The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-04-20

clutches. It's hard to understand such
a thing, for there never was a gentler
horse"
There are several explanations"
remarked the village patriarch. 1T
Is possible, ever probable, that the
horse understands everything Peter
shaw says, and when 1t heard him
talking about selling, the noble animal
put up a job to spoil the deal. Per-
haps Dobbin has a strongly developed
sense Of humor, and thought such an
escapade would be highly amusing, and
we must admit that 1t was. l cam
not imagine anything more humorous
than to hitch up a perfectly gentle
horse, and then have 1t act like a fun
n~el-shaped cloud.
There Is no doubt hat animals
have a sense of humOr. Unless we adj
nit that, it is impossible to explain
many things they do. l think the mule
is a great jester. When a mule looks
most innocent, he Is most dangerous.
You can tell when a horse is going
to hand you a few sample heels as a
testimonial Of its esteem; it lays back
its ears and switches its tail, and
looks as vindictive as a rattlesnake.
A reasonably active man can get out
Of the way when he sees a horse I'M
limbering its heavy artillery. But it's
different with q mule. This highly
SagaciOuS animal will stand MUNICH
ing its fodder, every motion and every
glance expressing peace on earth, good
will toward men. The innocent BY
stander is saying to himself that he
never did see such an amiable ex-
preston on an animals face, and just
then the gentle critter hands him q
holiday assortment of feet, and when
words that properly express his senti-
ments.
1.-The cow is another humorist. ]
have MIXED cows more or less all my
days, and they all were addicted to
harmless mirth. The cow l have now
thoroughly enjoys batting me over the
head with her tail. OF curse there
is some excus in the summer for a
cow that keeps her tail going; but
there isn't any sense in such exercise
in the winter, when the flies are dead.
AT this eason my cow never
brandishes her tail except at milking
time. Then she keeps it going as
though the flies were around her in
clouds, and she has become SO expert
with her old tail that she pasted me
on the left ear about ten times a min
ute, and then / had an earmuff made.
and wore it whenever l MIXED. So
she hits me on the nose every time,
and it's simply wonderful how accur-
ate her aim Is.
II had a cow once that / MIXED
for four years and during that time
she never lifted a foot or acted ornery
In any way. l considered her the SAT-
est cow / ever saw. One evening there
were some visitors from the city at
our house, and they went to h barn
lot with me to see me milk the COW.
Their were twO or three ladies In the
party, and as / MIXED l explained to
them that the animal was q marvel
when it came to dOcility. l said !
didn't believe she would kick If q
charge of powder went off under her.
OF course the COW heard every word
l said, and she simply couldn't resist
the temptation to make me look Tx
thirty cents, SO, just when l was most
enthusiastic in her praise, she landed
a left hook on my chin and put me
down for the count. Those city folks
said that if she was a gentle cow
they'd give fifty cents to see an unruly
one, and l suppose they're talking
about the event yet"