Cyclones are one of the most destructive things that can happen to mankind, yet, many people who live where they often occur have learned to make the best of it. For instance, I offer this story.

The Mort Kelly family lived in the south western part of Oklahoma. "Twisters" are common in that area. The Kellys were farmers and eked out a poor living on their small farm. They kept a cow, mule, 2 sheep and several chickens. These furnished milk and eggs, and the mule pulled a plow to assist them in raising crops.

A twister came through the area, and tore a streak right through their farm. The sheep and the mule were caught right in the middle of it. The sheep were killed, and the mule, being heavier and stronger, survived, but lost all the skin from his neck to his hind quarters. At first it appeared that he would die also.

Well, Old Ma Kelly was a very resourceful person. She set to work skinning the two dead sheep, sewed the skins together and then sewed then on the mule where his skin was removed. Believe it or not, the mule began to improve, and in a few days, was eating as good as ever and running all over the farm!

The mule got well, and pulled the plow for many years after that. Not only that, the Kellys harvested 125 pounds of wool a year from his back!