Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-11-14
Ayers Cathartic Pills.
The Mule Was Surprised.

Not long ago one of the telephone
companies was stringing some wires at
the lower end of st. Francis street,
when one Of their wires fell across one
of the police telegraph wires and then
on to the trolley.
Around at the corner of St. Michael
and Commerce streets the wire, which
was thus charged with the heavy
current, passed about half an inch
from one of the converters of the
electric lighting company, and an arc
was formed. This burned the wire in
Two.
Just at the moment that this hap
pened there was standing across the
street an old mule, hitched to light
farm wagon, which was loaded with
potatoes The mule had his head
down and his ears pulled down over
his eyes, evidently engaged in deep
study of the days of his childhood, for
he was an old mule, and his race was
nearly run. The owner of the afore-
said mule was in store nearby barter
ing for the sale Of the potatoes.
This was the condition of affairs at
that corner just before that electric
wire fell and settled quietly on the
back of the mule. In an instant there
was change in the landscape That
mule woke up suddenly. He was sur
prised He could not understand why
he felt so gay. He evidently thought
it was his second time on earth. He
couldn't stick pin in himself to find
out whether or not it was dream, but
he did the next best thing that a mule
can do, and thing at which most
healthy mules are adopts.
He let fly his heels. simultaneously
with the putting into play of his heels
there was an avalanche of wagon and
potatoes sailing through Commerce
street. BAN slam! keriam went
the heels of that old mule against the
irail front OF that wagon and its load
of potatoes, and for time it fairly
rained potatoes and pieces OF wagon.
The owner had just settled on a
price for the load of potatoes when he
heard the sound as of cyclone coming.
He hastened to the doc. to see what
was the cause thereof He could
scarcely believe his eyes. There. be
fore his astonished vision, was old
Pete, working his heels just as merrily
as he had done when he was a 2-year-
old, while the chain traces clanked
responsive sympathy to the touches of
the mules heels. Visions of various
sundry saplings that he had worn TO a
frizzle to get Pete out OF walk rose
before his astonished vision. and he
could not account for the scene.
Finally a negro discovered that it
was all caused by Zone o dem 'lectric
wires" and he went at the wire with
hatchet to cut it. He was about rs
astonshed rs the mule when the
hatchet went up in the air and he
received severe shock. But his act
caused transformation scene All
the gayety left old Pete as suddenly
as il come. and he once more relapsed
into a thoughtful mood, while the
owner went around gathering up the
fragments of the wagon and the
potatoes that remained.
Irate business man white with
anger at being disturbed )-"You book
agents make me so angry with your
contounded nerve and impudence that
can't find words to express my in
dignation'
Book-agent Dumping with enthusi-
asm) Then. sir, am blessing to
you. have here the very thing you
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