The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-24
MULE TO THE WINNER.
Two Favoritcs Each Swallow @}S
Measures Of Beer.

! Measure OF Bcer-
John Saal Of Belleylle, H.. had a mule.
| He also had an iCebox fun of beer. lie
/ wanted 10 be rid Of the mule. lie also
| wanted TO be rid OK the beer. He gave
/ birth To- % happy thought He would get
/ rid o. the mule by getting rd oil inc
! beer.
John saI made proclamation that to
the man who took the most beer of az
| his hands I'm the space of "a month would
/ be awarded the mule.
| Great interest was aroused among inc
] beer drinkers of south Bclleville. \ large
| number of them fastened eager eyes on
/ the mule and entered the race.
Every man who paid cents Tor Il
1 schooner of beer at John Saal tnrsl
! place was given coupon. The man VINO
could produce the greatest number Cd coA-
pons at the end OF four weeks was To-
have the mule.
Early I'm the game Ike bartholomew
and Val Rischar became the favorites.
All the drinking was in the dark. No
body knew f-Jw anybody else stood. But
to even a casual observer it became PLAIN
that Ike and Val were giving the closest
attention to the business OF winning the
mule
The two men grew in girth as The con
test progressed. Each of them had MS
waistband spliced. but still the tenure oil
their buttons was brief and uncertain.
But they Jagged not. Bartholome" was
heard 10 say that he would win IL he h'u
TO put on India rubber clothes.
The contest was announced TO close
THANKSGIVING night There was a great
crowd on hand 10 see the finish. No
bodv knew for certain. but Ike and Val
were supposed to be about neck and
neck. Each had partisans who helped
their favorites along by setting the pace
for q few laps az a time But during tne
closing hours everybody else stood aside
to watch the two lavorites jumping Tor
the tape.
They were both running easy. BON
were full of confidence. Ihef' was the
strongest reason for believing they were
also fun Of hors, but If they were they
did not seem TO know IT, 1hey KEPT
stacking up the coupons and leaving
trail Of empty schooners and buttons be-
hind them.
The race was ended amid great excite
rnont The barkeepers We're exhausted,
but Ike and Val were still fresh
The coupons were counted ia hushed
"A ties coupons each" was the an
n0unccment.
II was agreed that the two men should
"shake" for the prize.
That was equivalent 10 giving inc mule
to Bartholomew. lie had rabbit foot IN
his pocket
Rischar did not know IL. lie invoked
all the luck deities and tire" Hte SKIES.
The mules mine he said and started
for the stable.
Hold on" said Bartholomew. I've
got a throw yet
lie took a strange hold on the rabbit
foot with his right hand and jugsled the
bones with his left. They rolled OFT the
ends of his fingers The rabbit loot had
won. lie had thrown five aces.
Ike did not know what 20 do WIN his
mule. He conferred with his friends.
They told him that a man OF talents
ought 10 succeed in the saloon business.
He agreed with them.
Re is having the old Lincoln house re-
novated. In q short time he VIII open
mn. He will call il the Dewey in com
nemoration of his victory. II VIII be
known as the Mule and Rabbit Foot Inn.
The mule will play mascot in the back
ward and the rabbit foot will hahg over
the door.-Cnicago Chronicle.