The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-03-01
THE VILLAGE
JACKASS
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1910, by Associated Lit
erary Press

only. Ihere weren't any theories,
however, as to what happened when
that jackass struck the town. There
was a public square, and lie stood on
that square and made public procla-
nation of his arrival. He prayed a
haw-haw-haw that woke every sleeper
in the village. Men, women and chill
dren tumbled out of bed and into the
street In fear and trembling.
There was little sleep in the town
the remainder Of that night. At reg
ular intervals Of ten minutes that jack
ass brayed.
That haw-haw-haw was not a
mournful bray. On the contrary, it
hao : jovial ring. 1t seemed to the
ceople of Sandy Hill to be saying:
"Hurrah for me! I've struck 1t at
last! We won't go home till morning
and mebbe not Them
When morning came the question
was what to do with that animal. 1t
was not easily answered, Drive him
on toward Lansingburg and let that
town welcome or reject him. The job
was given to a gang Of boys. The
Jackass protested, but the gang was
too many for him. He was dubbed
down the road for mile and warned
to keep moving on. One hour later
he was back on the public square
braying his joy at being home again.
He was escorted toward Fishburg, but
he returned again. He was escorted
toward Edwardsville and toward Gran
ford, but he never reached those
places. He put in the day at it and
then returned to say how glad he was
that he was in the hands of HIS friends
once more.
That night the town cooper took
charge Of the animal and by tying
butter flrkin TO his tall prevented any
braying. No jackass can bray with
head and tail down. Next morning he
was driven within a mile of three diff
ferent towns and told that the inhab-
itants were waiting to welcome him,
but before the last citizen OF Sandy
Hill had gone TO bed that bray sound
ed in his ears. The rejected was back
on the job
Thousands of public meetings have
been held for this or that reason, but
1t is doubtful If one was ever held be-
fore or since on account Of a lone jack.
ass. Sandy Hill held one, and the de.
bate was spirited \ stray jackass had
forced itself upon them What was TO
be done in the case? All efforts TO un.
load him on other towns had proved
futile No one had ever heard of
jackass without an owner This beast
must have one He must call and pay
damages and take his property. lie
must be advertised for. II he didn't
show up in the legal time then the
Jack would be sold to the highest bid
der.
That was the course pursued, but no
owner came TO make his claim
The day came when the jackass was
TO be sold for his keep. He was to 90
TO the highest bidder without reser.
walton. That meant that his bray was
to be thrown in. The auctioneer hol-
Tered In vain. Not bid was made.
No one offered even a dollar
How much pounding can a jackass
take and keep up with the procession7
This one had more clubs. broom han.
dies, hoe handles, AK helves and pitch. /
forks broken over his back than would
fill a freight car. but he came up to
the scratch smiling. He was hit with
clods. stones, brickbats, old cans and
bottles and picket fences, but he
dfJf1ff S.f. 4
night when he broke up a prayer
meeting with his bray n good deacon
rushed out and knocked him uncon.
scious with blow from crowbar. It
was believed that he was dead, but
next morning saw him wandering
about as gayly as ever.
Again, a young man was counting a
girl. He was interrupted by that haw-
haw-haw just as he was about to
ask the girl to be his'n. He ran out
and fired a dose Of bird shot into the |
disturbcr No use The jack was
frisking next day.
Nevertheless there must be a limit
to all things. Even an ownerless
jackass must draw the dead line some I
where. This one held on for two years
before he drew Then he decided that
he hadn't been used square In that
Christian community. 1t had sent
cash to the heather of Africa and left |
him to eat moldy straw. 1t had been /
kind TO dogs and horses, but had |
bruised and battered him on various |
occasions He would shake the dust
Of the town of bis hoofs, but In going |
he would leave a memory behind.
A railroad was being run to the VII. /
lage. The grading contractor was do
ing much blasting, and half a mile |
from the village limits he had 500 |
pounds of dynamite In a shed The /
jaczass took his departure at night. |
His way lay past that she'd He stop
ped and backed up to the door and
kicked 1t in, and kicked at the boxes
piled up. Then Sandy Hin had an
earthquake that tore things to pieces /
and created damages to the amount
OF $4,000. That was ten years ago,
but II still shows the scars and still
talks Of that explosion When you ask I
what became OF the jackass the man I
viii shake bis head and drop his voice +
as he replies
That's what we have never found /
out, and we shouldn't be a bit sur /
prlsed 70 see him come back any day. /
N he does we shall have to abandon /