Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1910-02-03

there was. ] had about as much con
science as the average horse swap
per, but with that very present help il
time OF need. | was afraid to trade
him where ! knew suit for damages
would be the end Of it. With all these
tender emotions rambling through my
brain. YOU may BET was glad when
4 heard the Gypsies had come. for wher
You trade with Gypsy you don't have
to lse your conscience at all.
! was soon on The ground with ole
4 gray curried up for the occasion. and
swapped for a litde Texas mule in less
I i'm than it takes to tell it, and
while the horse was no account,
didn't know the liitle mule vas crack
Drained fool. They saddIed him UP
and with four men to hold him. vas
soon mounted and headed Tor home.
niles away. He gave two mustang
snorts and lit out up the road, like he
bad important business at the other
end OF the track. ! tried to slow up
because couldn't stay on and couldn
get of. The saddle slipped up On his
neck, and hung on like grim death
to a sick nigger, while that little scoun-
drel flew began to wonder if he
was ever going to stop. as | had lost
control Of the ship and was sailing
without a rudder. The road was just
muddy enough TO fly all over
us, and as we came down the home
stretch saw he had no notion OF
stopping, and | calculated we would
get to Houston, Is miles oil, in 20 min
utes if the mules wind held out. Just
as was about to pass home | made a
desperate effort to stop (Eor wanted
to see Gerusha and the children) }, and
ran him against the yard fence, and
while it knocked him 10 feet back. it
sent me 40 feet over into the yard,
and the ground was so slick | slid
clear under the house. The bull dog,
not having been told Of my hasty COM
ing, made at me with savage growl,
and it kept me busy trying to renew
our acquaintance under such trying
circumstances. | crawled out, covered
all over with glory and mud, and there
stood Gerusha, mad as wet hen. for
she thought | was dunk and trying to
show off, That catastrophe learned
me lesson, and il you ANT hunting
trouble, don't say Texas mule to me,
for that's a variety Of the animal don t
appreciate. Stubbornness has always
been considered one Of the mule most
noted characteristics. When his mind
is once made up, kindness, persuasion
nor Aattery will cut sny ice with him.
like Grover Cleveland used to be. The
storm may break in all its fury and the
mud sills of the earth may quake and
tremble, but when the skies clear up
and the sun shines and it looks like
everybody would listen to reason, that
mule is fixed in his tracks, as immova.
BILE as the rocks of Gibraltar. saw
some being loaded on a steamboat in
Memphis for the Louisiana sugar plan
tations and one sturdy old fellow con.
cluded he wouldn't 60. He was big
sorrell and had grown gray over his
eyes, and his ears stood as erect as a
Philippine soldier. He cast alast lin
gering look back to the vine clad hills
of Tennessee. and contrasted the light
work snd good feed with what would
be expected Of him on a sugar planta-
ton in Louisiana. where old Mikes
faithfulness would count for nothing,
and he raised his melancholy voice
and said. i won't! ! won't!" was
touched with feeling Of his inGrmities,
as the deck hands tried to force him,
and can only give vent to my pent up
feelings in a few verses, which | hope
you will read without cracking a smile,
as its very solemn subject, and mine
and the mules feelings should be re-
spected;
The mule stood on the steamboat deck
When all bui hun had Aed,
They lied halter round his neck
And whacked him over the head.
The boat hands gathered round his
form
With shouts and cheers and ibis;
They pulled his ears and beat his back.
And punched him in the ribs.
The mate got mad, and ripped and
swore.
And bit. him with rail.
And told darkey standing near,
To twist the dam mule tail.
The thoushtless darkey gave one twist.
That mules face wore grin;
He shut both eyes and kicked straight
out;
Death took that darkey in.
He's now an angel wearing wings.
He's gone on the heavenly trail,
And warns all darkies as he sings:
Don't twist an old mules tail.