broke to cussing.'

"After supper the boys got together in the barn and played cards for two
hours. When they were tired of card-playing, they interested each other
by telling yarns about experiences with women, each striving to make his
story more thrilling than the last, and this entertainment continued
until they were ready to spread out their blankets and sleep.

"It is pretty cold sleeping in a barn December nights, even in our
California climate; but, as you know, there are few ranches where the
men are allowed to sleep in the house.

"I had to be up before it was light in the mornings and clean off those
mules, feed and harness them, and then have my breakfast. After
breakfast, just as it was getting light, we started to work. The
mornings were very cold. About dark I would bring my team in and by the
time I had unharnessed them, fed them, and had my supper, I was ready
for bed.

"After a man has put all his energy into a long, hard, tedious day's
work, he feels more like a worn-out old plug than a man. He has no
surplus force left to expend in elevating mental pursuits, for it has
been all exhausted in severe physical labor.

"Such labor continually kept up, has a tendency to dull what few good
aspirations a man may have had to bring his animal nature under control.
Therefore, after such a day's work, if he has any desires, they are
those of the brute, and it is no wonder that men should want something
of a sensational, exciting nature at night to keep their minds off
themselves and relieve the monotony of their toil.

"Well, father, I did lots of thinking when night came, about such
subjects, and came to some very decisive conclusions; but to return to
my story.

"One night when I was taking the harness off him, the near leader kicked
me on the leg. The pain was so severe that I scarcely slept any that
night. They say a mule will be good and gentle in the barn three hundred
and sixty-four days in the year, for the sake of getting a chance to
kick a man on the three hundred and sixty-fifth day, and I believe it is
so.

"After dinner one day, we had just left the house when one of the men
said, 'Didn't the old woman give the boss hell, this noon? I tell you
she's got a temper.' 'Yes,' said Pete, 'but she's not very old, not
forty yet. She's always firing up about something; she keeps him in hell
most of the time. The trouble is,' continued he, 'he's got nothing broke
on his ranch; his mules are not bro