Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-04

oronedary an ostrich a red Indian a
heather and a snob rolled in one and
stuffed into black hide: which is only
another way of saying that jimmy was
the meanest most ill-tempered, deceitful,
fractions. bumptious and obstreperous
critter that ever went on four legs. on
three legs or on two. If you know mules
you know what mean by going on three
legs and on two. If you don't know mules
you'd better not try to find out for your
self. SIT on the fence and watch the
other fellow learn.
And besides the qualities l have men
toned jimmy was naughty. You can for
give a mule for being mean, ill-tempered,
fractions bumptiOus and obStreperOuS. be-
cause it Is the birthrfght of mules to be
all those things, cash down or by INSTALL
ments; but you can't forgive one for
treating you with cold scorn.
Let me tell you what she did. When
ever offered her lump of sugar or a
carrot, just by way of friendlness on my
part, she would sniff at 1t and say,
'P-r-r-umph!' turn away her head and
begin eating weeds or any other rubbish
that happened to be around. And it
wasn't because she didn't like carrots or
sugar-she dotted on them-it was because
she didn't like me. If l threw the carrot
down she gobbled it the instant 1 stopped
looking at her.
So that was jimmy. That was the drom-
edary ostrich red Indian heather lady We
had to associate with and exact service
from for two months. for eight and a
fraction weeks for sxty-two days, for
g. "A hours. No-don't subtract one cent
for meals or sleep; we had to watch her
while We ate and dream about her while
we slept That was the object we had
TO care for like a lady when we wanted
10 kill her dead-rnake bear bait of her
for If we'd killed jimmy who would have
carried the pack? Black Bess?-Brandt's
mare? Brandt would as soon think of
carrying it himself. My Muldoon?-carry
Jinny's pack, 1 think not,-not while 1
own her. anyway. and when I'm too poor
10 keep her any longer, if 1 ever am, she
wont carry packs, no matter what hap
pens to my bank. I've promised her that
l don't know where Jimmy came from
originally. l bought her from a trader in
Laramie Wyo.. and without consulting
Brandt-wanted to show him 1 could buy
a few things for myself besides neckties.
which Brandt expressly doubted The
trader recommended jimmy as the most
Please read the list of her qualities
above set forth by me; add any num-
Der more you happen to think of, translate
into their exact Opposites: mix with gentle
slapS. loving pats and dear old gals to-
Eether with a soft, convincing smile by
trader: season with a melancholy express
sion per jimmy. and you will have the
beast set forth by him. Wouldn't you
buy a mule a man could say all that
about particularly if he offered her SO
cheap? Wouldn't you? Don't ever
shes the greatest bargain inside the
state" he wound up with, AN / wouldn't
take any money for her. on'y 1 got to.
nv wife's been sick all winter. Little
Johnny broke his arm. an my poor old
blind mother needs lots o things l got
10 hev the ready an hey it quick, an
sence Won won't take d saddle horse-sure
Won won't, an femme keep this dear old
gal Well. sence you won't Che sighed
heavily, 1 s'pose 1 got to let you hev the
mule I raised by hand. Why. shes a
reg'lar member O. my family. l wouldn't
take no money for her On'y for my VIE
an little Johnny an my poor old blind
mother-stone blind-stone blind-ain't 1t
awful to be blind?" And the trader shed
a tear-at least, he wiped his eye.
Brandts remarks an hour later 1 DO
not care to go into. 1t is enough that my
nice trader was an orphan bachelor and