The Wrangell sentinel., 1923-01-25

ing around on crutcheS. It's hard to understand suck thing, for there never was gentler horse"
 There are several explanations" remarked the village patriarch 1t is possible, even probable, that the horse understands everything Peter shaw says, and when it 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 it was. I can not imagine anything more humorous than to hitch up a perfectly gentle horse, and then have it act like fun nel-shaped cloud.
 There is no doubt that animals have q sense of humor. Unless we ad- init 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 testimonial of its esteem; it lays back it's ears and switches Its tail. and looks as vindictive as rattlesnake. A reasonably active man can get out of the way when he sees d horse un- limbering its heavy artillery. But it's different with a mule. This highly sagacious animal will stand munch- ing it's 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 amiabie eX- pression on an animals face, and Just then the gentle critter hands him a holiday assortment of feet, and when he recovers consciousness he can't find words that. properly express his senti- ments.
 'The COW is another humorist. 1 have milked COWS more or less all my days, and they all were addicted to harmless mirth. The COW have now thoroughly enjoys batting me over the head with her tail. Of course there is some excuse 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 season 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 ne on the left ear about ten times min ute, and then I had an earmuff made, and wore it whenever l miked So she hits me on the nose every time, and it's simply wonderful how accur- ate her aim is.
 T had COW once that l mixed for four years and during that time she never lifted foot or acted ornery in any way. l considered her the saf- est COW I ever saw. One evening there were some visitors from the city at our house, and they went to the barn lot with me to see me milk the COW. There were two or three ladies ill the party, and as I mixed l explained to them that the animal was Il marvel when it came to docility. I said l didn't believe she would kick if 6 charge of powder went off under her. Of course the COW heard every word 1 said, and she simply couldn't resist the temptation to make me look like thirty cents, so. just when l was most enthusiastic in her praise, she landed left hook on my chin and put me down for the count. Those city folks said that if she was d gentle COW they'd give fifty cents to see an unruly about the event yet"