, 1862-05-03
A Mule Story.

l heard a good story of two Of our soldiers, at
Paducah, yesterday which will pay for its space
in repeating. When our troops first received
their teams they were troubled to procure for
age, so the mules were turned loose or tethered
in the outskirts of the town. Occasionally few
would be missing, until Uncle Sam found him
self minus some twenty-five or thirty Those
which strayed away were caught up by the rebel
spectators aud taken to Blandvle, back to Co
lumbus, where they had accumulated some fifty
stolen and purchased animals which were under
five or six keepers. The TWO privates mentioned
(members of the fortieth Illinois volunteers,)
hearing of the whereabouts of the stock, asked
Gen. Smiths permission to attempt their recap
ture, which with some msgivings, was granted.
The boys dressed in the garb of Kentucky farm
ers went and surveyed the field and fold and set
to work. They had whiskey with them-whis-
key such as the Kentucky rebels like to get
drunk on-good old Bourbon, and the first OBJ
ject was to get them as comfortably tight as pos
sible, which was not long in being accomplished.
Then the boys went to the mule yard, let down
the bars and mounted two of the best without
saddle or bride, and started for Paducah, and
the whole lot followed at a breakneck pace. bray
ing in the most diabolical chorus The keepers
were not long in discovering the trick, and gave
chase as far as they deemed it prudent to our
lines, but to no purpose and in good season Sat
urday afternoon the boys made their appearance
at Gen. Smiths headquarters to report, their ia
Ioac hoe tuifh nlox of L
describe. Their report was condensation of la
conism:
Gen. Smith" Well boys what luck ?"
Soldier" We got 'em, and more too"
Gen. Smith" How many did you get ?"
Soldier" Forty l reckon; haint counted
'em"
Gen. Smith" But that is more than we have
lost. You did not steal any, hopep"
Soldier" Steal K-ristopher steal No,
stree but didn't have time to put the bars up
after we had got Uncle Sans out, and the Cd
id things would foer"
Then the General drew on an elongated coun-
tenance, and as sternly as though he had been
Judge and was sentencing culprit to life i'm
prsonment. lectured the soldier roundy for u.s.
ing profane language in the quarters and pres
ence of general officer. The soldier took the
lecture uneasiy, twirling his hat nervously the
WHILE and when the general had subsidized, apol-
ogised as follows:
You see, General, we had to cuss the ID
things all day to git em into camp, and its nigh
ty hard to quit off all of a suddenly"
The Generals rigidity relaxed smile, or
rather laugh, came from his heart, and tried TO
escape from the corners of his mouth But dis
ciplne is discipline with an old army officer, and
it would not do to allow breach of decorum to
pass unnoticed; but IN consideration of the re-
captured twenty-five mules, " and more too" lie
did not infict any severe castgaton or put them
under arrest, but thanking them for the services
rendered, dismissed them with caution to leave
their profanity behind when they came again to
headquarters and the boys left, declaring, as
they closed the door, that such pious old cuss
hadn't any business to be around amongst So
jurs."