The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-08-27
My OIL woman come along jes' then an


its voice in the most prolonged and ex-
asperating heehaw ever heard mule
emit
"'That's Limpin Belix,' said the ma
tive. He hain't sung like>hat in three
years afore. He knows Shorter is dead,
an he's gloatin'. That's another thing
that weighs me down. bought that
mule three years ago. got him cheap,
nm he 'peered like bargain. First
time tried him took him down In the
lot yonder to pillow corn. He yanked the
pillow the satisfyinest kind two or three
times acrost the lot, an then he stopped,
braced hisself, an hung down his ears.
! coaxed him, an laid the CAD on him,
on prodded him with pitchfork, but
he never paid no more attention to me
than If was house fly.
~ labored with him for an hour, but,
as nigh as could make out, that mule
had made up his mind to stand there in
the sun till the Judgment day. was
maxim up my mind to 60 home an let
him stand, when along come Shorter.
He seen right away what was up, an
he turned his hurricane natur' loose on
j to that mule. He hoped up on the
mules neck, socked his toes inter his
name, jabbed his bill way down inter
the mules ear, an hollered things in
that ear that was hair-raisin' to hear
The mule was took back tremendous,
but he was mule, an he riz his heels
lords the sky, an Topped his ears, an
shook his head. an tried to skeer that
rooster away. But he didn't know
Shorter was the son Of a hurricane, an
arter awhile he kind O. settled down
an began to look round to diskiver what
he was dealin' with, anyhow. Shorter,
he socked his claws an his spurs inter
! the mule an rammed his head SO fur
inter the mules ears that thort sure
he were gorin' his bill through to get
at what brains the mule had. An Yell
Great wildcat! how he did yell things
way down ag'in the drum O. that mules
ear! An pooty soon the mule begun to
look skeert, an by and by give up, hung
his head, an went to plowin' as If he had
never quit an never intended to.
+ Mex day he had notion to go on
strike ag'in, but got Shorter round
where he was, an he buckled in like all
'persessed an from that time to this
he's been the bes' mule in the deestric'
This mornin', though, went out to
put the harness on him, an what does
he do but kick up, an heehaw an hee-
haw. sumpin' he hadn't done in three
years. an hain't been able to get nigh
him. He knows that Snorter's dead, an
he's gloatin', an he won't never be wuth
a cent to me ag'in, except as bait fer a
bear trap!
$50 fer four year, pooty nigh, that
amazin' rooster has cleaned this here
clearin' o. rats an weasels an hawks
Even bar seems to have heerd O. Snort.
er, for there hain't one bothered III
sence he broke that mule. s'pose we
won't be able to keep sheep nor q
pig, though, now, soon as it gifts out
through the deestric' that Shorter !,
dead. l wouldn't feel SO clean cut uI
and banged down by 1t, though, If we
could only find feather layin' round
anywhere. Shorter died student an
complete.
Down yonder long the creek they're
workin' stone quarry. Shorter hadn't
never been down to look the works over
till yesterday afternoon. Then ht
meandered that way. jest as the mer
had knocked off for dinner. Sam Sill
Ger brought the news up. He said he
was settin' under tree, ten rod or Sc
from the quarry, eatin' his grub. H,
seen Shorter walkin' over that way. an
lookin' up by an by he sees the son o.
a hurricane tuggin' away at sumpin
the fiercest kind. Sam got up an wen
lords the quarry to see what Shorter
was exterminatin'. He got pooty nigl
the spot when he see Shorter swint
sumpin' up over his head to fetch /
down ag'in on a rock. jes' like he killet
rats. Sam says when he see that HI
turned an run away as fast as hi
legs'd carry him, but he hadn't gon'
more'n three steps when sumpin' wen
off tremendous. Sam was tumbled flat
an he said he heerd stones an thing
droppin' around there fer a matter Q
git up and look back at the quarry, al
he could see O. Shorter was hole in tn
ground as big as cellar. Sam has al
idee that Shorter discovered the string
hangin' out Of some cartridges the,
blast with at the quarry, the cartridge
being kivered up. Shorter, thinkin
they was rats tails, jes' went for one
nm never knowed his mistake. That
Sam's idee, an the heft O. evidence |
that he hain't fur from right.
$50 you kin ruther imagine tina
there's gloom settin down on this clear
In thicker'n feas on groun'heg dog
m guess I'll 60 down to the Holler ar
; break the news gentle, fer if 1t hit
'em snddent they mowt shet up tn
tavern IN. Y. Sun.