The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-05
THE ARMY MULE.
Most Patient and necessary Factor
in All Operations.


From the Kansas City Star
An element of strength in a war between
the United States and Spain would be the
superiority of the United States in the mat
ter of mules. The United States is the great
est mule nation in the world, and Mississ-
ippi is the bright particular mule state in the
Union. '';
1t is a remarkable fact that in this contest
Spain is also a mule country. The cere-
monial team of the royal family OF Spain is
composed of white mules. But in this point
OF comparison as In every other' tne, su-
periority of the United States is manifest.
AS the United States has more men and
more guns, SO 1t has more mules. Spain has,
during the three years contest with the in
surgents, been forced to draw her mule sup
ply from the United States principally from
Kansas City. With war this supply Will be
cut off, and the American mule, no longer
being subject to draft in cause he must
despise will be used in the service OF his
own country. :.
The mule became prominent in history at
the time of our Civil, War. The long-eared
champion seemed to spring from the earth:
Many volunteers from certain sections of
the country who had never before seen "a
pair of mules harnessed lived to see thou-
sters, also, seemed to be created for the oc-
casion. While the art. of driving mules is a
separate and distinct science, thousands OF
fully qualified drivers appeared, ready to
climb into the saddle armed with the reso,
nant "blacksnake" ahdla full, free, r1ch ana
rolling vocabulary.
Inc mule, II Is needless TO say, LAS uc-
veloped in war the highest military, quail
ties-endurance, patience, courage. The war
horse, eulogized by Job and many writer's
since, has never displayed the practical traits
of the army mule. which has never been pre-
served in blank verse or flowing rhyme. The
mule is ever active, alert and watchful, and
morning starr Usually the mule does not
go where glory waits him Though Gen.
Fighting Philip Kearny habftually rode a
mue) but is compelled to do the heavy
CuarternlaSterS
sary's departments. But in whatsoever lot
feed lot or any other-in which he is placed,
quick and even vindictiye temper, but in try
ing times it was never allowed to interfere
with the performance Of his public duties:
And it was in the darkest days and nights Of
the war, as his soldier associates will now
remember, that the bright qualities of the
mule appeared. In the darkness and storm,
with mud to the hubs. he leaned to the collar
and "snaked'' the heavy wain calm and
imperturbable, although his directerDwrapped
himself with. curses as with q garment and
profanity. And when the muddy march was
over the. mule,'.. who for days, together had
dined and sqpped on end gates, released from
raced and squealed and kicked and played
ming the horizon the rainbow of peace =. 49,
In warm and Southern regions the services
of the mule are indispensable. While he can
live, anywhere, he seems a sort Of tropical
beast It, is believed that his ample ears
first unfolded in the sun Of the equator, and
that palm, leaves and similar vegetation
Cuba he was found in peace and will find in
war wide field Of exertion.
great general Pe1 has hs said that ,th ian
sustained cracker line must eventually
wear out its opponent. and it is the mule
that sustains the Cracker line" To slightly
change the saying of Gen. N. B. Forrest, it
Is the party that gets there the fastest with
the mostest mules" on whose banners will
be twined the laurels Of victory.
Nest of Thousands of Swallows.
Workmen engaged recently in repairs upon
one of the buildings of the Philadelphia
gregation of chimney swallows in chimney
stack near by. The chimney towers sixty feet
from the ground, and is five feet square in the
| up the scaffold near by they noticed thou
sands of chimney swallows circling in the air
above, and from time to time darting down
they had finished the scaffold and looked down
into the chimney, strange sight met their
eyes From a point about. ten feet below
that full twenty feet further down, all four
sides of the chimney were lined with thou
sands of those birds, as many as three and
four deep, clinging to the bricks in solid mas
ses Those next the wall were supporting
those on top Of them. while yet other
thousands Of the birds making the SKY black
! from time to time darling down into it, whi.e
| those from within were futtering their way
| out into the open air.
| peering heads of the workmen looking down
| upon them. One may. Judge of the number
| of the birds there when it is considered that
Of surface on the inside OF the chimney and
were from three to four deep; Gen. Merrick,
| superintendent; DR.. Pennybacker, the visiting
| institution availed themselves of the oppor-
tunity to view this strange ornithological Gu
congregating daily for long time in this
particular chimney. presumably to enjoy the
| warmth of it..