The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-08
ENLISTING THE MULE.
More Red Tape Than the Enlistment of a
Soldier Involved.
st. Louis Republic.

slightest imperfection. Then the
mules are again penned and one by
one they are trotted up to the observa-
tion stand. Perhaps the mule is not
quite satisfactory and he is rejected
for bad temper, bad eyes or bad hoofs;
things that may be seen at a glance.
If he appears all right he is halted
and viii one man holds him and
with hand shields his eyes so he
cannot see what is going on. Major
Cruise takes the tall standard with the
cross rod on it, scale being marked
on its rise. DR.. Farrell opens the
mules mouth, examines the teeth for
age and disease and telling at glance
how old the animal is from the rings
on his teeth. Then the eyes are
peered into and the feet and legs
examined, and at last he turns to
MAJOR Cruise and says: Gail right;
five years old.' Then tag number
is put on the mule for reference and
he is given a slap and sent into pen
that is held open for him. Then
Major Cruise turns to Clerk Davies
and cries: ebay mule, 16 hands, 1880
pounds, and the figures are recorded
in book and another mule is brought
up to be looked at, poked, examined,
measured and weighed. Although
such rigid examination takes time,
at least 100 mules are selected in an
hour.
When the mule is tagged he waits
his turn for the branding, which is
done by men under charge Of Clerk
Nichols. Although the branding
seems cruel work, it is done so quickly
and nicely that the mule does not
seem to mind it in the least. There
is no throwing down nor binding, as
might be supposed, the mules being
led up and branded without motion
on :helr part. A small hand forge
keeps the brands red hot. First
numeral, either l, 2, or 3, is stamped
in the animals hoof to denote his
class, either wheeler, swinger or
leader. Then another hot iron is
lightly touched to the mules left
shoulder, not burning the flesh! but
slightly soaring it. With puff the|
hair goes up in smoke and on the
mule side the U. 9. appears, never
to be removed while the mule lives.
Then tie mule kicks up his heels as
he is turned loose, and is driven into
the yards to be ready for shipping to
Chickamauga, Cuba or the Philip |
pines.
In such mass Of mules amusing |
things are constantly taking place.
Sometimes a stubborn mule vaults
easily over 6ve-foot gate, sometimes
the halter comes off and dozen men
spend 10 minutes trying to catch
him. One Of the most amusing things |
is when pair who have been mates
are separated, one Of them being re-
jected. The two are driven into sepa-
rate pens, probably far apart, and
very soon they will be heard, with
their muzzles poked over the pens
towards each other, giving vent to the
most piteous lamentations, while from
all parts Of the building come hee-
haws Of sympathy,
"Mules have more sense than hor-
ses," says Major Oruse, aud many are
inclined to believe with him.
Sometimes they get homesick and
spend great part of the day braying
in grief. Sometimes an inoffensive
mule will stand sad eyed and dropping
among his fellows, seemingly filled
with grief, when, without warning, he
will let fly pair Of heels and land so
heavily on his neighbor that the play
on the ribs sounds like drum. Some
times the observer: as he stands
watching the examination will feel a
sudden nip in the rear and turn around
to find the tail Of his coat in mules
mouth. The conversations held by
hostlers with the animals often bring
a laugh.
A burly negro leading q smooth
coated, 6ne-lookiug young animal and
calling: ''Whoa, baby! Is you gwan
try to git away from 20 papa p seems
to be understood by the mule, at
least.
The price paid ranges from s1OO up
to $l25 or $l3O. With the rapidity
with which the work is done it is no
uncommon thing to buy $4,000 worth
Of mules per hour, and sometimes as
much as $4,000 worth per day! By
last Wednesday night 1900 animals
had been taken and at least 5000, 900
worth Of mules had been bought on
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