The Detroit times., 1910-10-05

servants), We have ridden about the
province in the curious two-wheeled
carriages OF the country whenever our
excursions led US beyond the railway
routes, and where wheels were not
practicable we have joined the great
majority on the backs OF donkeys. We
had thought ourselves thoroughly ac-
quainted with those patient beasts OF
burden from long experience In Mex
leo, South America and other wild
regions, where Balaam's long-eared
beast Is king, but until now we never
learned the b of the usefulness
of those indispensable animals.
In this whole poverty-stricken king.
dom there is not a peasant so des-
perately impoverished as to be with
out his donkey. Every human being
In the district seems to own from
one to q score Even the multitud-
inous beggars who accost you for
aims at every step on the highway
are mounted, much as Sancho Pan
"a may have been. In front OF every
church, In every praca or square, and
huddled In every crumbling archway
are dozens of shaggy little donkeys,
each caparisoned with rope around
it's neck In lieu of halter or bride,
and a huge wooden saddle upon his
back, and most of them are unhap-
PLY accompanied by barefooted
drivers, also mounted, armed with
iron-pointed goads, long as hoe-han-
dies. They are called into requisi-
ton for the most trifing errands. The
padre will not walk from one square
to the next, IL his own. or another's
donkey Is at hand. The servant rides
to market-the mechanic to his days
labor
II the farmland has occasion to
go from onion field to potato patch,
or the farmers wife wishes bit OF
gossip with her nearest neighbor, or
the country pumpkin a-wooing goes,
each sets out as on a ten days Jour-
ney, with kick. whack and q goad
for the poor little beasts that bear
them, and never thought that the
fcur-f footed servitors may occasional
~ need food and water. The herd
ers who care for the black bulls that
are bred for the pracaa das, .torrQs
In Lisbon and Oporto, are always
found with more donkeys than bulls.
The goatherd in the lonely mountains
has his donkey for an inseparable
companion.
IL the cattle in the valleys need
change of pasture, or the shepherd
ers ground Is shifted half mile on
the hillside, preparations are made
as for pilgrimage half around the
world, and the ragged drovers ride in
state to their new station.
All the highways and byways are
filled with donkey professions. Some
are laden with water-cart casks, wear
lily plodding accustomed beats, often
driverless and unaccompanied, each
wearing an expression OF sturdy res
possibility on his old gray face. Be-
vies of them are completely hidden
under piles OF hay, or cornstalks,
heaped 30 high that the green stacks
seem to be waltzing along Of their
own accord, except for bells jangling
In a muffled way under the fodder,
and boys prodding viciously with
their loads.
Peasant women come riding to mar
ket with all manner Of country pro-
duce, from flowers, fruits and vege-
tables to living pigs, kids and chick
ems dangling from the wooden sad
dle-yolkes; rye and corn are brought
down from mountain farms In pan
niers; tree trunks to be converted
into timber, are attached to a cross
beam laid over the backs of two don
keys, and so II goes, to the end of
the chapter, all the work of this lazy
people depending largely upon the
tireless and patient beast Of BALKAN.
Not Conducive to Dignity.
In the cumbersome native saddle,
with their huge wooden Jokes at the
front and back, even men do not sit
astride. They ride something as in
the wild Irish jaunting-cars, with both
legs dangling over the right side, and
in moments of peril clutch the front
yoke with their hands. Undertaking
donkey jpaunt In these parts you
might as well lay aside your dignity
In the beginning, for an attempt to