196 THE HORSE IN AMERICA 



from the plough to the carriage and buggy, and 

 thinks they are less liable to become frightened 

 and start suddenly; and if they do start, they usu- 

 ally stop before damage is done, while the horse 

 seldom stops until completely freed. The mule is 

 more steady while at work than the horse, and is 

 not so liable to become exhausted, and often be- 

 comes so well instructed as to need neither driver 

 nor lines. 



" In the town in which the writer lives, a cotton 

 merchant, who is also in the grocery trade, owned 

 a large sorrel mule, 16 hands high, that he worked 

 to a dray to haul goods and cotton to the depot, 

 half a mile from his business house. This mule 

 often went the route alone, and was never known 

 to strike anything, and what was more remark- 

 able, would back up at the proper place with the 

 load, there being one place to unload groceries 

 and another for cotton. 



"They are also good for light harness, many of 

 them being very useful buggy animals, traveling 

 a day's journey equal to some horses. The writer 

 obtained one from a firm of jack breeders in his 

 vicinity, that was bred by them, as an experiment. 



