Year: 1873

/ - DONKEY DIVERSIONS.


An American Lady's Performance ON the
Road to an English Flower show.
! NJ. H. B. in st. Louis Republican,


/ Fired with q noble ambition to ride
a donkey (we never had rid Donkey.
a donkey was sent for. Arriving, we
| found the dear thing was very rough,
/ as though he had never been groomed,


with a wonderful pair of ears and q


hairless rope of a tail, gray as if with
! age, downward idroOp of head and q
! depreeating cast of countenaHce-sueb


was my donkey in repese. He wasn't
SO far of, but the mounting was the


easiest part of our acquaintance. The
| rest of my adherents went off to the


show in landau, while. with dig


nifty passing description, / brought up


the rear on my long-eaFed pony. 1


forgot to mentlen q small, red headed,
eross-eyed boy who accompanied the
expedition, armed with a -yonng- beam
pole. AS we crossed a little green the
proverbial perHerseness of the animal
came out, and he browsed around re-
gardless of the way in which / twist
ed his ears in front and kicked at him
behind q am speaking of the Donkey.
Up rushed little Sorrel-top with the
pole, and screaming "Hil HIP he
poked and proded the animal in the
rear. With every dig of the pole
that donkey shut up like an accordeon.
A spinal contraction known only to
the caterpillar and the ACCORDION took
place that made it q matter of inquiry
whether went over his head or tail.


Then my forbearance gave out and
intimated to the youth we should
take it out of him, The boy unhiteh-
ed little raw-hide tied at the saddle,
and gave Mr.. Donkey smart cut be-
hind. Whatever trying position fate
may have in reserve for you, my dear
reader, I pray it. may not be upon q
dOnkey's back when that donkey con-.
ceives himself wounded in his finest
feelings. In the first place, my dom
key histed till j looked through his
front legs and had a beautiful reversed
view OF the village below. Then with
q conclusion heaven and earth came
together and he walked a rod on his
hind legs. A number of little villas
frOnted the green, and q number of
little villains lined tho road. The
houses all mad bay windows and the
bay windows all had occupants. My
performance was the center of attrRc-~



had very little attraction for me. I
recalled that other distinguished
American who had achieved fame by
riding a donkey, and determined
Grant shonld not go down alone to
pOsterity as the only Yankee who
had captured jackass. And all the
while was determining, the donkey
was kicking. It's beyond belief how
high the critter can kick. He seemed
to be trying to throw the whole back
end of himself away, and when he
came to earth for fresh start the big
hoofs shook all Richmond.


This thing went on for, some time,
and barring few steps taken on his
hind legs, he made no progress. to-
ward the flower show or any other
point of the compass. In one mad
movement, however, the instrument
of that donkey's destiny lay in my
hand. Describing a graceful circle
that animals tail came athwart my
bows. I wasn't slow Co grapple it.
If any donkey ever thought his tail
was concluded, that it had been con-
tinued, like one of Cobb's stories, till
the last chapter had arrived, it was
my gray friend with the long ears.
Why it didn't come out is . problem
to me to this day. For feeling that
not only the eyes of Richmond but
the credit of America rested ON me,
l took a reef in that tail and pulled.
Then took a shorter hold on that
tail and pulled again. Gradually,
calmness entered the beasts legs, and
laying its ears back as if the tail was
in. direct communication with them,
and they would ultimately be, pulled
through to the rear, the miserable
animal was induced to take up the
line of march, and we. all gotgto the
flower show. But l did not ride back
on donkey. gsJ T6e