill, and the bull went to earth
from double kick between the
eyes that all but put him out.
The bull stumbled to his knees,
but quickly recovered, and, wild
with rage, withdrew for another
round. The maneuvers of the pre-
vious act were repeated, and the
bull again rushed with terrific force.
The mule stood his ground with
the confidence that only only a mule
can assume. There was a CLINT of
steel shoes in the morning sunshine,
and again the mules calculation
was perfect.
This time the bull caught the
full force as Of a dynamo squarely
in the jaws, and he retired ap-
parentry a bad beaten bull. He
stood as if in a trance, wondering
whence the lightning stroke, when
the mule lowered his head to
Craze. Thas was his fatal move.
Before he could adjust himself for
the onslaught the bull was upon
him, and, with sickening, tearing
sound, his horns were planted
forehead deep in the painting sides
OF the doomed animal, which let
out an agonizing shrek of distress
that caused the Mortified bystanders
to turn their heads.
The mule rolled to the ground, :,
and the bull, now that he had the
mule at his mercy, rushed at him
time and again, plunging bis horns
into the dying animal. The bull
is a valuable specimen. and is in a
sad physical condition from the
kicks his sturdy and courageous
antagonist rained upon him.
The brothers mercifully ended
the suffering of the mule with q
bullet. The little fellow was a
staunch fayorite i'm Central Coying.