Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-03

ATLANTA COnstitutiOn)
The mule. whether In peace or war;
IS a subject which should be approach
ed with a feeling Of profound respect
From every point Of view the SUD
ject is to promote gravity
We are led 20 consider the matter
bv reports from tho troubles in the
Transvaal where. it seems. an IRE
parable blunder Of British command
err has been saddled onto the mule.
Tho charge is a very serious one, nut
before we can give credence 10 the
report. inquiry must be made as 10 the
BIRTHPLACE and breeding OF the mules
which are said 10 have taken charge
OF tho British battaliOns and caused
them to fall into the hanoi of the Beers.
Were these mules bred i'm the southern
States Of this republic, or are they OF
foreign extraction? There are mules and
mules and the indictment made in this
instance will not lie IL the mules which
ran away with the guns and ammunition
of the British troops We're bred In iorelsh
parts. -, .,
The Kentucky mule has well earned
reputation. and so has the male ot Ten
nessee but the Georgia mule deserYtdlY
stands at the head Of the tribe IN the
matter Of Intelligence and devotion 10
duty We know Of no market where
Georgia mules are sold. otherwise We
would be glad 10 furnish our BRUSH
cousins with information OF a very I'M
portant character.
We have seen newspaper reports 10
the effect that English agents have
been buying mules i'm the West put
these purchases could hardly nav"
reached the seat Of war I'm time 10 De
charged with the alleged stampede whlch
caused the Beers 10 take 10 their marry
hosoms the flower OF the British army
Nobody ever heard Of Georgia mule
stampeding Ha Will hinch ana oous'
and 90 through other performances pul
n. never runs from anything. lie has
battery OF his own as efficient at ciose
range as n Maxim or Gating gun, an"
on this he depend absolutely MOI 90
over. no never wastes MS "ii'i" "'i''''"'
nor misses his aim.
eo,,tbern-bred mule generally, ana the
Coorria raised mule particularly. we
oo,,,d ,rish that the British command
80 I'm attributing the capture OF two
~ hts regiments to stampedins mules
I,d included a brief biography or mo
Nc i'm question. In order that nun
,ustic, may be done. 80 iar az our
observation and experience go, hellheI
tho music OF many bands nor the war
of artillery have any effect on the
Georgia mule. He might object TO
snowy uniform or 10 the 100 shuuy
tronpings with which vain men deck
themselves, but no does not make ms
objection known by stampeding. On ths
contrary no stands his ground, anu
makes mis- influence felt IN other ways
". presume that there IS no Georgian
familiar with the history Of MS STATE
but has heard of the performances Oh the
celebrated roam mule owned py AuliiP
Ponder. OF Monroe county, twenty-five
years ago This mule was a lady mule'
and i'm her an the characteristlcs OF her
sex were highly developed. consequent
~ no one ever knew what she "ould az
next ON ona occasion, negro newly
hired bv Mr. Ponder was anxious to ride
her 10 church one Sunday lie haa
permission 10 use a mule, ana ne want
"a tho roam because she was a PAGER,
ola Sol who pl0ughed her, happened
fo be around the lot, and when ne shW
the new negro with bride IN ms manu.
asked him what he was going To 40
The reply vas that he was going TO rlde
Inc roam. She was feeding in a lot at
trough which had been nailed TO the
side %, the barn.
old Sol looked al the negro and then
M the mule us you gwine In OAR VIA
so Sunday close onE' ne asked Inc
negro said he was. AN wild dat ar
hrass breastpin?" res. ne was eco On,
~" s,id Sol The next day when
tho coroner came. and Sol was called
IN =. describe the accident. be had
very little 10 say. 81 tried ter tell i'm
he WAS fOoln' wild the wrong mule,
bs rtmarEcd. but he knOw'd mo
bout il dan what 1 did. He went in
dar wild his Sunday doln's on, an time
ne got whar the roam could reach I'm
heard "a thump or TWO. W men /
looked close. de mule wuz eatin. TT
sb,. ever tuck 'er head OUT de trough
'twuz "a much Later. Sol picked w
the brass brea1tpin in an adjoining Held.
There was another Georgia mule.
white one. said 90 be twenty-seyen years
Old. After working all the week, he was
allowed 10 rest on sundays. He occupied
There were other stalls but his was tho
eighth from the door. and there were
a stall IN the shed OF "A livery stable.
perhaps a dozen beyond his. The pas
sageyyay was about four feet wide, being
bounded by a wall on one side, ana the
stalls on the other. Attention was first
called TO the remarkable talents ol TINS
mule by the attempt OF a stray dog 10
run through the passageway. lie was
going an full speed, but he liew up against
tne wall directly opposite ODD Whitey
stall with every bone I'm his body broken.
To all appearances the old mule was
asleep when the accident occurred. final
lv the small boys discovered that II was
impossible 10 throw a tin can past olA
Nhltev's stall. The can would strike
tho wall and fan 20 the floor as HAT as
p pancake. Yet no one ever saw the
mule move. and some OF the boys more
OBJ eryant than the rest. SAID mat ne
l. If.aTHf 10
sotirsl asleep ali the time.
Such h the character. and such the
genius OF the genuine Georgia mule.
with a regiment or two OF trfte able
ANIMAL General Sir Georg White,
c,r., oc greqt damage Provided he
zen cy,l III N with their battery ends
tovatt the enemy at close quarter.
| MeanW hiie. IL is 70 be hoped that the
| published reports Will not have the
| effect OF prejudicing tho public MIND
against the efficiency. both in peace and