Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1883 — A Philosophical Mule. [ARTICLE]

A Philosophical Mule.

I was acquainted with a jackass once who was also a great philosopher. We called him Happy Jack. It was out on the plains. .Tjtck was a pack mule, and lather a good one, too, for he was quite sure-footed, and no matter what kind of a load you put ou him he’d never get mad or complain. He always wore a kind of smile on his face, kept liis ears well forward, ambwas never known to bite or kick. He had some sort of a theory on the subject of walking that used to bother us a good deal. It was his firm conviction that running was bad jpr mules, and therefore he’d never rtin. If we beat hint?-well - Jack looked as good natured as ever; and if not, why, all right; it was all the same to him. One day when our party was camped among.the mountains the Indians swept down on us suddenly. I had strayed out nearly a quarter of a I mile from the wagons, and made for ! Jack, who was grazing n&ar; he stood for me to mount, and then set oft' at his . usual walk, though the Indians were r coming toward u.s like a tlinnder-.ckmtL-ll dug my spurs into him, I yelled at l him, I kicked him, I beat him, and I’m j afraid I even cursed at hint, but it was | all no use. Jack smiled as peacefully ! as ever, and I lmd to get oft' and run j myself. He had considered the thing, evidently, and thought there was no use in his getting excited, as if the Indians killed us they’d want him to pack j baggage on, and if we killed them | things woqld be in the same condition i as before, so that his life was safe either way.— Naturalist, in Brooklyn Eagle.