The Kick of the Mule

South Africa's version of "white mule" is a raw, locally distilled brandy which scalds its way down the throats of South Africans of all shades and colors at the rate of some 3,330,000 gallons a year. In the dingy shebeens (speakeasies) dotting the big-city slums, any man with a stomach strong enough to imbibe this fiery liquid in greater quantities than his neighbors becomes the official "Brandy King" of the district. Brave is the toper who dares challenge his asbestos insides.

Recently, the Brandy Kingship of Noordgesig, a Colored (mixed blood) community near Johannesburg, fell open when the local champion was killed in a motor accident. After priming themselves with a couple of fingers of brandy apiece, two new contenders stepped up to compete for his crown. Each deposited -L-2 on a table as a sign of good faith, then, at a signal from the local referees, they went to work. At the end of 45 minutes, Contender Eric Forster was well out in front, with a full quart of brandy inside him. He groped unsteadily to his feet, demanded recognition as the new king, fell to the floor and, three minutes later, died. This was the big chance for Willie Jardine, who poured himself a final tumblerful and, like his rival, downed it in one gulp. A moment later, Jardine himself collapsed on the floor. By the following morning, he too was dead.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.