The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-06-26
STORY OF THE BURRO
THE LITTLE "sAD EYED PHILoso-
PIER OF TIE WCoT.u


Pionoer--IIis Bray Like tho warcry
of the Whole Apache Nation.
Strangers have to laugh when they geo
the burro. His small body, enormous cars
and look of preternatural wisdom arc as
good rs the clown In circus, but never
theless this pygmy divides the honors with
the railroad In building up and developing
tho southwestern part of our country, par
ticularly New Mexico.
Where the railroad lnys down its burden
there the burro takes 1t up. Not much big
ger than a Inastiff, I've is yet rs strong al
most us a horse. AS saddle animal YOU
would spurn him. not because he couldn't
carry you, but for the reason that If you
should fail Tor ON instant to keep your
knees punched up under your chin your
feet would strike ground, and Mr.. Burro
would quietly walk off, leaving you behind
him on the road 1t is as O pack animal
that the burro cxcels. lie is patient, strong
and sure footed. His board Is not cxpcn-
sive, for such costly dclicacics as oats and
hay arc to him ms strangers. From tho
time he was weancd from his mother he
has known no other rations than such ms
he could procure by nibbling tho grass by
the waysidc.
On his patient back the lonely prospcctor
ties his worldly possessions, and following
behind with rife and staff threads the
mountain trails In search of tho new e.
Dorado. The dclving miner, far up in
cloudland, uses him To carry sacks of pre-
cious ore to the smcltcr and bring bnck in
return food, clothing and even water 70
drink. When the minc. which began as q
mere prospect hole sinks deeper and deep
or into tho mountain, the burro assumes
an added rolc-this timo to bring lumber
for brncing the shafts and galleries. or per-
chance to build more permanent resi-
dcncO for the miner himself.
When tho mine has been established on
q paying basis, so TINT largo number Of
men ore required for its operation then a
settlement is formed around its mouth
and tho iron rails are laid to connect it
with civilization. Tho burros work is
finished here, and he pushes on to other
fields of usefulness, far in advance. He is
ever u pioneer.
The word burro is simply Spanish for
donkey. Yet burro Is smaller than
q pocket edition of one rs
Lummis happily puts It, Tho difference
in size probably comes from u difference in
food and work, continued through many
generations. So far back ns history ex-
worked and left to "hustlc" for himself
No wonder he is small
But Notwithstanding his scanty limcn-
sions he Is wonderfully strong and cndur-
ing and will grow fat on rations That
wouldn't keep horse from starvation
These qualities, coupled with his sure foot
cdncSs, arc the reason for his being so val.
uablc rs q pack animal
His sure foOtcdncss comes from tho in
stinct of self preservation, which is far
better developed than in the horse So far
the instinct is profitable, but it sometimes
leads TO great annoyance. Ono day while q
burO train was being guided down n
mountain canyon tho lender came to
place where the trail led across the bed of
O STRAIN. n torrent rushed over 1t in the
rainy season, but now it was simply dry
sand, Us hard almost us n pavement.
The burro refused to cross, and finally
had to bcpullcd from the front and pushed
from the rear. Then, when half way over.
he deliberately lay down and commenced
to glOan.
The causo was this: The sand recalled to
his mind q time long ago, when ne had
stepped on just such an innocent looking
place II was smooth and dry and yellow
and gave every indication of plain smiling.
His little feet had gone through, however,
and he would have sunk out of sight In
the quicksnnd beneath had he not been
rescued with ropes In tho nick of time
Catch him trying that experiment again
Doesn't JIG know Il Quicksand when he sees
it?
But what dtscourages burro quicker
than anything else is wctting his cars He
Is very sensitive about those grotesque ap-
pendages under any circumstances, but
wctting them simply breaks his heart If
While swimming stream, O few drops of
water touch their inner membrane, he
will give up ond drown. This is no flo
ton. Tho fact has been verified many
times, although the reason may seem alb
surd.
Children are very fond of burros as pets
and many are brought from the west by
rail to be used for that purpose To their
they are ut once the most anus
ing and provoking of creatures. In the
cars they are all right, but when it Is nee
essary for them to cross q city the trouble
begins. They will not lead, neither will
they be driven, and then, in desperation,
the impatient portcrs lift and carry the
kicking, struggling bhrros TO the wagon.
They are no sooner tied than they throw
back their heads in such a manner that
they must inevitably stranglc if left to
The only way in which they
can safely be transported is tied behind q
wagon going at n "snails gallop," with O
rear guard armed with stick to keep
them moving.
When the children get their pets, there
is amusement for the whole family Their
long cars, small stature ana look of vast
wisdom have II rcsistlcss attraction. They
are very gentle, too, and soon become at
tached TO their owners. But if you value
sleep or have near ncighbors keep your
burros stabbed at night. a back yard may
seem Just the right place, and with your
new pets therein n few nights may pass in
peace, but do not be deceived. Some night
You will he startled from your slumbers