The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1900-01-25
The Mule and Its Master.

This is not one OF fsop's Fables.
but just plain, unvarnished tale of
Il mule-a young, untamed, fiery,
stubborn, determined mule-and
that other anomoly, which only the
Sunny South produces in its full
perfection-the mules master-a
genuine mule breaking darkey.
Daily these two give performances
in Major Hays's stock ward, and as
there is always a large and deeply
interested audience in attendance,
the Major is seriously considering
the idea Of charging price of ad-
mission to these equine-assinine.
negroine seanceS.
Saturday morning the darkey
tackled 4 small dun mule that had
more of the devil in its whlteish
ewes, more destructive force in It's
fore legs and Il more deadly aim in
it's hinder ones, than falls to the usual
lot of these humble but exceedingly
useful creatures which "have neither
boast of ancestry nor hope of pos.
teritv." 1t was purposed to ''break
this particular mule to harness be-
side very sedate old horse in a
double wagon, but His Muleship
was broken before the darkey-with
the assistance of half dozen volun
teers-got him geared up, and there
in lies the tale.
AS preliminary the darkey and
his volunteers chased the mule into
Il box stall; then d lasso was thrown
deftly over it's head and frightened
about nose and neck, whereat
the mule lashed out fore and aft,
sending splintered wood in all dlrec
,ions. But the rope held fast, the
stable door was thrown open and
with a stinging whip urging it oe-
hind and the choking rope dragging
it before, they maraged to get it to
the front gate aud pulled its nose
down against the palings, with a
stcut line twisted about its upper
lip. Then they began putting on
the gear, and the circus commenced.
Such rearing, and kicking, and
bucking, and plunging. Twice the
mule climbed the fence, and tore OF
half the palings, and they had only
succeeded in scattering the crowd u
half dozen times and buckling on
collar and names, 1t took four men
to get the bit in the critters mouth,
and this emblem of mans power
somewhat tanned its fiery spirit.
There was revival of devilishness,
however, when they endeayored to
buckle on the backband, and the
mule was dragged and driven back
to the stable and urged into a stall.
Then, Mr.. Ed. Hays passed the con.
fning rope through an aperture in
the stable wall and the mules nose
was pulled up to the other side of
the planks. 1t was the critters last
frantic struggle, and heels and hoofs
struck out in all directions. Once it
seemed as though it was about to
climb through the roof, and the next
minute its fore feet splinteret half
the boards on that part of the wall
fronting it. Several times it leape'i
the stall partition on either side, but
tue darkey, lodging and squirming
about among those beating hoofs and
crashing heels, finally got the band
in place, and glad shout went up
from the crowd-the mule was at
last harnessed.
1t hung it's head, and had a de-
pressed and conquered look when
they led it out to the wagon, and it
offered no further resistance. When
geared in place beside the sober, old
horse, it sighed deeply and detected.
ly. Mans might-a darkey's dar
ing had reduced the mettIesoule
mule to moderation's mournful
mood, and when the word was given
it trotted off as though 1t had been
worked in harness all it's life.
"That mule won't give us any
more trouble. He's broke-clean
broker was the Majors positive
declaration, and the crowd, disap-
pointed at the easy victory, melted
quickly away.