The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-09-04
" BUSTED."
BY FRED W. I.ORING.

f1owery language, to the mingled DISCUS
and admiration of his comrades. NJ
point of difference had as yet arisen, anG
began to wonder whether the fatigue OF
the day would prevent the evenings Gus
tomary discussion. Mr.. English, how
ever, solved my doubt and precipitated
argument by a remark about that faith
full but eccentric animal the mule" This
raised chorus of circumstances from
the packers, who had been sorely tempted
that day by mule eccentricities.
Well" said Mr.. English, Il stick to
my point. The mule is faithful. If you
treat him well, he will treat you well
And as for knowingness, why he's go,
more knowingness than many in this
here crowd"
Yes, he has knowingness," said John
Courts, the chief packer; "but he has got
uglincss, too, hain't he, English? Just an
swer that, English"
:" | will answer it," said Mr.. English.
Didn't you never know men that had
But Il mule amt man." said John
Courts. And rules which applies to
one disregards the other. A mule amt
man, and amt of as much use. as a
man." ~ .E@'&
"Ain't he" said Mr.. English. "Suppos.
ing you was starving, which had you rath-
er eat, mule or a man = s1s
Why, mule" reluctantly admitted
John Courts.
Then don't tell me-" said Mr.. Eng
lish, decisively, that mule amt of no
more use than man,
Thispiece of logic being apparently un-
answerable, a brief silence ensued, after
which Mr.. English continued:
- n,,t II, 7 l.
truly faithful. I knowed a mule once
that belonged to Joe Childers. You re.
member Joe Childers that come up here
from Tucson, MAXWELL
Manuel, stout, swarthy Mexican, ad.
mitted that he did remember Joe Chill.
ders
We'll" said Mr. English, "Joe Childers
was murdered over by the sink of the
Amargosa; and if it hadn't been for the
hdellty OF his mule his murderers
wouldn't never have been known. When
first knew Joe Childers, he was up in
Tuolomne neighborhood, nigh onto fifteen
years ago. He was mi ghty thick with
two Mexicans-Manwel and Warn was
their names. Warn never amounted to
much, but Maxwell was the leader of the
two, and he was low fellow. He kept a
bar there for us boys, and one night we
was a-sitting there, when I'D came fel.
low on horseback, leading bronco mule.
Which one of you gentlemen is Joe
Childers:' he asked.
THAT'S he says Joe, rather surprised.
Il have brought you letter from your
late partner, Tom Egan,' says this fellow,
,who, being low-spiritcd through recent
bad luck, jest shot HIMSELF
We'll, this news ketched Joe mighty
sudden, for he was very affectionate man
anu sought great deal by his partners.
But pretty soon after the messenger had
rode away he read his partners last letter
TO US fellows. 1t went like this:
DEAR JOE am busted. This mule
Is all that I've got left, and I send him to
you with the atfectionate regards of your
friend and faithful partner,
a'ToM EeAN.'
And there stood the mule. 1t was one
OF them little, worthless looking runts
that are so tough that nothing can't wear
them out 1t looked so ridiculous, as it
stood there, that us fellows broke out into
laugh.
Just let up on that said Joe. This
animal was the last gift Of my late partner,
and I'm bound to have it respected
What'll you call it, Joe p SAYS one.
well, that set the boys to talking. Some
was for General Scott, and some for Jen.
ny Lind, and one fool suggested Column
3la, which want at all appropriate; but
Joe cut them all short.
Ventlemcn, says he, this bronco is
mime, and expect to have the naming of
1T. This ',eing so, l shall call it Busted,
In memory Of the financial condition of
my late partner at the time of his death.
anu now let's go into Manwel's and drink
Busted's health ~ -
We'll, sir, it was just astonishing to see
nov attached he grew to that bronco. He
never spoke cross to him. and never
seemed TO get mad ; and that mule. thou oh
he had some low ways with him. SET .
great deal by Joe. But the Others lliln't
like him much, and MARVEL especially
was very down on him. And suppose
Busted was the cause of the quarrel be-
tween him and Joe, if the truth was only
known; tor one day MARVEL was feeling
pretty ugly about something, and Busted
was standing there in front of his store
anu ne began to swear at him in Spanish
But, though it was in Spanish, it made
Joe ALFRED mad. - -, $50. -
Just look here, Maxwell said he
none OF your swearing at Busted. Iwon'1
".Well, MARVEL got his back up at that
ana drew knife on Joe; but Joe was too
quick for him, and he did just give him
the most well-heeled old thrashing thai
you ever see. After this Maxwell was
mighty pleasant, but I disrusted him
lhem Mexicans, with all their caro;oino
ana carambering, are nothing to be fright.
ened OF, II you meet them boldly; but thew
are sreacherous as can be, and if they
can can hnrt you on the sly, they win. Wei
JIG anu =, we determined to 20
OUT over the Amargosa way prospect
ing. was wild-goose chase, anyway,
anu we knew It; but still we went. How
we suffered! We got into a CANYON and
come to place where there was Hrst
steep wall of rock twenty feet high. W.
slid our animals down. I had q horse
and Joe had "Busted," and there we was
We went along little further. and came
to another precipice two hundred feei
high Well, Of course, we couldn't do
nothing with that; and SO we lust pul
back and climbed up again. It took ms
day to get over the mountain, and ther
we came down into another canyon. Sane
and shale on every side. Our canteen,
mad given out and we had no water. Two
hours after, while we was next to dyina
win thirst, our tongues swollen SO thai
we could hardly speak, my horse give
out, and there we -were.s Night was
coming on, and we were just played out
English says Joe, we must take ,
rest. You and can take sleep of an
hour, and then perhaps we can get I lit
tie further. Busted will hold out fol
something yetss
"And Busted did. You could see tina,
he was wanting water dreadful; but hs
didn't seem wore out none, and just KEEP
pegging slowly and slowly along, in .
way just ridiculous and nothing else
Well, we tied him to tree, and then Joe
and slept. 1t little while after shut
my eyes, as it seemed to me, though il