Year: 1878

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 by gentleman who buckboarded

 from Tucson to Ewell Springs:

 Have you heard any tales of murder ing Indians attacking the blackboard

 or of hairbreadth escapes by food ant

 mule, or anything to curdle your blood

 and "harrow up your soul, and mak, each individual hair to stand on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine

 etc ," I'm afraid you have and hence

 thls letter. But l deny that anybOd, !, was spilled or bones broken We haC

 an interesting little episode-that Wa:

 all. To begin at the beginning.

 That burro or mula, or whatever you

 Mexicans call the long-eared anima that We started with from Tucson, wa. not willing to haul the blackboard with

 ten in it, after he had gone, as Inc thought far enough, and he made elaborate efforts to get himself pointed the other way. He went from one side of the road to the other with as much perSistency and regularity as though he was an old hand at the buSi, ness of imbibing too much liquid rye

 He tried 10 turn around and go back no less than 7,5S3 times, and the driver headed him of as often, with the other line, and his blacksnake '' whip. All this was during the first half of his beat. As soon as he cross. ed the halfway line, he understood that he would sooner satisfy his long ing desire to stop by going forward and not back, and he went on to the end with cOmmendable industry. We next had horse to San Pedro. Here we changed engines again and took grey mule When the postmaster and the driver brought this last mule around to attach him 10 the blackboard, noticed that his ears were longer and more pointed than is usual with ami mals of his class, and 1 thought il probable he was gifted with speed He seemed to be a mannerly beast enough, yet further observed that they tied him to a post before they intro duced him to the blackboard. l then thought it likely he was somewhat prompt at starting and took my seat SD as to be all ready. That animal stood there as docile as any lamb. In the blandest manner he would lay one ear down in horizontal pose, yet he was all the time plotting mischief. Sud. denly, and without the least warning, he concluded he would %, and he made a plunge to start, but when he found he was fast at the head he sud denly set back again. Then he went sideways, both ways at once, then he made d mighty effort to change ends, then he made a few passes as though he wanted to take a seal in the buck board. I concluded there was not room enough for both of us, and got out. Just as I touched the ground, the thongs which bound the gentle animal to the post gave way, and shouting the battle cry of freedom, in pantomime, away he went like the wind. My traps were on, tied on, and so was the mall, and I expected a gen. eral distribution of letters, documents and blanks, and varied assortment of other articles, including a supply of pinones for the children. His heels flashed in the moonlight, and he seem ed 10 disdain the earth like the my. biological Pegasus. 1 have not wit messed so interesting flight since 1 saw a mule run away, when Sherman marched down 10 the sea, with all the camp kettles and frying pans and cOf- fee pots of a company slung 10 him-to the mule, not to General Sherman. The music of that blackboard sounded in our ears for more than mile. He went over several dltches that must have presented as fine specimens of hurdle racing as were ever seen in England. At last all was still, and we knew that crisis had come, The postmaster and 1 followed, he on horse back and I on foot We found that amiable monster, destitute of harness, with his head towards the blackboard, looking at it curiously, with both ears in horizontal attitude, and his dove like eyes as tenderly gentle as those of a female deer. The blackboard was right side up; everything was on it except the drivers gun and canteen, and it had suffered only the destruc- ton of thill.

 Two thoughts suggest themselves. First: am a friend to the blackboard forever hereafter. No other wheeled vehicle from a threshing machine toI wheelbarrow could have passed through sucL q flight without being turned over half dozen times, and converted into kindling wood. Second: It must henceforth be admitted that for once Arizona has had fast mail.

 You may say to our friend at the stage office that l charge nothing for leading the mule back 10 the station, but if my blanket had been lost l should have sued him at the law and made him give me better one.

 Two hours later, my muleieer and l were riding along behind that mule