Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-01-24
Southwestern
 Telegraph and Telephone Co.
The Bird of Freedom.

The BtF0 CT Freedom.
 The American Eagle voiced his sen- timents on the 4th of July, 1776 in the great and only Declaration of Inde- pendence, but he did not take shape for several weeks after that day. Immedi- ately after the declaration had been read to the Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia at that time, a resolution was passed creating Benja- min Franklin, John Adams and Thom- as Jefferson, all well-known gentle men, to be a committee to prepare a seal of the United States. On the 10th day of August they reported, bringing in a combination consisting principally of Goddess of Liberty, a Goddess of Justice, and an Eye of Providence with very small and insignificant eagle in one corner of the device. Incidentally also on the device was the legend, "E Pluribns Unum" Although the eagle at this time was not much of a bird, is still seemed to the Colonial Congress- men that something was wrong with the report of the committee. and the seal had such bad effect that the re- port was laid on the table, where it stayed until 1779. In March of that year 1t took a fresh start with a new committee, but nothing was done until 1781, when among several designs sub- mitted was one from William Barton of Philadelphia, who made the eagle prominent, and described the bird as emblematie of sovereignty. Anothe er design was furnished by Charles Toi . son, secretary of Congress, and { lal design, and the one finally adoptol was endorsed MT. Barton's improve ments on the secretary's device," which made some changes in Mr. Tomson's designs, and this was adopt ed June 20, 1782, at which time the great American Eagle made its first and genuine appearance in the history of the great republic he Is under per petual engagement to scream for.
 Most of the army mules in Cuba were fitted with the Mexican aparejo, which is to be preferred to the saddle with tree and sawbuclx."
 It consists first Of two or more thick felt blankets, folded large enough to nearly cover the mule from shoulder to trump. Over this is placed a huge pair of leather bags united by a broad band of the same material, the cavi- ties stuffed with soft hay.
 This is girthed to the mule by a cinch nearly a foot in width, which Is drawn as tightly as possible by q strong man, pulling with both hands, and with foot against the as,mals ribs to give him greater purchase. On each side of the spine the articles to be carried are placed and lashed by rope about fifty feet in length, which has at one end a broad webbing belt 70 pass under the belly as was done with the others Another squeezing" Is given and the rope Is crossed in dif- ferent directions over the load, tight ened at every crossing, and finally fas- tened in knot loosed by one pull.
 Packing" is a science, and as such commands good wages. I have known "chief packer" to be paid a salary Of $150 per month on the frontier, and his services were worth the money paid. The duty is taught to cavalrymen as part of their drill, and many of the soldiers become very expert at it. At pack drill of the Ninth Cavalry few days before 1t left Montana one com pany packed its mule in l minute and 54 seconds, and others were but little slower
 Thirty mules generally constitute "train," and are managed by three men, They are trained to follow bell. worn by a horse, white preferred, as being more readily seen. They are not confined in any way except when first put into the train; then, any straying from it is punished very severely and Mir. Mule soon learns his place and that it is best to keep it.
 Each man with the train carries diamond shaped leather blind with leather cords attached to the ends and knotted together. If pack becomes disarranged two of the men lead tho mule out of the trail, blindfold him with this blind, rearrange his load, re- move the leather and allow him to re- ioin his fellows. He is never struck when started, and pack mules are never misused by good packers.