The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-19
FAITH IN BUSTER SHAKEN.
A MULE THAT WAS An ORACLE IN
THE HEMLOCR BELL.
Even After He Deceived Uncle MorE and

Then He Led Them Into n Bunco GRmes
81 had reason for being partial to Uncle
Morg Binder and his wife. Aunt Peggy" said
John.Gilbert, the travelling groceryman. and
so. being in their neighborhood the last time
] was going through that part Of the hemlock
bolt, I pulled ont of NY way'and drove over TO
see them. Uncle Morg was hanging over the
bars OF the pasture lot at the turn OF the back
road, looking very much depressed. as 1 came
along that way. 81
'Hullor he said. Say. John. Buster has
done it at lastl'
Done it, said /. Not died2'
" 'Dicdl' said Uncle Morg. Lord. mol
Worse than thatl He's given us grounds fer
havin' doubts about hlml And woe Is settin'
at our h'arthstone. John, oil because o. BUS
teri
"'Uncle Morg.' said I. Buster hasn't run
away with Aunt Peggy or kicked her out Of
the wagon. or done anything OF that sort2'
Worse than that. Johnl' said Uncle MorR.
lie steerod us agin o bunco camel That's
what he dopel'
In the first place. / must tell you about
Buster. Buster was a mule-a little mouse-
colored mule-that had been In the Binder
family so many years that his age was for
gotten. He was the a%utocrat OF the Binder
premises. His chief duty was to haul Uncle
Morg and Aunt Peggy when they wanted to go
visiting or TO town to trade. That is. Buster
hauled them II he hadn't made up his mind
to q different course. They never knew
whether the mule was going to take them or
not until they got into the wagon. Then un-
Gle Morg would take up the lines and say:
Now. then. Buster. what do you think
about it2'
III Buster pricked up his ears and started
OF that was as il he said he thought IL was all
right, and he would take Uncle Morg and
Amt peppv whprayer fhpv wera going. and
would fetch them back homo safe and sound,
But IL Buster'replied tosUncle Morg's question
by LAYING his ears back on his shoulders and
%scowling. they knew that the mule thought 10
wasn't all right. and without another word
Uncle Morg and Aunt Peggy would dismount.
unhitch the mule and turn him out and 60 con-
tcntedly into the house to wait until some day
wien Buster was willing.
" Make him go aEln his will Uncle Mor9
always exclaimed when asked why he didn't
force the mule to go. Why. man alive. some
thin would happen, surer than later rot, TX
we should go away aGin Busters idae o. the
matterl Buster knowsl
1T was the same way with persons. Bus
ter's opinion of an individual decided Uncle
Morg and Aunt Peggy. When he folded his
liberal care back and threatened a rush upon
any person under his scrutiny. that person
could do no business nor have any social
standing with the Binder family. Buster
knows! was always the emphatic remark Of
his two loyal subjects after the mule had once
given his opinion. and that in spite Of several
queer judgments the arbitrary Buster had put
on record. There was the case'of the man who
drove up to tho Binder place once when tho
railroad was building. He started for the
house. but Buster blocked the way. Buster
not only laid back his ears and threatened the
man with his front. but turned about and let
his heels 1y so rapidly and so viclously in the
direction OF the mans head that the stranger
backed away and shouted to Uncle Morg. who
stood on the stoop. to call his mule off.
I've got important business with your the
man shouted.
No, you hain'tr Uncle Morg shouted back,
You hain't got no sort o. business with me. for
Busters ag'in you. and Buster knowsv
The man went away in a hun. and. come to find
out, he was the agent of the railroad company,
II big lot. of ties. and Uncle More had been wait
ing for the chance. The consequence was That
out u to @ be one - With teS I'M money ~ I'M IN it, But uncle
M3rGs heart was true to Buster;
that if ia a. took that Contract and made al
that money I'd "a put the money in a bank and
the bank would a busted. l tell YOU. Buster
"Then there was the new preacher that came
G Gnr 1hf siFG oF me the WWe Sen h. % Wene t. a msk 9S Sis
first pastoral, call on Sister Binder he was
2%2Mnsed of The premlses BY Buster SO quick
the road, 1t saidened the hearts Of Uncle
Morg and Aunt Peggy to know that the new
preacher had been weighed in Busters ball
ancc and found wanting, but there was no get
ting around j.. The new preacher was neces-
to. meeting once during all that year. Their
faith in Busters wisdom, was not shaken by
trict it was with a spotless and enviable record.
I-,The world hain't come to an end yit.' I'M
terrible queer things these days. when you
h nfda,t : 'Sp ti1 81 It: and ! that IN has got
SO, knowing all these things about Buster
and The blind confidence OF Uncle Morg and
A AratIy r aGaze d a md q naSzied t 20 S see ffInc Te! M Pa1I
hanging over tho pasture bars. all in. the
dumps over the evident shatterinG OF the fam
",Steere4 yoq against a bunco GamePIex *
Yes, Buster! moaned Uncle Morg, 'Hs
E has gone and shook my confidence in him tre-
me me 9e4ead Seems an b as n ar ! coq saR. Jn nsner y gTs
know what store me and Peggy sot by that
KNOWN little, yarmint|
, Fl assured Uncle MOrg that l certainly knew
5 You member how his idees O. things
:, II d. said / ,ou NO md porr.
humped along for a year and bettor without
. spiritual consolation. OWN to Buster's opin-
. ion about the new dominieT -
4 We lest sat by and said Buster knows.
! wss our con1ildesnnsse; in That air mule. wei.
i John, one day about two months ago the
incest young chap you ever sot eyes on
stopped down to the house, jumped outen his
! wagon. and started for the door. Buster was
! there and took charge Of the young Teller
seemed MS ii he was Jest about tickled to death
to see tho chan. He showed his nose aginst
4 his sleeve the w~e!cnmest kind. and actually
= walked him right up TO the door. and even
, wanted t. lOller him into the house. he had
+ took setrh a fancy TO the nice Young Teller.
= Well. now. John. that was all the recommend
me aud Peggy wanted fer MIN. and he didn
I dlIIy-daIly q, minute in elttin' right down 10
- business. He got down to il so snug that in
!, less than fifteen minutes he had my signatoor
i 10 a contract TO- be the agent in this corner o
i the hcmlnck belt for the most ama2in' stump.
u IuI!er and root Grubbin machine that ever
was. Then the nice young chap went away
. with Buster n,showin' hun back TO his wagon
a most Kind ard cOnsideTate.
'poggy." SAYS |. as the Teller drove off
o TN bet my boots on that chapl Buster
knows!' | says.
We'll. John. t'other day the contract to be
the agent for that amaZin' stump, puller and
rOOt-Rruhbin' machine turned up in the shape
o. the slickest cut-throat judgment note fol
$50 That you ever sec, and with il come a no