Year: 1872

the plains brought up ON grass and
rattlesnakes, and accustomed to ca
wort regardless of the Constitution as
amended or the rights of man. Mules
are pretty much alike the world over,
only the Texan mule is a little more
So.


l rode one the other day and Pm
going to tell you about it. 1t won't
he very we'll written, because my right
arm he's been in sling and l have
more bruises than bones. You see
fell in love with a girl-deep as a
forty foot well-I mean my love not
the girl--she isn't deep bit-and as
my luck would have it, another fell
low fell about the same distance at
the same tire.


He's not q bad looking chap and
wears store-clothes on week days.
Hid parts his hair in the middle and
oils it. up with bergamOt and cinna-
mon. He has his name printed on
pieces Of pasteboard, and drops them
round promiscously, for fear people
might forget that A. Browne Swivel
wasn't about. | had to acknowledge
the fact that between this fellow and
myself, in the affections of the divine
Araminta, it was nip and tuck, with
the dog little ahead.


+ / put on my best clothes one day
ard walked over to the gals house,
intending to move on her works, and
have the, thing settled without fur
,ther debate. My rival was there, and
seemed to have on his best clothes.
That didn't auoUnt to much, for |
knew at. ten o'clock, six hours after
my arrival, he'd have to wend his
winding way home, for the old lady
he boarded with didn't allow any IT.
regular hours.


If he got to his frugal couch, or rather
the house containing it, he might skin
his .knuckles and kick his boots off,
but he wouldn't get in after that hour,
and the haymow is not a pleasant
bedroom i'll fiea-time. But | was
soon relieved of all anxiety. We had
diversion that broke up the sitting.


Araminta is possessed of q little
brotlIer-1 hate Il girls brothers! If
they are little they play tricks on you,
and it they are big they borrow your
money, get drunk and insult you with
imlmnity, knowing that you are in
love with the sister and won't resent
an indignity.


While we were talking in small
way, and looking volumes of love at
the girl and wrath at each other, we
head q. fearful yell i'll the garden
patelb and running out found her little
1retlser on the ground in active con-
vulsions. He had been trying to eat
his way through the melon patch. 1t
was Il disgusted failure, for he could
not have busted open and gone into
the contents of more than ten to
twelve.


As it was it looked as though there
was going to be Il death in the family,
and Aranlinta screamed scream and
yelled at us to run for u doctor. We
both took in the situation at q glance
the man that got the doctor first
would get Araninta for life. My rival
went over the fence like a deer and
seized the only horse in the stable.
He bridled and saddled the animal in
double-quick time, while / found
nothing left me but mule. l seized
blind bride, and rushing at the ami
NAL, felt something whiz over my
head that I am satisfied was a pair
of heels. They narrowly missed my
skull, but carried away my hat.
Nothing daunted, seized the creature
by the ear, put on the bridle, and un-
fastening the chain by which he was
haltered, led him from the stable. He
went out willingly, so much 80 indeed
that had some difficulty i'll keeping
up, and had not the creature stopped
on the outside to give ventto his feel
ings in Il prolonged bray, l could rot
have mounted. As it was, Before he
got through with his musical enter
| tainment | was on his back.


The beast seemed somewhat aston
ished at this performance, and stood
turning it over in his mind for a min
ute, while dug my heels vigorously
in his sides. He seemed suddenly to
come to the conclusion that change
of administration wonld be an excel
lent thing, and to this end began going
up and down like a saw gate. | really
thought I'd be split in two, and would
have been pitched over but then in
the midst of this pleasing exercise,
Muley caught sight Of the horse dis
appearing at hard gallop in the dis
tance. He seemed animated by the
laudable ambition Of oyertaking that
horse, and started so suddenly he
came near leaving me behind.
worked my way forward until l could
get hold Of the halter chain, and pull
ling this rigging taut, got a pretty
square hold.


How the beast did run! He not
only gained on the horse to such an
extent that Araminta might have Of
tered two to one and no takers, but
! exhibited his superabundance of bot
tom by throwing in, at intervals, the
liveliest kicks that ever emanated
from a mule. About mile out we
closed i'll on the cob, and as we passed
Muley favored him with salute tina,