:performing mules. 61 



to maintain his hold, and the mule's to dislodge him. Run- 

 ning at full speed, the animal tries to throw his rider by stopping 

 suddenly, and if successful in this attempt, the boy is either 

 thrown head first among his companions, or, if he lands in the 

 ring, is chased out by the mule, 



it is rarely that any one succeeds in maintaining his hold for 

 more than a few minutes, unless he is a capital rider, in which 

 case he may be able to master the animal ; should this result 

 be at all likely, the ring-ma-ster will, on some pretext, interfere 

 and select some less expert rider from the audience. Finally 

 an attache of the circus, disguised as a countryman, volunteers 

 to ride the mule, and after considerable caricature riding, and 

 ridiculous posturing, he concludes the performance. 



Sometimes to enhance the interest in the affair a reward of 

 five dollars is offered to any one who will ride the mule three 



times around the ring. This was usually done by Dan , 



a prominent circus manager. We were present on one occasion 

 when a big burly ^^ rough ^ entered the ring at Dan's general 

 invitation, to compete for the prize. The mule was particularly 

 spunliy but he was finally forced to succumb, and notwith- 

 standmg all Dan's attempts to balk the rider, the mule was 

 ridden the requisite number of times around the ring. Least 

 any of our readers should be led to cherish the delusion that they 

 might thus earn a reward for displaying their mule breaking 

 abilities, we may mention that, in this case at least, the rider 

 did not receive the money. The showman assured him that 

 the offer was only in fun and declined to hand over the amount. 

 The rough thereupon " pitched in " and administered a thrash- 

 ing to the showman before he could be prevented. A general 

 fight was only averted by the exertions of the police. We 

 believe Dan, while he remained in that locality, did not repeat 

 his offer. 



Very little special instruction is required for ^' comic mules.'' 

 The kicking part of the performance may be taught according 

 to the instructions given for teaching horses the same act. The 

 mule is allowed with strangers to give full vent to all the natu- 

 ral viciousness of his nature, and is encouraged therein. To- 

 ward his trainer, and those connected w^ith the establishment, 

 such conduct is not allowed. He soon learns from experience 

 that the worst conduct toward boys in the ring is meritorious, 

 and being annoyed by their persistent efforts to ride him, ha 

 resorts to every possible device, without requiring any instruc- 

 tion, to get rid of his tormentors. 



Another humorous scene sometimes enacted by the mules is 

 a prize fight, the principals being rigged up in costume and 



