Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-03-17

Ys was growing heavy, down on the track. and was talking to some miners. The baby seeing light few yards away, it was on Jerry's head, went toward it and found Jerry. He was half dozing, when, rudely awakened by something grasping one of his fore legs, a vicious gleam shone from his eyes, and his ears were laid back flat along his head as he prepared to repulse the daring person who was taking such liberty with him. Then he looked down and saw a little, laughing, rosy face gazing up into his, and a pair of tiny arms grasped tightly around his muscular leg. The next minute, when the miners and the babys father turned and, with cry of horror, saw the light of the vicious mules lamp shining on the baby's head, Jerry's ears were pointed downward and he was whin nYing softly. The men sprang for ward, one snatehed the baby away, an other drove the mule back; but the baby began to cry and stretch out her tiny hands toward Jerry, while he, still whinnying, gazed at her with such look of intelligent curiosity that his driver said: "I don't believe thet brute 'ud hurt her." and moment later, the baby, in her fathers arms, was strol- ing Jerry's scared and rough head, while row of miners stood at the ani- malls side, ready to drive him back with blows and kicks, if he attempted to bite. But Jerry was as quiet and 1 gentle as the baby herself.
 Ever after that day they were firm friends Every time the baby came down the mine, visit she insisted on making every week or two, she would see Jerry and stroke and play with him, and give him sugar and apples to eat, until it was said among the miners that she came down expressly to see Jerry, and so, before long, she became known as Jerry's baby.
 Jerry's driver had henceforth an easy task; the mule which was formerly so vicious and stubborn was now the most gentle and docile in the mine, and he was always pointed out to the visitor as ''the mule that was tanned by John Williams baby"
 The baby had been away for three weeks on a visit. On the day of her re- turn she said: Papa, take baby down mine; baby wants to see Jerry.' And Mir. Williams obeyed.
 As the inside foreman told the foot man, the visit was to be made when the shifts changed, consequently when the baby and her father reached the foot ot the shaft the day men had finished their work and the mules were in their stables, but the stable boss considered it no trouble to bring Jerry out to where the baby was sitting in the mid dle of the track upon an armful of straw, brought for her by one of the driver boys. After the three weeks separation, the greeting between Jerry and the baby was most affectionate; the baby clapped her hands and rubbed her soft, white cheek against Jerry's rough nose, while he whinnyed to exz press his delight. Jerry had become so gentle that Mir, Williams and the stable boss had complete trust in him and knew that he would not harm a hair of the baby's head, so after watching them for a minute or two, and hanging lamp on timber near the pair, they walked few yards up Q side gangway to inspect some brattice work.
 The baby had couple of apples which she gave to Jerry, laughing at his efforts to take each piece with his lips, so as not to endanger the tiny hands by his teeth.
 Suddenly Jerry lifted his head; dull boom, the sound long drawn out, echoed along'the gangway; it was fol- lowed almost immediately by a rush of air, which to an experienced. miner would have indicated a fall of top coal or rock near by. The baby laughed on. holding q piece of apple toward Jerry, who, with his head high in the air, listened intently. In moment there was a crashing, rattling, tearing noise in the stables where five mules were confined, then the swift thnmp of hoofs down the narrow gangway-the mules, frightened by the fall, had broken out of the stable and were flashing toward the bottom of the shaft. To reach that point they would pass Jerry and the baby; the gangway was narrow, two mules could hardly pass abreast, the baby was in the middle of the track, the cruel hoofs of the rapidly advane- ing animals would crush out her life in their wild rush. Jerry seemed to realize it all. He backed away from the baby who, innocent of the danger, held out her hands and called him. His head was turned to one side, his ears laid straight back; the rushing animals came nearer; with a backward heave of his whole body, Jerry's hoofs flew out and struck full on the breast of the first mule. The force of the blow was terrific. The animal was hurled back against the other four, who stopped bewildered. At that instant the three men rushed out of the side gangway and the baby was snatched up into her fathers arms
 The stable boss understood the situa- tion at a glance, and springing past Jerry with whip and voice drove the mules back, while the baby's father kissed her again and again, and Jerry calmly munehed some pieces Of apple