The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-08-21
Missouri Mule is q Creature Of
Character and Temperament
They Like to Rubber and
Nothing That Goes on
About Them Is Ever Over
looked-The Story of Bill
ly, Who Saved a Contrac-
tors Life.
Special TO The Journal.

Special 70 ! ne journal
| Kansas Cjtq. Mo. Aug. 2o.-"OGr
/ state" said stockman. raises the
best mules in tais or any other couu-
! Try. Any judge Of the animal viii tell
YOU that. The Missouri mule is a
/ creature fun OF character and tenn
| permanent. Missouri L. the great breed
j ing state for the biz work mules used
/ throughout the southwest. and a team
OF them costs from S2rn to $500. They
are more valuable work animals than
/ horses. for they are larger. stronger
and Viii live on hay where I horse re
qUires grain
| They are also slower. more ShTeWd.
cunning and obstinate than the horse
! For example. if a load IS too heavy.
! the mule viii not stir \ horse Will
strain al il until he breaks his mar
ness or his heart But the mule viii
stand :mperyi0us TO any suasion, NOR
al or physical There Is nothing TO
/ do but tighten the load. He viii
turn around and look at the load,
also, and bray
They do Like TO Rubber.
This rUbbeTiHC is q characteristic
of the mule II any one passes near
his stall while he is eating he viii
stop long enough 10 look around 4
horse never does that A mule Will
look around in order 10 aim his kicks
correctly. The boys in camp used TO
have fun with one old mule which
was an expert at this. They would
annoy him from the rear, and he
would look around locate the annoyer
and aim a kick like lightning in his
direction.
1t was rather exciting sport be-
cause not unmixed with danger At
1870 a. m. half an hour before work
knocked off for dinner, regular as
clOckwork. every mule on the job
would begin to bray. They knew II
was getting dinner time and wanted
to hurry things mp little The
horses never did that. But when the
animals were let loose the horses
would start off at a galIOD for the
grub pile. The mules would not hur-
" themselves beyond a good. fast
walk. They knew the grub wouldn't
get away. and they have fixed preju-
diceS against haste
a contractor for whom 7 worked in
building q reservoir near Pueblo, Col,
had once met with an accident while
riding a mule He was alone al some
distance from camp, and. through
some cause which | now forget, fell
off the mule and broke his leg. The
mule rubbered around, saw his mas
ter on the ground and stood perfectly
still The contractor was thus en-
abled to pull himself upon the ami
mails back and get TO camp: while.
if the mule had followed any other
course. it might have resulted in very
serious Inconvenience for the injured
man. Consequently the contractor al
ways kept a soft spot in mis- heart
for this mule. which was named Billy.
Privileges in His Old Age.
when Billy reached an age which
entitled him TO a pension he was hon
orably retired. The contractor. for
some reason or other. took him 10
camp on every fresh job though he
never put him to work any more. Per
hapS he thought Billy would enjoy
being around in the scenes ne was
used to more than arist0cratic seclu-
sion in a lonesome pasture. At any
rate Billy lid enjoy the life At the
camp near Pueblo he ranged the
whole country. free and Independent.
Frequently when the team from the
COmmissary department went down 10
Pueblo for supplies Billy would come
trOttiUE along back with it. He would
notice the team IN Pueblo. or the out
skirts recognize IL and join il for
the home trip
AFTER the reservoir was finished
we went up in the high hills to build
a railroad The contractor was alb
sent while supplies were being hauled
ny pack trains 70 point far away
from the road. and the men put Billy
to work although they knew they mad
no right TO 10 it A. one point the
trail wound along a narrow bank with
ledge Of rock on one side and a
pTecipice on the other At the psy-
Geological point BiIiy's load tumbled
over the prcCipicC- Il required time
and labor to get II M and cinch it on
10 Billy again The next day BiIIy's
load went over the edge again al ex-
actIy the same point. Tnen the men
gave II up
They saw that Billy knew they
were imposing on him. and was Gun
ming enough 10 breathe out when
they Cinched him up and breathe in
when he got TO just the right place
20 shake his load off On account Of
the partially Of his owner. Billy
could not be disciplined by the under
InEs. and so af-erWard he insolentIy
went mp and down the trail with the
rest of the train when he pleased. but
never with a load.
Want to Save old Steps.
Efforts are being made 10 preserve