Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-08-04
GOVERNMENT MULE
WAADERS SADLY AWAY
With Her Feelings Injured by Harsh
Language, Docile Animal Takes
To The Tall Timbers.

Great anxiety has been felt il
United States Reclamation circle.
lately over the escape Of a beautiful
comely. and well behaved buckskir
mule name1 Maud from the coal haulel
of the big eXcavator on the AriZona
canal. Maud's action in thus taking
| French leave from her kind owners
has been ineYplicable 20 the officials
and engineers. who feel hurt at her dis
courteous manner of carrying her
self Sd suddenly away from the consid-
crate attentions of the mule drivers
End corral bosses.
The problem is the more puzzling be-
cause Maud had pulled like a truly re-
gal mule up To ne very day and hour
of her dcpaItr"e, and It is thought
| that an unkind word dire tied at her by
| an impatient driver. or even a phrase
or two OF super heated invective, gave
her offensr, thus causing ne to be dis
cnntenteG with her lot. No other eX-
PLANTATION seems tenable at this time.
although every investigation is being
made to determine the causes for her
peculiar vagary.
more than :: week ago, when she was
brought from the Roosevelt road, where
she had performed unbelievable Iabors
with the utmet dOcility, to Mesa. It
was motel tTat while driven on the
Roosevelt road she seemed to take
pleasure in her work, and always
brayed with joy when she saw the
teamster coming out in the gray dawn
to harness her. and get her ready for
the days work. Her demeanor then
was SO contented. and her manner so
admirable that the mystery surrounding
her flight grows darker and darker II
is possible that it may never be I'M
travelled at all.
After she was brought to Mesa, a
change seemed to come over the young
Mules life. She lost her interest in
objects which had formerly given her
the deepest pleasure. Words which had
formerly animated her into increased
exertion now fell on deaf ears, and she
seemed to feel no eXhiliration when
called upon to pull a heavy load up a
forty-five percent grade. Every pud-
die was slough of despOnd to Maud
was now so changed that her own
driver scarcely knew her
Hoping that a change of scenario
would do her good, and obliterate the
devouring sorrow which had come ov-
er her after she had been driven from
the Roosevelt Road. n dredge team was
sent over to Mesa. and Maud vas add
ded to this team. The driver, however,
recalls with sorrow that on more than
one occasion he was harsh with her
He remembers that one afternoon he |
worked her over with the flat part of |
a shovel. and he is hunting her now to !
deliver an apology. He will not be con- |
tented until he finds her to right the |
wrong.
For several days-the exact number /
be determined from the records !
Of the Reclamation Service, although |
most of the engineers believe il was
worked on the dredse team.
Forced to pull her share of the load
in spite of her indisposition and re-
luctance. she began to show signs of
rebellion. This tendency to resent the
and corrections of her
drivers was viewed with alarm by the
corral bosses. who were unable to I'M
derstand a display of temper in such
a gentle mule. She became unreason-
able. and would have planted her feet
as quickly on an engineer as s. stable
boy.
Finally. one day she was sent to