The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-05-24
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MAY "a. 1907.
Kicked by a Mule and Bitten by
Fish.

10TH stIlco vi mieHdP9 Sciiou7 0h'uEH W
separate any mans soul from his body,
and when Julius Loeffier, the secretary OF
the Contractors and Dealers Exchange at
session of the Story Telling Club, one
dull afternoon during the carnival season,
sprung the unique trinity Of accidents as
having actually happened to himself, the
club members, who at times are guilty OF
telling some rather tall yarns, sat up to
listen, says the New Orleans Picayune.
at all happened to me when was a
small boy" Mr.. Loef1er began his MARIA
tive, "and you must know that as | am
not very old now, that time WASH t so long
ago. As boy, Of course, had all
boys desires for the sensational and the
forbidden, and it was one Of my chiefest
delights to elude parental vigilance, slip
away to the levee, and with other DISC
bedient youngsters 90 swimming in the
deep, dangerous river.
''There was a crowd Of US; yes, urchins
like monkeys and other mischievous ami
mails, always 90 in gangs, and one Of our
favorite places of rendezvous was down on
the wharf in the vicinity Of Richard street.
We were in for all sorts Of capers, but be-
fore approaching dusk apprised US of the
fact that it was getting close to going home
time, We would have our dip in the river.
Zone summer afternoon the band was
assembled as usual, to the number Of half
a dozen or more. Each one Of US was
there without leave; it was vacation, 1t Is
true, but our parents fancied US at limo
cent play in some street close to home, and
never thought for an instant that we were
placing ourselves in such great danger.
"On the particular afternoon Of which [
AIN speaking, things were rather dull;
maybe it was the warm weather that took
all the energy out of the lads, or perhaps
it was the fact that the lynx-eyed police
man was watching us rather closet WHO
can say? But whatever the cause, there
was little fun in sight, and nobody seemed
disposed for an innocent game of duck on
the rock The proximity Of the 'peeler,
that was the popular name for the limbs
of the law in that day, made swimming
real dangerous. Not that the 'peeler' could
catch US, once we were in the water, oh,
no; he'd have no chance, but then he
could confscate our clothes, and that sure
would prove our undOing.
"Well, we sat down on the bulkhead
under the friendly shade Of big tarpaulin
spread on poles, with nothing to do, and
watched niger try to induce dull
witted mule to 90 the way he didn't want
to 60.
"The niger had strenuous time Of
it out in the sun, and do what he would,
that mule remained stationary, and the
two wheeled cart, loaded with bricks, to
which he was attached, didn't get far on
its journey. The black welded the whip
with prodigal hand and willingness that
demonstrated an anxiety to beat the
knocking off bell to the yard, but all he
succeeded in doing was to make the ny
brid beast assault the front section of the
cart with his powerful rear hoofs.
"The hoofs landed with such force that
the wagon, which, well on in years and
not built for such usage, was soon prac-
tically wrecked; that is to say, the front
board was splintered, allowing the bricks
to clatter to the wharf, and the right shaft
broken off,
"The niger swore a great oath, and
when the ready hoofs had completed their
work of destruction, and only moved rest
lessly on the wharf, he unhitched the
mule from the wreckage, and led him over
and tied him to a post very near to where
we sat.
1.-The niger swore a great OATH and
the mule, his head hanging low, his ears
dropping over his eyes, and his tail whisk
ing flies off his TANKS, looked innocent
enough to us, and one of the gang, in
bantering tones said Whose man enough
to go up and poke the old fellow with a
stick 2
"For moment nobody replied, but
then | played the fool, wishing, of course,
to show off, and said that | would do it.
The boys chorused dare, and this further
urged me to attempt the dangerous feat,
and with IA small stick in my hand | gin
gerly approached the headquarters of the
mule.
"When | reached what I thought was
good position | raised my stick and
gently tapped the mules tail, and then,
before could do as much as think, those
hoofs that had half demolished the wagon
came flying my way. lnstictively L
ducked and fell to one side, and the move
ment saved me from being Drained outright.
But, as it was, one of the hoofs just grazed
the side of my head, inAicting a wound
whose scar I carry to this day, and the
other landed on the feshy part Of my
right shoulder. was close to the edge
of the wharf, and the jolt threw me back,
and my body went over the bulkhead and
twisted and turned in its descent to the
river.
"By the fraction of an inch got out of
the full sweep of the hoofs when fell to
one side, and the kick did not hurt me
seriously, but the fall in the river came
very near being my undoing, as the sequel
will show. splashed into the water, all
in heap, and, dazed and frightened as 1
was for the moment forgot all had ever
learned about swimming. Down, down,
sank, an awful roaring noise in my ears,
buzziEg in my brain and feeling of
hopelessness in my breast; but all of
sudden will power came back to me, and
with it my knowledge of the art in which
the fnny tribe excel. Then my course
was reversed and l shot upward toward
the surface. But while | was still under
the water something touched the bare skin
or my neck. 1t was cold, clammy,
rough something like the scales of a suit
Of armor, and even as it touched me and
moved for an instant along my flesh, terror
possessed me, for 1 thought that some
great eel was endeavoring to wrap about
my throat, choke me and devour me at
seisure. You see, did not know the ma
ture of the eels and river snakes at that