SOMETHING ABOUT THE BURRO 



Bv HELEN GRAY 



OR more than three 

 centuries the patient 

 little burro has been 

 an inhabitant of the 

 New World. He is 

 of Egyptian descent, 

 and it may be that he 

 helped to build the 



take a kick or a cuff with the patience 

 of Job. There is no doubt but that he 

 is terribly imposed upon, and people call 

 him a degenerate ; yet no member of 

 the animal kingdom works harder than 

 he, and it is generally conceded that he 

 has aided largely in the development 

 and building - of mines and railroads. 



pyramids, but it is to . Th , er ^ is , a %°°l d f al of fiagnetism 



c • -1 , rJ . . ' , r t . about the burro, he has a faculty for 



bpam that we are indebted for his , . £ . * -n 1 A u- i ±u ^ 



• c r± r *. 1 making friends, People think the word 



coming, boon after Lortez conquered 



the Aztec land, we hear of the burro in 

 America. He is found chiefly in Mex- 

 ico and the southwestern states, espe- 

 cially in the mining districts, where he 

 may be seen carrying great loads of 

 ore. He is opposed to the use of ma- 

 chinery. Miners call a bunch of laden 

 burros a pack train. He is a very sure- 

 footed little animal, and prospectors use 

 him when they go forth into the moun- 

 tains to explore. Mexicans find him 

 very useful in carrying. 



"cute" applies to him very well. As 

 for his victuals, alfalfa is very agree- 

 able to his taste, though he will not 

 complain if he is given poorer food. 



He affords a good example of the 

 changes to be expected in this world, 

 for, while his ancestors were the pets 

 of princes, he is used as a mere drudge. 

 Occasionally, when the opportunity of- 

 fers he will take the liberty of treating 

 himself to a little siesta. 



Sometimes he is called the Mexican 

 burro. He has also received the ap- 



He is so gentle that children may ride pellation of the "Rocky Mountain Ca 



upon his back in threes and fours. He 

 appears to have no resentment, and will 



w4€- \\ 





nary," because of the exceedingly deli- 

 cate notes of his voice. 



" ~^$££f?*= r*S^5SJ. 







537 



