A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1648, 30 September 1903, Page 71 (Supplement)

A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF.

M. Gerente, a Senator of Algeria, is the hero of a story about an extra obstinate mule. He followed the Gover-nor-General of the North African colony, and General O’Connor to Figuig on 31sti May, and was one of the last persons to get away from the fire of the Moors. While the bullets were flying around the Zenaga Pass the Senator,' who was astride a fine fat mule, did not seem to be inclined to escape the danger in a hurry. Ho was seen from afar by M. Jonnart and General O’Connor, covered with his white headgear and his civilian dust coat, apparently indifferent to the perils of the situation. At last he returned to the official persons, who remarked to him that his conduct was most courageous under fire, but that he had undoubtedly been x-atber rash, especially, as he was a non-combatant, and had no rifle or sword with which to protect himself. The Senator smiled in a sickly way as he listened to the remarks made and then said, in a somewhat husky voice:—“You need not congratulate me. It was my mule that did it. I hammered him with all .my might, and dug my heels into his sides, in order to make him gallop after you, but he wouldn’t do it. He preferred to amble slowly, and to a certain extent gracefully, along. Accordingly I have to admit, in spite of myself, that the ostinate animal had courage enough for the two of us.” M. Gerente added that he was veiy glad that his mule ride from the jaws of death was over.