The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1911-10-26
A MANS
HUMANITY
y NJ QUAp
Copyright. 1911. BY Associated Lit
erary Press

IN the street Not an inhabltant Of
tie place owned a mule. Not a mule
had even passed through the town In
years. The appearance Of one was a
novelty. II was therefore easy for the
deacon 20 reason that this mule had
come from a distance. As the animal
was almost skin and bones II was easy
again TO reason that he had been turn
ed out TO die.
Other men had noticed the old mule
that morning and had passed on and
left him TO his fate. Deacon Bradley
was not that kind OF human. He had
been known 10 gather a hundred pO-
tatO bugs from the vines IN bis gar
den and tenderly carry them 70 the
fence and drop them over. he had
sat up night after night with sick
cows. and be bad taken in lame dogs
and made them well again His first
move after coming across the mule
WIS 70 bring the animal water and
oats. He was rewarded by a grateful
bray.
The mule drank twelve quarts OF
water and ate four quarts OF oats
and entered upon a new life He was
puzzled and mystined. but be wasn't
kicking about a good thing. he had
expected TO die right where be drop
ped and had set his house In order
as well as be could. but IL Deacon
Bradley wanted him 10 live on be
would do so. When be had been filed
with water and oats be got mp and in
his dumb way asked what next For
answer be was led to the deacOn's
barn. a quarter Of a mile away. and
then be made sure that be had found
a man that would see him through
his troubles.
Deacon Bradley was the subject OF
much '.joshing," but he took it calmly.
His conscience told him he had done
the correct thing. and not a gibe
reached its target He got his reward
in seeing that mule dll up and take on
flesh and begin to frisk about as In his
younger days. For two weeks the ami
NAL was silent. He hadn't quite lost /
his voice. but he was giving II a rest |
until be could decide whether the good 4
thing was TO last or not. One night be /
reviewed all that had been done thus /
FAR. made up his mind that his job was
secure. and next morning when the /
deacon opened the barn door be was
greeted with bray Of welcome. II 1
was a sound that made the man jump 4
back in alright. II was a note from a
foghorn mingled with the scream Of a
terrified woman II quivered and qua
vered and rumbled and died away.
For two minutes the deacon looked TO
see the mule drop dead. and then he
Richard was getting to
be himself again. He was feeling his
Dats and hay. He was coming to think
that life was worth the living. II was
4 bray Of welcome. but the deacon
thought It could be improved There
lore FOR the next week he mixed fax
seed with the oats and soaked slippery
I'm in the water pail. He did make an
Improvement. and be was glad. He
Vas. however. the only one IN Somer-
'et who was glad
No one advertised for a lost mule
70 one came making inquiries. To
hey the law made and provided in
uch cases Deacon Bradley advertised
hat he had picked up an estray. which
be owner could have by paying dam
ses after proving property. but there
ras no response. And yet there was.
hat mule seemed to divine that he
Iad been advertised. and be set up
uch lonesome braying that It took
We Jumps OF sugar and four quarts OF
ats 70 still Il.
what about the mule. deacong' was
question asked a dozen times q day.
nd the answer always was:
Dunno. though I'm going to give
Ina chance
The animal was not worked All he
as asked 10 do was 10 enjoy q state
idleness. This went on for six long
eeks. and then his conscience began
prick him. Was he showing his
Was he on the joby He
scided that he wasn't. and az 10
clock one night he stuck his head
II Of the open window In his stall
al began to bray. The fiaxseed and
lppery elm had worked wonders. His
~ was nov ~ Cicdf rs tue uotcc OF
prima donna and as farreaching as
e whistle Of an ocean liner. It was
''haw- he-haw-hup-hup-h
The deacon didn't awake because be
rs good man and his conscience
IS clear The next morning. how
er. he was tackled by a score OF
rkers who had got on to the mule. tu
me kindly asked him to knock the ca
lmal in the head with an ak. and Qu
me almost threatened to do as much re
/ him II he didn't turn the brayer re-
,sc. To one and all he answered: RI
Nature meant man to talk and the ella
he 10 bray. and am not going asin ?
lure.~ M,
The deacon found bis friends drop ar
X away from him. but he made II ~
by spending more time In the COM ~
~ OF the mule. m,
hen one morning-one morning ~.
en- not a bray had disturbed the IA
snce Of the previous nlght-the mule -,
3 found dead In his stall. The peo-
passed from the barn to the house.
they found the dnornn dead IN hlu =