The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-12-29
MULEOLOGY.
(By F. B. Arendell.)

(By F. B. Arendell)
What don't now about a mule WouI1
fill! a whole congressional record, indeed
the only thing that | do know absolutely
about a mule is that he is a mighty good
thing to keep in front OF. 1t is true
| perhaps that some mules are good things
to ride on, but as a rule they are better
things to reflect on, provided you don't
get too near the mul- to do your reflect
ing, and because there is no mule near me
| am yenturlng these few muleish reflec-
lions, at the same time | don't mean any
reflection on the mule. Some men know
a good deal about mules Notwithstanding
the fact that it takes a smart man a
long time to learn even the more pro-
nounced characteristics Of the mule to
say nothing Of his latent nature. me
reason 1t takes a smart man So long to
become thoroughly acquainted with his
nluleshlp IS that q smart man is gerer-
ally a cautious man and a cautious man
is not going to become too intimate with
a mule on short acquaintance [ either
read or heard of a mule once who re-
scented az attempt on the part of a cas-
ual acquaintance to be too intimate and
gave him such a kick that the Jar killed
the mans first cousin who lived in an
other State.
| don't mean to infer that all mules are
WIDELY bad. l have heard of good mules.
mules that wouldn't kick and have been
content to take the statement for granted
rather than inaugurate any close in
vestigation. | knew a mule once who
didn't kick, l don't mean to say she
couldn't kick, but she didn't kick because
she was too lazy. This mules name was
Beck" her name should have been Back
fI she was the outbackinest mule l ever
saw. | knew her once to back a whole
wagon load OF Sunday school children into
& mill pond. | knew her to back a dump
cart over the dairy and scatter crooks
and cream all over the yard. | knew her
to back herself into a ditch SIX feet deep
ard then lie there and eat grass off the
ditch-bank until her owner went off and
several OF his ~nelghborS to
heIy him extricate her. But Beck was in
same respects a good mule. She could
90 down the road at q iOur-minUte gait,
when she wanted to, but she was seldom
doctor ct same rate Of speed that size
would carry a bag Of corn to mill. Beck
was what was known as a fop-eared
mule, there was nothing the matter with
her ears and they didn't flop of their
accord. She just let EN- flop because
she was too lazy to hold them up. She
would now and theI. under great excite
ment, hold one Of them up momentarily,
and then let it flop again.
She belonged to a country doctor, and
it was stated by one Of his nctghbors
that once upon a time the doctor con
ciuded that he would drive Beck to see
q sick man who lived about three miles
away and when he arrived the man had
rilI OIL -. ! -,
q sale of his personal effects, having
given the necessary thirty days notice.
Nobody ever knew what became Of Beck.
She had the letters G.. S. A branded on
one of her shoulders which was substan-
tial evidence that she was a daughter Of
the confcderacy. | think she lived until
the tuslonlsts got control Of the State
and then she went away, and none CT her
friends have since heard aught Of her.
But, speaking about mules reminds US
to what extent they enter into our every
day life and activity. You hear Of them
in war times and in lines Of peace. They
do not figure much in politics nor IN de-
nCrri-3tional affairs and yet in church
matters especially in the rural country,
and in our business and court affairs
they are generally more or less prominent.
They occupy prominent positions, ire
quently in legal and illegal proceedings,
sometimes in the court house and some
times along the roadside after nigntfall.
During the past several days the mule
has been a subject Of much concern and
discussion hereabouts, and his character.
habits, value, etc, have been matters Of
serious consideration. The mule abso-
lutely usurped the proceedings Of one of
our county courts for several days and
then with one kick cleared the docket Of
page after page of interesting proceedings
and cleared the court house Of Judge jury
and d dozen big lawyers. 1t does not
| appear exactly that the kick of the mule
did it all but if there hal been no mules
there would have been no proceedings
aud so the mule was responsible de facto,
if not de jure. But there Is a knowledge cf
the mule abroad in the land as a result Of
these proceedings that did not hitherto per-
itainn and = has been clearly demonstrated
that Wni,a there may be 4 general lack
OF mule Information, there are among us
expert nu.eoloSists whose ability cannot
be questioned, and Who know mules when
they see them, whether in ones, tw3a',
or in droEes, Experts who knew evtry
wrinkle IN Nj. Mules hide. every pink
in his eye every sp,int il his hoof AMI
! every cCckleburr in his tail.
The mule has been so much talked abCu.
and read about Of late that somebody
has dropped into verse.
] stumbled Up against the ode and am
going to adopt it as the conclusion Of
my muleish reflections, here it Is:
THE MULE AND MAN.
The mule-he is a gentle beast;
Hes satisfied to be the least;
And so is man.
Like men he may be taught some tricks;