Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-02-11
THAT MULE.
He Grows In Favor and Is Valuable for
Export.

ANIMALS were plac1dly loanng about the
yard when the reporter called. By adj
vice of David A. Bishop, who did the
conducting, the reporter took good care
not TO pass close behind any of the stock.
"All this talk about the mules vi
ciousness is bosh, y said Mr.. Bishop.
''BRt he is likely to branch out little
in mere playfulness and excess of good
spirits, and sometimes that results badly
for persons in his immediate vicinity.
knew man once who had a mule that
would follow him around like dog, it
was so fond of him. And once after he
had been ON a long journey that mule
was SO glad to see him back that it just
had to show its joy some way, and that
man got three ribs broken and his under
jaw knocked so far out of place that it
never got back. Yet there was nothing
vicious i'll that animal
While speaking Mr.. Bishop had led
the way over to the watering trough,
where a number of the tenants were
having drink Near by were feed
manager, hayrack and salt Manager.
The animals paid no attention to their
human visitors beyond raising and
projection of their awninglike ears.
'tThis is the kind of life they enjoy, "
said the mule raiser tits just about
their style of temperature, there aren't
any flies to bother them, they have
plenty to eat and drink, and altogether
doubt if you could find another spot on
earth where the average of contentment
in higher than right here. The mule is
an unambitious sort of creature All he
wants is to be let alone and he's happy.
For all that it would take very little
thing to bring about a riot here that
would send you and me vaulting over
that fence i'll one second if we wanted
to save our bones. All that you would
have to do to start it would be to drop a
rail down on the heel of one of them.
They're very suspicious of any attack
from behind and very quick to resent it.
The first one would send the rail flying
up in the air, and it would come rat
thing down on another one, who'd take
a kick at it, and third would join in,
and first thing you knew the yard would
be full of flying hoofs and the air of
thuds like the banging of mufaed bass
drum. That's the sound one mules
hoofs makes against another mule ribs
There's surprising power of resistance
in those ribs. It's good thing, too, for
if there weren't the rate of mortality
here would be very high.
"Do the mules ever fight among
themselves just for the fun of it?" asked
the reporter
Not those of the same variety. We
have a number of varieties here, and we
keep each herded separately. I've seen
duels between two mules, and they were
fierce and exciting, for these animals
have sort of bulldog grit, and they
won't give up while they can stand. /"
"What is the best brand of mule?"
"a cross between Spanish jack and
Kentucky thoroughbred mare produces
good mule. The jacks often come at a
high price. I've known So, 500 to be
paid for one. The mules we get here are
mostly from A to 7 years old, between
which ages they are the most easily
marketable North America breeds the
many, but they are fat and lazy and
cannot be reused to hard labor by any
amount of coaxing or abuse. The South
American breed are small, and while
they have the spirit to work they haven't
the strength, so we ship to those coun-
tries It costs $40 head for transporta-
ton and So or s. for duty, SO the mule
la IL Al.
time he arrives. Speaking of mules
strength, here is peculiar fact-that
they seem to gain inspiration by work
ing together I've known 20 mules to
haul 80 ton load without protest,
where if you had tried to persuade any
one Of them to start off with his share
Of q tons behind him alone he would
either lie down and try to die or else at
tempt to kick the load in two and take
the lighter half.
AS Mr. Bishop led the way into an
other division, solid built horse with
several brands on his sides walked across
the yard, followed by pack of mules.
When he stopped all the mules stopped
and gathered around him in admiring
contemplation This horse was Rarus,
one of Buffalo Bills animals, quiet and
peaceable in the open, but demon
when saddled and mounted He is used
to lead the mules ON board ship ALI
mules have this same respectful admira-
ton for a horse, regarding him, prob
ably, as superior being. Before Rarus'
time Mr.. Bishop had spotted horse
named Harry, whose occupation and
chief pleasure IN life it was to lead the
mules consigned to foreign ports on
board ship and then gallop down the
gangplank neighing with glee while
they were being imprisoned ON deck.
They are very good sailors as rule
and of consignmentof l, 500 that went
to Cuba not long ago for use by the
Spanish soldiery not one was seriously
affected by the voyage. OF the relative
values of horse and mule Mr.. Bishop
says:
The average life of mule is about
the same as that of horse. The mule
has greater power of endurance, can
pull more weight, is less nervous and
more patient, is more intelligent and
with proper treatment is equally docile.
When mule runs away, which is sell
dom, he doesn't smash into everything
that looms up in his path, but lodges
obstacles and shows himself possessed of
some little common sense. A horse
doesn't show any when he's excited. OF
course the mule is no match for the
horse in speed or beauty Physically,
however, he is the sturdier animal His
digestion is better, he isn't so liable to
disease, and he can better endure the
rigors Of heat and cold. AS worker he
is slowly but surely replacing the
horse New York Sun.
Snake Dreams.
A well known authority on dreams
and dreambooIzs saws: ITO dream von